From the team as selected PJ Dineen, injured, cried off and was replaced by GA Duffy

This match brought play on a Sunday in a match against MCC. The Sunday was to have been the second day but the deity sent rain which prevented a ball being bowled. Perhaps it was just as well. On Saturday night MCC were only 21 behind with nine wickets in hand. Ireland were to be unchanged from the Combined Services match but Dineen's finger had not healed so Duffy replaced him. RA Gale captained MCC and his 113 was the first century for MCC in Ireland since RES Wyatt in 1948. New MCC players against Ireland were D Bennett, the Middlesex all-rounder; EA Clark, the former Middlesex batsman, who scored a century on debut in 1959; DC Wing, the Cambridge opening bowler; EM Dyson, a batsman and Oxford Blue in 1958 and GNS Ridley, the Oxford captain of 1967.

The match began well for Ireland. Anderson won his first toss and at once Pigot was in his stride stroking Clark and Wing away to leg several times. Bennett and Piachaud (off spin) came on. 50 was up in an hour. Ridley then gave difficult chances to the wicket-keeper (Holland) and to Piachaud at gully. Piachaud, in his fifth over, had Pigot lbw for a very good 38. 64-1. Ridley and Harrison added 20, in only 14 minutes, Ridley hitting his namesake for four fours. As 84-1 all looked well for Ireland. Then Piachaud had Harrison caught at the wicket. Wing came back for Ridley and bowled Waters for 0. 10 minutes later Piachaud bowled Ridley whose 43 took 112 minutes. With the score, 87, unchanged Anderson hit Wing to mid-off. There was bad calling and hesitation. The upshot was Duffy was run out at the wicket-keeper's end by a small margin and in spite of a poor throw from Dyson. At lunch the score was 92-5.

Duff and Piachaud shared the bowling after lunch. Anderson and O'Riordan added six when O'Riordan crashed a drive back to Piachaud. The bowler claimed a caught and bowled and O'Riordan took his word when it seemed the umpire could not decide. At 100 Dyson caught Monteith over his head at mid-off and at 101 Duff bowled Colhoun who appeared to be flattered by the number nine spot. Anderson and Hughes took the score to 117 when Hughes chased a wide one and was caught at the wicket. Duff was at once taken off for Wing, perhaps a mistake. Goodwin began to lay about him but was dropped when four by Gale at forward short leg off Piachaud. Goodwin in all hit five fours in his 23 scored out of 34. Duff came back and had him LBW in his second over leaving Anderson 24 not out, scored in 70 minutes. In all it was a sorry collapse only redeemed by the last wicket stand. Piachaud bowled well for his 22 consecutive overs to take 5-39 but the wicket was a little slow for him.

Gale and Dyson began quietly for MCC and scored 28 in 18 overs bowled by O'Riordan, Goodwin and Monteith up to tea. When 50 came up Gale was 33 and Dyson 13. Duffy came on, the fifth bowler to be used. In his third over he had Dyson caught by Harrison at mid-off. His 16 out of 67 had taken 90 minutes. Bennett came in at 5:15 pm and was somewhat out of form. However, he stayed with Gale who was batting extremely well until close of play. Gale reached 50 in 100 minutes and was 78 not out at 6:30 pm. Bennett was 29 and the score was 130-1. O'Riordan had a sore shoulder and could only bowl six overs.

Play resumed at 1:30 pm on the third day on a new wicket. The weather was sunny. 270 minutes remained and MCC chose to bat on in quest of quick runs. Hughes and O'Riordan bowled. Gale was again in good form. He hit Hughes for 6 to mid-wicket and, in 24 minutes, sped to his century (102) out of 159. 42 were added in 34 minutes. Then Goodwin, with his second ball, had Bennett caught at cover for 36 in a stand of 105.

In O'Riordan's next over Gale was caught at mid-on. His 113 came in 198 minutes with three sixes and 12 fours. 174-3-113. At 178 Clark was caught at deep mid-on off Goodwin and, eight runs later, Pretlove was bowled by Goodwin with his head up. At 188 Howland was run out. Day was appealed against for lbw. Howland ran. O'Riordan collected the rebound off Day's pad and ran Howland out. GNS Ridley was dropped at slip by RM Ridley, the only slip to O'Riordan at the time. It was hard and to Ridley's right. At 194 Day was out. He skied Goodwin and Duffy caught him, running from mid-off to extra cover. At 204 Goodwin bowled Ridley who was swinging and O'Riordan had Duff caught at deep gully. MCC declared at 204-9. They were 53 ahead, having added 74 in 93 minutes today. Goodwin had taken 5-46 in 20 overs, all five were taken for 20 in nine overs today. Goodwin thus ended a great season taking 23 wickets for 251 runs, the first 20 wickets in a season since F.Fee in 1957.

At 3:15 pm Pigot and Ridley opened. 17 runs were scored off nine overs bowled by Wing and Clark. Then Piachaud and Ridley came on and each took a wicket in his first over. Piachaud bowled Pigot second ball and Ridley had Ireland's Ridley caught at slip pushing out at one that lifted slowly. Harrison and Waters batted steadily with Waters hitting Duff for 10 in three balls. At tea the score was 46-2 with Waters 20 and Harrison three. Play ended at 6 pm. In the remaining 85 minutes Ireland scored 83 for the loss of two wickets. MCC used eight bowlers. It was Gale himself who got Waters, stumped at 73. Harrison had batted patiently for 12 (scored out of 75) and was caught off Duff with the score on 92. Duffy and Anderson played out time. Anderson was in good form and played his second not out innings of the match. He made 40 and hit Piachaud for a six. Anderson now has 545 runs for Ireland in 11 matches and 18 innings, and he averages 36.33.