THE Leinster Schools season is up and running and already some exciting games have been played.

The opening programme of games threw up a replay of last year’s senior cup final, but this time the result was reversed.

While St Mary’s overcame the odds at Anglesea Road last May thanks to Tom Lynch’s 91, pretty much the same line-up were soundly beaten this time.

Jack Balbirnie led the way for St Andrew’s with an unbeaten 67, backed up by Aaron Bailey’s 31, to finish on 169-6. Gareth Delany (3-28) and Michael Hoey (2-24) were the best of the bowlers.

St Mary’s never got going, despite Benn Hoey’s 28 and Delany’s 26, and they were bowled out for 118, with Balbirnie taking 4-39 and Bailey 3-23.

Belvedere will also challenge this year, with Andrew Delany showing good firm in making 32 out of his team’s 99 all out to Wesley, with Adam Chandler (3-31) and David Poff (3-32) impressing with the ball.

That small target was well-defended, with Daniel Paul’s 45 proving to be the only score of any size in a total of 75, with Rory Sullivan taking 3-19.

It was another game of low scores in Palmerstown, where High School’s total of 68 relied heavily on Conor Prendergast’s 31. Daire O’Neill took 5-8 and Fintan de las Casas 3-21. O’Neill made 21 with the bat but his team-mates let him down as King’s Hospital collapsed to 54 all out with Andy Palmer taking 5-14 and Oisin McEvoy 3-18.

St Joseph’s were bowled out for 57 at Kenure Park, Rush, with Stephen Doheny top-scoring with 15. Nick Peters took 3-16 and Jack Quinlan 3-7.

Gonzaga lost just two wickets getting their target, with Peters making 21 and Rowan Walsh unbeaten for the same score.

Meanwhile, in Cork, Presentation beat their old rivals CBC in the Munster School Senior Cup. PBC were all out for 98 (A Kelleher 51, K O'Sullivan 2-15) but Christians could only muster 86 (S Azhar 51, A Kelleher 3-21).

FORTHCOMING FIXTURES

  • Friday: (Friendly) CUS v Bangor Grammar School, Rush, 12.0.
  • 30 April: St Mary’s v St Joseph’s, Gonzaga v St Andrew’s, High School v Castleknock Community College, Wesley v CUS
  • 7 May: St Joseph’s v St Andrew’s, St Mary’s v Gonzaga, Castleknock CC v King’s Hospital, Ardgillan v St Columba’s, CUS v Belvedere