Holders Merrion survived a serious scare before edging past Malahide by five runs on DLS to book a Leinster Women’s Senior Cup final showdown with Balbriggan. In a rain-affected semi-final, Merrion’s 125 for 2 in 16 overs proved enough once the calculations were applied, despite Malahide reaching 128 for 8 in reply. Annabel Squires was the backbone of the Merrion innings, finishing unbeaten on 62 after Bella Armstrong had set the tone with 27. Aisling Lawlor made 10 before Aoife Brennan’s 17 not out helped Merrion finish strongly. Malahide’s chase was held together by Gemma Sargent, who struck a fine 55, while Anna Kerrison chipped in with 24. At 93 for 4 they were well placed, but Merrion hit back decisively. Lawlor completed a fine all-round display with 2 for 27, while Aoife Hayden also claimed two wickets. Niamh MacNulty, Armstrong and Ashwi Manoj picked up one apiece as Merrion kept chipping away. Malahide fought to the final over, but the DLS equation was against them, leaving Merrion to march on in defence of their crown.

Irish international Leah Paul blasted an unbeaten century as Merrion powered into the semi-finals of the Leinster Women’s Senior Cup with a comprehensive win over Rush. The left-handed opener dominated from the outset, striking 16 boundaries in a superb 112 not out from just 69 deliveries in Merrion’s imposing 202 for 2. Paul shared a stand of 98 with Aoife Brennan, who made a fluent 37, before adding a further 104 with Aisling Lawlor, whose 38 kept the momentum flowing through the closing overs. Facing a daunting chase, Rush never seriously threatened the target despite a spirited innings from Ellie McGee, whose 49 came from only 32 balls. Eileen Foley added an unbeaten 21, but Merrion’s bowlers maintained control throughout. Lawlor capped an excellent all-round display with figures of 2 for 20, while Isolde Ní Dhónaill claimed 2 for 13. Merrion will now host the winners of the postponed Malahide versus Leinster tie in the semi-final.

Balbriggan eased into the semi-final of the Senior Cup with a convincing six-wicket win over Phoenix at the Jack Harper Ground. Phoenix struggled to build momentum after being restricted to 123 for 7 from their 20 overs, with Arisha Foysal top-scoring on 27 not out. The standout bowling performance came from Erin Knight, who ripped through the middle order with impressive figures of 3 for 9. Balbriggan made light work of the chase, reaching 124 for 4 with more than three overs to spare. Madison Landsman led the way with a fluent 49, while Julia Hoal added 29 in a controlled run chase. Foysal completed a solid all-round display with 2 for 19. Balbriggan will host Pembroke in the last four clash on June 30th.

Pembroke edged into the second round of the Leinster Cricket Union Women’s Senior Cup with a dramatic four-run victory over Clontarf at Sydney Parade. A competitive Pembroke total of 133 for 7 was built around a solid 37 from Isobel Jennings, while Katie O'Toole impressed with the ball for Clontarf, taking 2 for 22. In reply, Clontarf fell agonisingly short on 129 for 9 despite strong efforts from overseas professional Robyn Searle, who made 41, and Genevieve Morrissey with 39. Pembroke held their nerve in the closing overs thanks to an excellent bowling display led by Maire Nicoll’s 3 for 17 and 2 for 19 from Orla Prendergast.