This tour followed nine years after the last but none of the 1879 players went out again, although Nunn and Trotter were invited to do so. Hynes organised the tour and was by far its outstanding star on the field, but on the boat out he was defeated by one vote for the captaincy which went to D Cronin. Hynes, at 32, was the oldest member of the party. Cronin, a Corkman, educated at Beaumont was a stylish bat whose greatest innings was 95 for Dublin University v the All England XI earlier in 1888. Cronin, like Hynes, a Barrister, did not play for Ireland again after this tour. Dunn, W Johnston and Tobin also never played again while Gillman and Kennedy made their only appearances for Ireland on this trip. In all 20 players were invited to go on the tour and amongst those who had to refuse were DN Trotter, the Hamilton Brothers, DN Emerson (the fast bowler who was greatly missed), M Gavin, W Blacker and JH Nunn. Despite all this the party was a strong one containing only 3 non Dublin University players, Gillman, Tobin and Dunn. Only one player born in the Leinster Province was in the party - T Tobin of Queen's County (subsequently Laois). Of the remainder three were Australian born, the Fitzgerald brothers and Dunn. The manager was Thomas Lyle of Coleraine, an International Rugby forward.

The team left Derry on the liner Sardinian on August 10. They should have arrived on August 18, but fog made them a day late arriving in Quebec and this meant the cancellation of a private match against the Governor-General's XI. The match under review was the fourth of the tour, the previous three being against various XV's in Canada, two of which were won and one drawn. Hynes and Maxwell had been in good form with the bat and Hynes was sweeping all before him as a leg break bowler. Against XV of Ottawa he took 17 for 42!

The Canadian team lacked S Field, an Old Uppingham boy, and GW Jones and WA Henry, both of whom toured Britain in 1887 - Henry being the most successful batsman of that tour. Five of the Canadians played against Ireland in Dublin in 1887. They were Ogden (who again was the captain), Allan, Gillespie, Saunders and WW Jones. In view of the sandy soil Lee, the Groundsman, produced a reasonable wicket on the pretty tree lined ground two miles out from the city. In sunshine Ogden won the toss and Saunders and Stratton began, with W Johnston and JP Fitzgerald bowling. Saunders hit a 4 off the first ball but on the third ball of Fitzgerald's first over Saunders was bowled leg stump. Gillespie came in and saw Stratton bowled off stump by Johnston for 6. Allan, who came next, and Gillespie both played well until Gillespie was lbw to Fitzgerald for 21. This in fact was the top score of the innings and the third innings in which Gillespie had been top scorer against Ireland - he had done so twice in the 1887 match in Dublin. PC Goldingham started well but when Hynes came on for Johnston he at once bowled Goldingham leg stump. Two overs later Hynes bowled Ogden for 2 and when Fitzgerald bowled Allan for 11 the score was 51 for 6. Collins and McGivern did not last long but WJ Fleury and WW Jones gave trouble. Fleury, who had toured in 1887 but did not play against Ireland, was eventually caught by Hynes off Fitzgerald for 17. Tobin came on for Hynes and a brilliant slip catch by the latter dismissed Jones for 14 and ended the innings at 114. The fielding of the Irish team was excellent and E Fitzgerald's wicket keeping was described as "great". JP Fitzgerald, a fast round arm bowler, took 5 for 50, bowling unchanged for 29 overs.

At 3 30 JP Fitzgerald and Hynes opened for Ireland with Ogden and Gillespie bowling. The start was cautious and slow and Allan and Jones were tried. Both batsmen hit Jones and McGivern and Godwin were brought on. However it was Ogden who eventually broke the stand when he bowled Fitzgerald for 22 at 59. J.Dunn followed and scored 21 very rapidly. He drove well but in cutting at Ogden he was caught by Godwin at 3rd man as the ball got up a little. Ogden bowled Cronin for 0. Maxwell began with some lovely late cuts and 100 went up. McGivern was tried again and he bowled Hynes for 62 made in two hours with no chance. This ended play for the day with the score 135-4 (Maxwell 22 not out).

It was quite dark following a shower when E Fitzgerald and Maxwell resumed on the 2nd day. The bowling was not good and was hit about. At length Ogden caught E.Fitzgerald at short leg off McGivern for 30 and McGivern also bowled Maxwell for 39. This pair had added 50 in fine free style. Meldon was given out caught - the victim of an Umpire's mistake! Synnott was caught off Ogden for 0 but Tobin at no. 11 hit lustily and, aided by mistakes in the field, made 40. There was great cheering when he hit Ogden for 6. At length Fleury caught Tobin in the outfield to give Ogden his 5th wicket for 76 in 51 overs. Gillman had supported Tobin very well and made 17 not out. McGivern had bowled 40 overs and gave away only 41 runs with 3 wickets.

Canada were 135 behind when Saunders and Stratton opened to Johnston and JP Fitzgerald. Saunders was aggressive but Stratton only made one before being finely caught at the wicket off Fitzgerald. Allan came in and Johnston, after bowling 6 overs, gave way to Hynes. He caught and bowled Saunders for 21 and in 11 overs took 6 for 17 and Canada were all out for only 49. Allan was splendidly caught in the outfield by Gillman and Ogden run out for 0 by Dunn when trying a short single.