Clontarf, who completed the double last season by winning the Conqueror Cup and the Leinster Senior League (backed by Whitney Moore & Keller) will be in action twice, both home and away, over the weekend.
They will be in action in the Leinster Senior 50 Overs League (sponsored by Lewis Traub) at home in Castle Avenue against Malahide tomorrow and will take on Rush at Kenure on Monday. Ronan O'Reilly, last year's double-winning captain, who is again the skipper, will miss both matches because of his rugby commitments.
In O'Reilly's absence, Paul Ryan will captain the side. The teams for the weekend matches have yet to be finalised, but will include 16-year-old Conor D'Arcy, who will be making his senior debut.
Also in action will be Clontarf's new overseas member, Australian Matthew Love, who has succeeded Andre Botha as the club's overseas player-coach. Love, an all-rounder, has already been busy, striving to spread the summer game's gospel around local non-cricket schools, including Belgrove.
He spent the past few seasons playing and coaching with the Watsonians club in Scotland. Love looks like a very useful acquisition for Clontarf; in a preseason friendly over the Easter weekend he hit an undefeated half-century against Pembroke at Castle Avenue.
Also back in action will be South African-born Tinnis Fourie and Mark Jones from Australia. Both shared in last season's Cup and League victories.
North County, meanwhile, have acquired the considerable services of the afore-mentioned Botha, a match-winning all-rounder who will contribute additional firepower to the Fingal club. With their Ireland pace-man Paul Mooney back after a winter in Johannesburg, and the reputed signing of a few South African players, North County seem destined to be a major force this season.
North County's Centre of Excellence at Balrothery is expected to be completed by next November, though the club intends to play some matches there during the summer.
The foot-and mouth-situation has once more affected Phoenix, last season's winners of the Lewis Traub League. Last Saturday, their home Beckett Cup 20-overs final against Limavady had to be postponed because of the restrictions in place at the Phoenix Park.
This weekend, Phoenix were to be at home in the League to Rush tomorrow and to Malahide on Sunday. Now the venues have had to be switched, so Phoenix are obliged to visit Kenure tomorrow day and go to "The Village" the following day.
Meanwhile, North East Access Radio (NEAR FM) provides a comprehensive results service of all weekend cricket matches on its Sunday Sports Extra programme with Fergus Carroll, who in another guise has recently been appointed honorary PRO with the LCU. NEAR is on fm 101.6
