Liam McCarthy took 6 for 13 including the first five to all but decide the game in the first eight overs as North County slumped to 20 for 5. Jake and John Devane each made 17 but a total of 90 was never going to be enough. Eddie Richardson battled hard to take three wickets in the chase, but Railway Union eased to the win in the 20th over with that man McCarthy again doing the business with the bat as he cleared the ropes twice in an unbeaten 24, while skipper Philippe Le Roux made 21 not out.

Pembroke stay in second place after a comprehensive six-wickets win at The Hills. Irish international Gavin Hoey took five wickets as the hosts batting brittleness was again to the fore as they were bowled out for just 127 - Muzamil Sherzad making 36 and Tomas Rooney-Murphy 31. Cian Nulty started the defence of their modest total in dramatic fashion accounting for Tim Tector and Blake McDonald with the first two balls of the innings. Normality was resumed in a third wicket stand of 68 between top-scorer JJ Garth - who hit 7 fours and a six in an unbeaten 49 - and Jack Tector 40 (8 fours). There were runs too for Gavin Hoey who hit five fours in his 29 as victory was secured at the 25 overs midway point.

Closest game of the day was at Balrothery where Clontarf kept their title hopes alive with a 16-run win over North County. The visitors recovered from 111 for 6 in the 24th over to post 293 for 7, thanks to a seventh wicket partnership of 150 in 24 overs between Fionn Hand and David Delany. Irish international Hand top-scored with a 76-ball 90 against his old club (10 fours, 4 sixes), while skipper Delany's unbeaten 82 included 10 fours and 2 sixes. Clontarf struck two early blows but the strong middle-order of Eddie Richardson (45), Jamie Grassi (52) and Niall McGovern - who hit 12 fours in his top score of 76 - got the innings back on track. Clontarf dug deep and David Vincent bounced back from an early setback to get three wickets, while there were two wickets apiece for John McNally and Cillian McDonnell.

The only game to fall foul of the elements was at The Mardyke where Balbriggan were in a tough position on 85 for 4 after 21 overs when the game was abandoned. mark Adrianatos had taken 3 for 8 but was off injured after two balls of his fifth over. Chris De Freitas was there on 24 not out and with Balbriggan's batting depth we will never know just how the game would have panned out. The points ending up being shared with the league approaching the split next weekend.

Table toppers Leinster had little trouble disposing of Railway Union as they romped to a nine-wicket win at Rathmines. Batting first, Railway were skittled for just 69 with three wickets apiece for Bilal Azhar and Mark Tonge, while there were two apiece for Ben Mitchell and Jai Moondra. The chase was over by the 12th over with only one wicket to fall - Ben Mitchell for 16. Tom Johnson hit an unbeaten 25, adding an unbroken 46 for the second wicket with Monil Patel (15*).

Merrion totally outplayed Rush from start to finish as they recorded a thumping 237-run win at Anglesea Road. Stephen Doheny was again in the runs as he top-scored with 105 from 96 balls (9 fours, 3 sixes) sharing an opening stand of 106 with Swapnil Modgill 43 (8 fours). There were runs too for Jamie Forbes 92 (5 fours, 4 sixes), who added 109 in 12 overs with John Anderson who was in scintillating touch, hitting 10 fours and 2 sixes in a 45-ball 76. A final total of 357 for 6 was always going to be out of reach for Rush, who stumbled to 120 - Abidullah Taniwal making 52 of those. Tom Stanton picked up three wickets, while there were two apiece for Max Sorensen and Connor Blaxall-Hill.

Eknoor Singh's 87 and six wickets for Tyrone Kane were the main reasons for Phoenix beating Malahide by 45 runs. Singh hit 11 boundaries in his fine knock, adding 64 for the third wicket with a subdued George Dockrell (23). Nicolaas Pretorius added late impetus with a 23-ball unbeaten 38 (2 fours, 3 sixes) in a total of 227 for 8. Malahide's chase saw runs again for Robbie Foulkes 61 (9 fours, 1 six), while Jeremy Martins made 30 and Alex Brown 25 in a total of 182. Tyrone Kane was the destroyer-in-chief claiming 6 for 33, while left-arm spinner Amish Sidhu took 3-31 in the 45-run win.