25/07/2026
Blues Fall Short Against Laois Lions in High-Scoring Friendly
Lismore Blues’ (Taverners) hosted the Laois Cricket Club Lions for a friendly, good-natured encounter at Lismore, where hospitality was extended early as the hosts gave the visitors their choice at the toss. Opting to bat first, the Lions put the Blues straight into the field and made immediate use of the good conditions, powering their way to an impressive total of 222/9. The charge was led by standout performances from Blane (72) and Jesson (92), whose dominant half-centuries anchored the innings. Despite the onslaught, Lismore’s attack battled hard: Mo was the pick of the bowlers, turning in a sharp spell of 3-22 from his six overs, while Jon picked up 2-28. Kevin, Jonah, and Michael all chipped in with vital wickets to keep the visitors from completely running away with the game.
Facing a daunting run chase, the Blues needed to take early risks. The innings started well with opener Nat scoring a gutsy 18, but as wickets fell at regular intervals, a spirited middle-order fightback was required to keep Lismore in the hunt. Solid contributions from Mo (25), Kev (15), Paul (17), and a fluent 54 from Dan briefly gave the Blues hope, making the target look almost reachable at times. However, the turning point arrived when Dan was run out for 54; his dismissal halted the Blues' charge and swung the contest firmly back in Laois's favor, sealing a 67-run victory for the visitors. Despite the result, an enjoyable day was had by all as every player got a turn with both bat and ball. The tea at the innings break fully maintained Lismore’s notoriously high hospitality standards, with special thanks extended to our sponsor Beecher’s Centra Lismore for providing the excellent of sandwiches, and to our own members for brining the rest of the spread.
League Cricket in June and July:
14 June 2026 (MCU Div 2/3 T20 Finals Day): Lismore 1st XI fell short on home turf at Castlelands, being bowled out for 84 as Midleton 3rd XI chased the target to win by 6 wickets.
27 June 2026 (MCU Minor Cup): Lismore 1st XI's Minor Cup run ended in unusual fashion at The Mardyke as Cork County 3rd XI prevailed via a bowl-out after rain interrupted play with Cork County at 109/4.
4 July 2026 (MCU Division 3): Lismore 1st XI put on a strong display at Castlelands, posting 252 before bowling out Limerick Blasters 3rd XI for 155 to secure a 97-run victory.
18 July 2026 (MCU Division 4): Lismore 2nd XI faced a tough outing at Tralee, falling to a big defeat against County Kerry 4th XI after conceding 390/6 and reaching 83/7 in response.
