Next Saturday, Merrion and North County will meet in the final of the Leinster Senior 50 Overs League, sponsored by Lewis Traub, in what will be an important dress rehearsal for next month's Irish Senior Cup semi-final confrontation.

In last Saturday's league semis, Merrion ousted Pembroke at Sydney Parade, while North County knocked out the holders, Phoenix, at Balrothery.

Merrion's 25-run victory, be it said, was greatly aided by Pembroke's unfortunate capacity for self-destruction and a few umpiring decisions which, as players from both sides privately agreed, were dubious, to put it kindly.

After Merrion - with not a Joyce brother in sight - had batted first, Pembroke were obliged to chase 216 for victory and looked to be well on the way at 149 for 4 after 36 overs.

Then, 10 runs on. Joe Byrne was given out caught behind without scoring in the 38th over.

The 41st over was destined to be the turning point of the match and the beginning of the end for Pembroke, as an injudicious call from skipper Trevor Dagg caused Conor Dwyer to be run out, and a few balls later the captain himself suffered a similar fate, going for an impossible second run.

That left Pembroke on 167 for 7. In theory (or more likely, in schoolboy of the good old days), the home side might still have made it, but Merrion's captain, Brad Spanner, and Chris Torrisi between them mopped up the tail.

Pembroke's self-inflicted errors aside, this was a good win for a Merrion team which was seriously depleted. Ed Joyce was not eligible for this competition, but Dom, also with Ireland in Toronto, was a potential major loss.

Meanwhile, North County's good run (apart from their Conqueror Cup defeat by Railway Union) continued at Balrothery with that 27-run defeat of Phoenix.