Rush may win promotion

WITH THE River House Leinster Senior League title already secured, Clontarf, like Oliver St John Gogarty in the Liffey Swim all those years ago, need merely to go through the motions in their home Section A match against Carlisle today. The Castle Avenue club has enjoyed a splendid season, and the Senior League will embellish the impressive list of competitions already won.

Is it too early to make, well, a Rush to judgment in Section B? Perhaps; but if Rush can overcome North County today and Old Belvedere tomorrow, their chances of promotion look bright indeed.

Rush will make just one change for, tomorrow's home game against Old Belvedere, paying their second successive visit to the fastnesses of Fingal within a week, as Robert Guinness comes in for Cyril McGree. As usual, the make up of the North County side is veiled in mystery and appears to be governed by the Official Secrets Act.

Old Belvedere recall Hugh Prior and Fintan Synott, but Peter O'Reilly is not available.

YMCA's triumph over Carlisle last Sunday maintained their Division One status, and they will travel to Malahide today with collective minds relaxed. Skipper Stuart Taylor hopes that Harry Harrison, a bowler of promise, will make his senior debut in this match, as Mark Nulty stands down.

Malahide, teetering on the brink of the topple to Section B, have Justin Benson and Alf Masood in their side, and recall young Conor Herbert.

At Claremont Road today, YMCA and Clontarf will contest the final of the Women's 40 Overs Pilkington Plate, starting at 12.30pm.

Today, Clontarf will be looking to the experience of players like Tracey Skoyles, Susan Bray, Joan Burgess and Cecily Dixon to see them through.

Perhaps the fact that they are the holders of the Plate will give Clontarf a psychological ad vantage.

The individual Leinster statistics (to September 2nd) provide an indicator to the eventual winners, though it's unwise to assume too much. Still, Nasser Shaukat of Rush is well placed in the run down to the Marchant Cop, with an average of 68.36, lies fourth from the top in the bowling table, and heads the list of all rounders.