Most appearances (478), most Cup Final appearances (8), most trophies won (10), most times captain (7), most trophies won as captain (4). All for Malahide CC and all Senior 1. 6 Irish caps, 52 inter pro matches spanning 15 seasons including 3 years as captain and one as competition winner. A combined total of 1121 Senior 1 appearances for Malahide CC with brothers Sean (323) and Barry (320).
Gerry made his Senior 1 debut in 1959, age 16. His last game at the top level was in 1996. A stylish right hand middle order bat with cover drive and late cut being trademark shots. He often batted with just one glove on the top hand. He fielded mostly at first slip where he took many fine catches and from where he astutely captained his very competitive teams. Also, a part time wicket keeper following in the footsteps of his older brother Sean.
He was a member of the Malahide team to win a first Senior 1 trophy, the Leinster Senior Cup v Leinster CC in 1959. And a member of the 1964 team which won the Leinster Senior League title for the first time captained by Dougie Goodwin.
Gerry played in the three in a row Leinster Senior Cup Finals v Old Belvedere in the years 1964-1966. All three lost! And played an important role in the historic double League and Cup winning team of 1971 captained by Ray Daly.
In 1976 Gerry broke the all time Senior 1 batting record for Malahide with a season tally of 613 runs. In the same year, he captured his first trophy as captain defeating Old Belvedere in the final game of the season in September to win the Wiggins Teape League. Further trophies followed as captain in 1977 (Leinster Senior League), 1981 and 1985 (both Wiggins Teape). In 1993 he captained the side that lost by 2 wickets to Brigade CC in the semi final of the All Ireland Cup.
On the international front he forced his way onto the Irish team after a series of scores in the inter pros including a brilliant century (103*) for North Leinster v Ulster Country in Malahide in 1975.
He replaced the injured Brendan "Ginger" O'Brien to gain his first cap in 1976 v The Netherlands in Downpatrick captained by Dermot Monteith. GP scored 74 not out in the second innings setting up victory for Ireland. "Not since the incomparable Stuart Pollock dominated the scene have we seen such exquisite off-side strokes off pace and spin alike" reported the Irish Times Cricket Correspondent Sean Pender when referring to GP's knock.
In the same year 1976 he played against the all conquering West Indies before a record crowd in Rathmines. Sponsored by Rothmans! and all day live coverage on RTE (commentator Fred Cogley and Derek Scott). GP scored a battling 19 in the second innings. The Windies who were in the middle of the "grovel" Test Series v England included Viv Richards, Gordon Greenidge, Lawrence Rowe and Vanburn Holder. In 1977, it was the turn of Australia captained by Rod Marsh, again before a bumper crowd at Rathmines. Alas, GP never got to face Jeff Thomson or Len Pascoe!
By any stretch a remarkable career!
STATISTICS:
Malahide CC
⦁ 478 appearance between 1959-1996
8450 runs @ 21.20
Highest score = 100 v Leinster CC, 1962 in Malahide
265 catches (including 121 as w/keeper)
⦁ Senior Trophies (10)
League - 1964, 71, 77*, 80
Cup - 1959, 71
Wiggins Teape League - 1976*, 81*, 82, 85*
*captain
⦁ Leinster Senior 1 Cup Final Appearances (8)
1959, 64, 65, 66, 71, 72, 82, 94
⦁ Captain
1967, 75, 76, 77, 81, 85, 93
North Leinster - Guinness Cup Inter provincials
⦁ 52 appearances between 1967-1982
896 runs @ 28
Captain: 1972, 1975, 1982**
**Competition Winner
Ireland
⦁ 6 caps: 1976-1978
Netherlands, West Indies, Scotland x 2, Australia, Denmark
132 runs @ 14.67
Top Score: 74* v The Netherlands
bgilmore 2021