Although the failure to force a win at carlisle was a disappointment there were far more pressing factors to consider as DUCC prepared to travel the short distance to Anglesea Road to play Merrion. On the same day College Park, for so long the home of International Cricket for Dublin, was to host its first ever Guinness Cup (inter-provincial) match, no less than the "local derby" of North Leinster v South Leinster. Readers with not (very) long memories need to be made aware that TRINITY/ College Park/DUCC were in North Leinster - in all; other respects the Liffey was the demarcation line.

Obviously this was a "big thing" for the College but it threw up a problem , or 4 problems to be exact for DUCC! Having fielded pretty much the same XI throughout their first 9 League games DUCC had now been honoured by the selection of Skipper Mike Halliday, opening bowling attack John Frankland and Ronnie McCarey and top scoring number three bat Michael Bryce for the North Leinster side. Merrion who had finished a "nose bleed 8th in 1968, and a distant last in 1969 were "untroubled" by South Leinster's outfit. The size of the task in replacing the four players can be gauged from looking at a few statistics:

• Bryce had scored 302 runs at an Average of 43.14 which at season's end saw him finish 6th in the Leinster standings for League and Cup.
• Halliday had taken 17 wickets for 193 runs AND scored 130 runs at an Average of 26.
• Frankland had taken 37 wickets for 333 runs an Average well below 10 per wicket.
• McCarey had taken 28 wickets for 268 runs also with an Average well short of 10 per wicket.

To this point in League (and a Cup Match) DUCC had captured 89 wickets - this trio of bowlers had accounted for 82 of them.

In the 10 matches DUCC had played "other bowlers" had sent down only 30 overs and 5 of those were by Bryce.

So what to do? Any thoughts of seeking a postponement of the Merrion fixture would have been unlikely to succeed, not least in that finding an alternative date with the summer vacation so close would have been nigh on impossible. With much assistance from last year's captain Simon Hewson the search was on. Eoin Deering had played in the first League game v OLd Belvedere so he came in to bowl his left arm Medium quicks. A very tall and genial Englishman, who had played 6 matches in the 1969 campaign, by the name of Simon (but often called Sam) Holland formed the opening attack with Deering. Holland bowled at a steady medium pace although his size and approach often persuaded batsmen to expect something more hostile. There was undoubtedly a belief that much of the bowling would come from the two slow left-armers Hewson and Alan Kirk.

John Kirby who had performed very usefully in several games took Halliday's slot at number 8. Finally in a master stroke Hewson had persuaded Chris Cordess to park his medical text-books to bat at number three. Chris had opened the batting in 1969 without much "statistical success" but his pedigree as a left-handed batsman was not doubted.

Thus as the "DUCC Four" lined out in what was to be a disappointing Leinster Derby (5 wicket win for The South) the "remnants" booked in to Merrion with Chris Harte captaining the side. The weather was yet again sunny and warm, the pitch (indeed the whole ground) rather hard and dry. CCJ lost the Toss and Merrion batted - Deering started with a Maiden but Dennis Noble took 2 boundaries from his second over. Holland conceded a single from his first ball and a boundary from the first delivery of his second over so after 4 overs Merrion were 13 for no wicket. By the end of the 14th over they were 37 for 6 and the innings was in tatters.

Noble went first caught by Harte off Deering and in the next over Holland captured his first wicket, Alan Kirk catching Danny Parkinson. In his next 3 overs Simon Holland claimed the scalps of Eddie Lewis (also caught Kirk) Noel Hayden (bowled) Brendan Curley (caught McKenna) and Cassidy. The last named was hit in the face by a ball that popped from a length but in falling he trod on his own wicket. Kilpatrick stayed with Morrissey (26*) until he was caught by Cordess to give "Sam" his sixth and final scalp at 55 for 7. Alex Burns at number 9 recorded 4 boundaries and a 6 in his stand of 38 with Morrissey but in Hewson's 10th over (the 33rd of the innings) it was all over.

Burns had taken 13 runs from Hewson's 9th over and notched another boundary thereafter. However Simon tempted him once more and he was stumped by Harte. Dermot Soraghan, the Merrion keeper, fell first ball to the same dismissal and Norman Reeves at number 11 avoided the Hat-trick but was bowled next ball! 93 all out at ten past four; DUCC had 55 minutes to bat before Tea and time was clearly not a factor. As long as Merrion don't get the encouragement of early wickets surely all will be well. Dennis Noble had thoughts on this -- his first three overs were all Maidens and he took McKenna's wicket to a catch behind.

Chris Cordess therefore joined Johnny Silverstone and mixed steady defence with some smooth drives across the fast outfield. Merrion made several changes to their bowling either side of Tea but their only success was when Cordess nicked to the keeper off Noble soon after he had taken 5 boundaries from 9 Eddie Lewis deliveries. The stand with Silverstone was worth 61 and Cordess had 9 fours in his 45 an outstanding performance for someone with little recent Cricket under his belt. Hart Cox and Silverstone wasted little time in securing the remaining runs the team required so that at 6 30 with 8 wickets and 2 hours to spare DUCC had completed their League programme with 7 wins and 3 draws. This gave them 127 points out of a possible 190 this converting to a "percentage" of 66.84.

Not that this concerned the team much - there was no bar in Anglesea Road in those days so it was a fairly rapid return to a subdued College Park to catch up with the "DUCC Four". With no mobile phones, Twitter etc etc in those days the Good news had to be brought directly. At that time the Cricket Club ran the Bar in College Park in the summer season, so it was open and suitable celebrations ensued! This could not be to great excess as we were about to embark on the "Circuit of Ireland", leaving Front Gate at 8 a.m. on the Sunday morning for a trip to Cork County. Thence to Belfast for a "Ramblers match" v BRA school and a 2-day joust with Queens. Finally back to Dublin to face Old Belvedere in the Cup - no rest for the wicked!

• Merrion 93 all out. A. Burns 30, J. Morrissey 26*; S. HOLLAND 14-4-28-6 , S. Hewson 10-1-39-3.
• DUCC 96 for 2 wickets. C. Cordess 45, J. Silverstone 29*, H. Cox 16*; D. Noble 14-4-26-2.