Scorecard

'MALAHIDE
* B J Gilmore c Reynolds b Wallace  2  Bowling: LEINSTER
D McGeehan            lbw b Craven 21  Wallace   11.5  2  41  3
C Armstrong           lbw b Craven 28  Waddell     11  5  13  0
+ D Armstrong              run out 50  Craven      12  2  33  2
M Morson    c Johnston b McDonnell  1  McDonnell   12  3  35  2
A Barnard   c Johnston b McDonnell 23  P Byrne      7  0  28  0
D Ryan         c J V Byrne b Jones 22  Jones        5  0  36  1
A Weir                    b Wallace 7
R Weir        c Reynolds b Wallace 13
N Riches                    run out 3
S Smith                     not out 1  FOW:  5  53  60  65 109
  Extras                           23      142 163 177 186 194
  TOTAL     (all out, 58.5 overs) 194
Fall:   Bowling: , , , , ,  
LEINSTER
J V Byrne                  not out 75  Bowling: MALAHIDE
* M Jones                   run out 6  Barnard     12  1  34  0
J E Byrne c McGeehan b C Armstrong 72  Riches       7  1  18  0
H Wallace         c Riches b A Weir 4  C Armstrong 12  2  34  1
D Clancy                   not out 24  Smith        9  3  28  0
P Johnston                             Gilmore    7.5  1  37  0
P T Byrne                              Ryan         4  1  15  0
R Waddell                              A Weir       6  0  28  1
+ P Reynolds
R McDonnell
J Craven                               FOW:  12  140  156
  Extras                           17
  TOTAL  (for 3 wkts, 57.5 overs) 198
Umpires: A Tuffery & B Carpenter
Man of the match: Joe V Byrne

Match Report by Peter O'Reilly (Sunday Tribune)

THE paying punters at Sydney Parade became increasingly noisy as the afternoon wore on, but this was essentially down to the levels of alcohol intake and the need to find some diversion from a desperately one-sided Conqueror Cup final. In the end, Leinster were so dominant that they reached Malahide's target with seven wickets and 13 balls to spare.

We could blame Joe Byrne for the tedium, but only because he guided Leinster home with a typically unflustered and undefeated innings of 75. It took him 136 balls to hit his first boundary, 148 to pass the century mark, after which he achieved something approaching acceleration.

His younger brother Johnny batted with increasing fluency as the pair added 128 for the second wicket. By the time Byrne junior was picked up at slip in the 43rd over, the result was more or less assured.

Malahide had the worst possible start. Brian Gilmore fenced at a rising delivery from Hendy Wallace in the third over and it proved a setback from which his side would never fully recover.

The pitch was even paced, the outfield reasonably quick despite recent rain and barring Wallace, the Barbadian professional, there was little menace in the Leinster attack. Veteran off-spinner John Craven was allowed to wheel merrily through his overs as Dave McGeehan and Conor Armstrong steadfastly refused to use their feet. Having added 48 uneasy runs, both eventually succumbed to frustration and fell lbw while aiming across the line.

At the other end, Richie Waddell and Ray McDonnell maintained a steady line, with the latter forcing careless chips into the ring by Malahide's two imports, Michael Morson and Adriaan Barnard. The South African departed shortly after lunch, by which stage Malahide appeared to be mounting some sort of challenge at 96 for 4. It was not to be.

As it transpired, only Daragh Armstrong provided a genuine threat, hitting an 82 ball half-century, but after he was the victim of a direct hit by Johnny Byrne, the Malahide innings subsided, ending with seven balls available. They were provided some encouragement when Mark Jones ran himself out in the sixth over of Leinster's reply, but the brothers Byrne were soon setting down roots. While Joe was content to occupy, Johnny consistently found gaps in the covers. Gilmore switched his bowlers around but in truth, once the threat of Barnard and Conor Armstrong had been countered, the contest was over.