Future life at the top of Section A in the Senior League - or maybe that should be future occupancy? - is likely to determined by today's match between Rush and Pembroke at Kenure and tomorrow's Carlisle and Leinster confrontation at Kimmage.

And today's game between YMCA and Carlisle at Claremont Road also looks likely to come into the equation.

Rush, whose onward march faltered against Clontarf last Sunday, are still way out in front on 97 points, 31 clear of YMCA. But both clubs have played four matches; by contrast, Carlisle have played only two, winning both of them, and so are well placed to make capital over the weekend.

And their hopes will be boosted by the return of Mark Cohen, whose holiday home-coming is timely, indeed. He will play today and tomorrow, as will Carlisle's recent import, Ian Langstaff,

Rush show one change, as Ray Wilde comes into the team instead of Robert McGuinness.

Richie Waddell is not available for Leinster, so Tom McDonnell comes into the team at Kimmage tomorrow. Both The Hills and Merrion, taking on North County and Malahide, respectively, will be strengthened by the return of their Ireland under-19 players, after their exploits in the International Youth Tournament in Bermuda.

North County will be in action again tomorrow, at home at The Nevitt to Old Belvedere.

And now, an understandable cri de coeur from Aisling Kennedy, PRO of the Irish Women's Cricket Union, in advance of next month's three-match series against South Africa and, in the longer term, Ireland's participation in the World Cup in India next December.

"Are there still sports in Ireland who have to fund themselves to represent their country at World Cup level? The answer, sadly, is yes", writes Kennedy. Who points out that Ireland's women's team is ranked fifth in the world, which, as she rightly says, is a "major achievement considering their amateur status, lack of funding, lack of sponsorship and, in some respects, lack of media profile".

Kennedy continues: "The IWCU has been allocated £4,000 (we applied for £15,000 - the over-all cost will be about £30,000) to play in the World Cup. The allocated £4,000 is a lower amount than was received for the World Cup in 1988 in Australia and in England in 1993. Apparently all other grants allocated to sports bodies increased, the IWCU's has decreased with no explanation given", says Kennedy.