High-Scoring Thrillers and Cup Semi-Final Success for the Senior Bulls
July proved to be an action-packed month of cricket for Clontarf, with stellar league battles and cup progression across both the men’s and women’s sections. Here is a comprehensive round-up of how our teams fared throughout all matches played in July.
Our M1s experienced a highly competitive month in Premier League action, picking up a hard-fought victory but suffering two tight defeats. The campaign opened with a high-scoring home encounter against North County, where despite putting up an outstanding first-innings total of 338 runs, the visitors managed to chase down the target to claim an eight-wicket win. The team bounced back strongly in their next outing away to Pembroke, showing brilliant resilience to defend their total of 341 and earn a thrilling 19-run victory. The monthly league fixtures concluded on the road against Balbriggan, where a tough run chase saw the side fall short by 50 runs.
The W1s produced a series of dominant performances in the Premier League, securing two convincing victories from three matches. Their run began in confident fashion with a comprehensive 68-run win over Malahide at home. They encountered a slight bump in their next home fixture against Rush, dropping a closely contested game by seven wickets. However, the side responded emphatically in their final league fixture of the month, posting an impressive 215 runs in the first innings before bowling out Balbriggan to secure a resounding 103-run triumph.
Our M2s enjoyed an eventful month across league and cup competitions, highlighting their depth with strong cup progression and hard-fought league performances. They kicked off their schedule with a solid 15-run win over Castleknock in the Tillain Cup. Switching to the Second XI Premier League, they edged out The Hills by five wickets in a high-scoring thriller, before narrowly dropping a nail-biting three-wicket match to Merrion. The squad regrouped brilliant in cup action to secure a spot in the final with a decisive 58-run semi-final victory over Civil Service, before wrapping up the month’s league fixtures with a close four-wicket defeat to Leinster.
The W2s delivered an outstanding month of cricket, building great momentum by winning three consecutive matches after an agonising opening loss. Their month started with a heartbreaker in Division 2, coming up just three runs short against Pembroke. Showing tremendous character, they bounced back in the Junior Cup Semi-Final by claiming a fine 31-run victory over Merrion to advance to the cup final. They carried that winning form back into Division 2 action, securing a comfortable eight-wicket away win against Terenure before finishing the month in style with a polished 21-run home win over Leinster.
Our M3s faced a challenging stretch in Division 6, displaying great fight in two competitive fixtures that went right down to the wire. In their opener away to Rush, the side produced a strong batting display to post 258 runs, but the hosts managed to edge home for a narrow four-wicket victory. A similar pattern followed in their next away trip to Civil Service, where another hard-fought contest saw the opposition hold on for a four-wicket win.
The W3s enjoyed a stellar month of cricket, securing four wins from six matches across league and cup fixtures. They started brightly in Division 3 with a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Phoenix, before sustaining a 25-run defeat on the road to Merrion. The squad rebounded in style in the Minor Cup Semi-Final, producing a sharp away performance to defeat Leinster by seven wickets and secure a place in the cup final. They followed that up with a disciplined 14-run league victory over Balbriggan, and despite a setback against Rush, they capped off the month impressively by bowling out Pembroke for 45 runs to seal a swift eight-wicket home victory.
Our M4s put in a determined effort in their single Division 11 fixture of the month. Taking on North County at home, the side battled hard to set a competitive target of 206 runs, though the visitors eventually managed to reach the mark for a five-wicket result.
Our M5s enjoyed a magnificent month on the pitch, recording three victories across league and cup action. They opened their fixtures with a clinical 71-run win over Finglas in the Minor 2 Cup. Despite a home defeat to Pembroke in Division 17C, the team bounced back with determination in the Minor 2 Cup Semi-Final, bowling out Terenure for 66 runs to earn a commanding 45-run victory and seal a place in the final. They carried that winning form into their final league outing of the month, putting in a fantastic performance on the road to dismiss Merrion for 76 and claim a comfortable eight-wicket win.
Finally, not forgetting our Ladies Social team, who participated in a Blitz at Malahide, competing against teams from The Village, Phoenix & Tyrrelstown. With enough players for two teams, an appearance in the final was guaranteed. However, due to the ‘social’ nature of the event, we’re not sure if anyone was keeping score. Watch this space for the next blitz, and if you’re interested in joining the team, please reach out directly to Zoe.