Cricket Not content with being the hero for Ireland at the European Championships in Holland last week, Trent Johnston came home to his club this weekend and continued his blistering form to make sure Clontarf won their seventh Leinster Senior Cup.

A 197-run third-wicket partnership with Dom Rigby, who incidentally also played in those championships for his native Scotland, meant Clontarf posted a formidable total of 290 for 3 off their allotted 60 overs. It was a stand truly worthy of a cup final with both players sculpting very sensible innings while still managing to accelerate at the right times and take an average of six runs off every over.

In hindsight, having won the toss, Rush skipper Sadat Gull will rue his decision to field first on what turned out to be a good Park Avenue track. Perhaps it was lack of confidence batting first - this was Rush's first Conqueror Cup final - or maybe Gull just backed his talented bowling attack to restrict Clontarf to a reasonable total. But either way, no doubt Clontarf captain Ian Synnott was pleasantly surprised when he got the chance to tell his opening batsmen to pad up shortly before the 11 a.m. start.

And crucially, in the face of that good attack, they got off to a steady start. Alex Cusack and Ronan O'Reilly batted with caution in the face of controlled and accurate bowling from Gull and Shahid Iqbal. To justify fielding first, Rush needed early wickets to put pressure on the middle order but they did not come, and O'Reilly and Cusack got to 64 before the first casualty.

Then, as so often happens, they both got out together. Cusack (27) fell lbw to Naseer Shoukat and O'Reilly was out the same way to Wasim Akhtar for 34.

At 66 for 2, it was the only time Clontarf looked like they might stumble. But with Johnston and Rigby at the crease, they were always in control. Johnston finally fell for 102, stumped by Fintan McAllistair off Shoukat while Rigby remained unbeaten at the end on 90.

Try as they might, Rush wickets fell far too regularly after the changeover for them ever to challenge Clontarf's total. Due to a lingering injury, Johnston was forced to bowl off a truncated run-up, but when it's your day, it's your day, and he still managed to take four wickets, including the vital scalps of Gull, McAllistair and Shoukat.

A great innings of 98 not out by Iqbal was the highlight of their contribution.

Meanwhile, It has been a week of steep learning curves for the Ireland women's cricket team as they were given an indication of where they stand in relation to the top one-day teams in the world. And although they lost all three games against world champions New Zealand, they steadily improved from each game with plenty for them to be optimistic about as they prepare for the World Cup in South Africa next spring.

Yesterday, on her 21st birthday, Cecelia Joyce top-scored with 33 as Ireland fell 77 runs short of the Kiwis in Anglesea Road. Earlier, they had been given a lesson in batting by Helen Watson who made 115 not out as the Black Caps posted a total of 232, their lowest of the three matches.

Winning her 50th cap for Ireland, Barbara McDonald was the pick of the Irish bowlers with an impressive 3-29 off 10 overs.