Mid-September and the season is drawing to a close with the final actors waiting in the wings for the curtains to draw back on the final scene. Two weekends still to play with two titles to be decided and it looks like week 25 won’t be needed.
Week 22 had 13 games to report, but also saw the tables and percentage points calculated to check the provisional earlier results, with Cork County 2nds confirmed as Division 1 and Limerick Blasters 3rds as Division 4 respective champions. They were joined on Sunday by Limerick CC 3rds, who took the Division 2 Title.
Premier League Championship
Two teams were scheduled for this week, Limerick at home to Midleton & Kerry at home to Harlequins. Sadly the remnants of Hurricane Danielle dropped an inch or more of rain on all grounds across Munster for a complete washout.
This leaves the league positions unchanged in the table below but shortens the possible permutations with 5 games still to play over the last two weekends. Note all points will be independently verified. The title will go to either Quins, County, or Kerry.
Harlequins top the table with 75.2% points but have a game this Saturday and Sunday, 23 or fewer points for the weekend and title hopes rest on other results, beat Midleton and Limerick and the Joseph Pike Cup heads up to Farmers Cross for the first time in a decade.
Cork County & Kerry also both have two games over two weekends to play, but crucially a head-to-head in the Mardyke this Sunday. The Saturday Quins result could frame the game and have NVPlay casting onto the clubhouse TV, but neither team will want to drop points that could see the trophy staying in Cork or heading to the Kingdom for the first time. With Limerick & Galway only having one game to play, Midleton could well be the kingmakers.
Division 1
The top of the table points in and is checked. Cork County crowned Champions of Munster’s biggest league.
Three games were played last Saturday and there are still four matches to play over the next two weekends to complete the league.
Limerick 2nds 102/6 bowled out Harlequins 2nds 101/10 to win by 4 wickets at Adare. Cork County 2nds 178/9 held off Kerry 2nds 173/10 to win by 5 runs.
UCC chasing the second spot made 107/10 beating Midleton 2nds 59/10 by 48 runs.
Division 2
Three games last Sunday all washed out, leaving the Operations team checking the bonus points, %points and calculators. There are still two games to go in the league and the second spot is still up for grabs but Danielle ended the 5-way title contest to leave Limerick with an unbeatable 65 % points to claim the Division 2 League crown.
Division 3
In April some pundits forecast that this league would be the most competitive in Munster and this is proving correct. Just two games were played last Saturday and with five teams still to play four games, drama & regulations may decide the Championship.
Waterford is in the clubhouse with 56.8 % points but can’t win the title. County 4ths with two games to play have the title in their hands over title contenders Clare 1sts. A win with any bonus point by County over Harlequins 4ths this Saturday and they take the title, twenty points or less and the crown will be decided in a head-to-head on Saturday the 24th at the Mardyke.
Saturday 10th Results
Harlequins 4ths 256/7 beat Waterford 205 ao by 51 runs at Farmers Cross. Clonmel 2nds 74/10 lost to Cork County 4ths 114/10 by 40 runs at Lisronagh.
Division 4
As reported, the division is all done and Limerick Blasters 3rds in their first season at Crokers Oval take the first Championship title of the new Munster 5th tier.
Munster Youth Competitions
There will be a full review of youth next week but there are still a handful of games to finalise the leagues.
As previously reported the U13 & U15 Superleague titles were won by Cork County with the prize of progressing to the respective All Ireland semi-finals.
At U13 County came up against a very strong Pembroke CC Juniors team, losing a tough game, but making Munster proud.
This Sunday 18th Cork County U15 takes on Phoenix CC Colts for a place in the All Ireland Final. Good luck, all of Munster are behind you!
A lot of cricket has been played this season, arguably the biggest ever in Munster’s History.
The stats speak for themselves, but that is 364 matches across all formats, club and representative. Games 365 to 381 are still to be played.
With the Premier League going down to the wire it’s never been a better time to follow the scores on NVPlay.
