Cricket/ 45 Overs League Final: Clontarf took the first trophy of the season on Saturday in such an easy manner against The Hills that they scarcely broke sweat.
It was a shame for all Hills' fans and any neutrals who made it down to a sun-drenched Sydney Parade as, apart from the toss, Joseph Clinton's team never looked like winning anything all day.
Conor D'Arcy and Trent Johnston bowled superbly in the opening spell for Clontarf and, in truth, the game was over inside the first hour with D'Arcy taking three wickets and Johnston the prized scalp of Michael Lax.
Only Ian O'Herlihy (35) and Keith Peinke (22) stuck around for The Hills and they finally got up to the meagre total 141. Indeed they only got that many because of some dreadful fielding and no less than 23 extras handed to them on a plate. In his first spell of bowling for his new club, Irish international Jeremy Bray took four wickets.
In the end, 142 to win was never going to trouble the likes of Clontarf, who have potential match-winners with the bat all the way down the order. As it turned out, they only needed four of them.
Alex Cusack was in imperious form, growing with confidence as his innings progressed and making it to 68 before being bowled by Clinton. Bray (30), Dom Rigby (34 not out) and, at the very end, Johnston (eight not out) knocked off the rest of the runs as The Hills bowlers bowled far too many full tosses and long-hops to come close to defending.
It was all over before the shadows got too long and sets this well-balanced Clontarf side up for what could be a truly memorable season. What price all five trophies heading down to Castle Avenue?
IRELAND (v MCC in two matches on June 20th and 21st in Belfast): J Molins capt (Brondesbury), J Bray (Clontarf), A Botha (North County), D Joyce (Dublin University/Merrion), P Gillespie (Strabane), K McCallan (Waringstown), P Mooney (North County), N Shoukat (Rush), J Mooney (North County), G Cooke (Brigade), A McCoubrey (Cliftonville).
For the match on June 21st, Greg Thompson (Lisburn CC) will replace Adrian McCoubrey. The matches will be played at Bangor CC on June 20th and Waringstown on June 21st, and start at 10.45am.
