The 100% winning record in the Gerry Duffy T20 cup came to a stuttering end on Tuesday night on Malahide's top pitch.

Winning the toss and putting the visiting Clontarf team in first, our bowlers started well and reduced Clontarf to 27 for 2 after 6 overs. But Luke Thompson & John McNally at 3 & 4 looked like a comfortable pair who both raced to 53 Not Out and 52 Retired respectively.

Morale in the field dropped, our lads lost concentration and the visitors made hay, ending on 138 for 3 after 20 overs.

Special note to Raj playing his first match for the Junior A this year, splendid fielding performance and a great towering catch proving that his commitment to training is paying off.

So Malahide came out to bat feeling the pressure for the first time this season, and duly struggled. Aaron was bowled off a ball that seamed 6 inches one way and then swung 6 inches the other way - virtually unplayable according to Clontarf's umpire, Oliver Manks clubbed 27 and showed great staying power, before being cleaned bowled also. But five of our lads were run out, including three going for needless 2nd runs and another run out running a second run off a no ball - we were panicking without reason.

We had kept up with the required rate throughout, so we just ran out of men in the 16th over, still 35 short.

So played 4 and won 3 in the T20 Cup Group stages, we have a nervous wait now to see how the other results pan out to see if we get into the semi-final as group runners up.