Cricket News round-up: Having defeated the West Indies, Japan and Pakistan earlier in the week, Ireland yesterday beat Holland in the Women's World Cup qualifying tournament in Holland, securing a place in the 2005 finals in South Africa and making their last match, against Scotland today, irrelevant.
In a great week for Irish women's cricket, Nikki Coffey (YMCA) made her full international debut and Anne Linehan (Downpatrick/YMCA) won her 50th cap.
Meanwhile, the WMK Leinster Senior League gets into full stride over the weekend. North County, with their quartet of internationals - Conor Armstrong, Andre Botha and Paul and John Mooney - top Section A and are away today to Malahide, lying in third place.
Pembroke and Railway Union are at the bottom of Section A, though both have a couple of matches in hand. So their clash at Park Avenue tomorrow will be very important for both clubs.
CYM, with two victories from four matches to date, top Section B with 52 points, as YMCA and Leinster are in hot pursuit, each just a solitary point behind. CYM have home advantage against Old Belvedere today, while YMCA take on The Hills at Milverton.
Leinster's home match against Clontarf at Rathmines tomorrow will also be vital for both clubs.
Having been relegated last season, Clontarf have made an impressive recovery this summer. So far, they have had only one outing in the WMK League, beating Rush. They spectacularly saw off Phoenix last Saturday to earn a place in next week's Conqueror Cup final, versus North County at Malahide. Clontarf have an impressive coterie of rising young stars, among them Bill Coghlan, Conor D'Arcy and Ross Maybury.
Meanwhile, the Leinster Senior Two Cup final will be played at Rathmines, with Merrion and North County in opposition. John Andrews, who skippered North County to their Irish Senior Cup victory in 2001, captains the club's second XI.
With Ray Taylor as manager, Ireland also won the European under-13 Championship in Copenhagen during the week. They beat Denmark by eight wickets, Scotland by 24 runs and Holland by seven wickets.
UMPIRES
TODAY: Leinster Senior League Section A: Balrothery: R Molins, C McAllister; Phoenix CC: E Gilmour, G Lyons. Section B: Milverton: M Russell, L Moore; Terenure: G Black, J Andrews. Senior 2 Cup final: Rathmines: A Tuffery, N Parnell. Senior 2 League: Sydney Parade: L Hogan, R Stapleton; Malahide: J Bristow, R Kelly. Intermediate Cup: Halverstown: T Byrne, D Watson; Portlaoise: P Cooke, C McIntyre. Middle A League: Castle Avenue: L Fourie, T McCloskey; Anglesea Road: J Maypother, L Hewson.
SUNDAY: Leinster Senior League Section A: Park Avenue: J Bristow, L Fourie; Malahide: R O'Reilly, N Parnell; Anglesea Road: G Black, R Molins. Section B: Rathmines: J Ford, G Lyons. Senior 3 League: Balrothery: P Cooke, J Fennell.
EUROPEAN UNDER-19 CHAMPIONSHIP: At Deventer: Ireland 312 for 8 (G McKee 57, P Blakeney 49, S Wells 43, A Riddles 39, K O'Brien 37), Germany 27 all out (G Kidd 4 for 2, J Pryor 3 for 5). Ireland won by 285 runs.
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