“History was made in Leinster when Malahide won the Senior League and Old Belvedere the Senior Cup – each for the first time!” writes Sean Pender, Irish Times Cricket Correspondent.  “An extraordinary fact about Malahide’s success was that with the exception of their final engagement against Pembroke, when J O’Neill sent down a few overs, the seasiders employed only three bowlers during the entire campaign!

From this can be assessed how much the winners were in debt to Doug Goodwin, Podge Hughes and Les O’Shea who carried the attack so devastatingly to so many victories.  For Malahide also captured the re-introduced 20 Over title, beating Leinster in the deciding match; and it was only some brilliant bowling in the Cup Final by the O’Riordan brothers, Alec and Kevin, that prevented them making a clean sweep of all trophies.”

A minor correction.  Joe O’Neill, Conal Burgess and Gerry O’Brien all bowled overs during the ’64 season but literally only a handful.  Every single dismissal was at the hands of Goodwin (64), Hughes (54) and O’Shea (34).

1964 was Podge’s first full season at Malahide having made his way from Clontarf and Trinity.  This was for sure the spark for a momentous season in the Village.  Podge was a three in one star player: bowler, batter and fielder.

There were fine batters in Malahide as well.  Former and future internationals Joe Caprani, Paddy Neville and Gerry O’Brien.  Sean O’Brien contributed greatly with 23 dismissals behind the sticks and Alan Pleass held onto 11 catches both of whom topped the provincials in their respective categories.

But no doubt it was the trio of right arm seam bowlers coming into their prime who paved the way.  All the same but all different.  Unerring accuracy (Goodwin), bristling menace (Hughes) and round arm unorthodox (O’Shea).   Goodwin and Hughes were soon to play for Ireland.  O’Shea never got the call but at his peak cant have been too far from the selector’s minds.

Goodwin’s adventurous captaincy was also a factor.  He was not afraid to throw the dice in search of a win.  Malahide only drew one game out of 14 in an era where draws were commonplace.  Their nearest rivals Leinster CC drew nine out of 16 matches.

These were the days of uncovered wickets, time based matches and restriction free zones for bowlers.  They could bowl all day and hone their craft.  Great wicket taking skill was needed because draw cricket meant that to win you must bowl sides out, take all 10 wickets.  And no one-day wides.  Imagine!

The season was rounded off in the grandest of style.  The great Paddy Neville “clouted three consecutive sixes” to win the match and Senior League title at Pembroke, Sydney Parade.

But as they say Batsmen are great but Bowlers win matches (and Trophies)!

SEE STATS BELOW (compiled from Derek Scott’s records and 100 Not Out, The History of Cricket in Leinster by Gerard Siggins & Eddie Lewis)

1964 Malahide CC League Stats
P          W        D          L          %
14        11        1          2          81.25

1964 Stats*     P          W        R          A
Goodwin D       14        64        593      9.26

Hughes P         17        54        612      11.33

O’Shea L          17        34        421      12.38

*Does not include 20 Over competition (in which D Goodwin took 7/34 in the Final v Leinster CC)

Career Stats    P          W        R          A
Goodwin D       337      935      11446  12.24

Hughes P         478      886      12808  14.46                                                  

O’Shea L          215      334      5865    17.55

Malahide CC won the Leinster Senior League on two other occasions in 1971 and 1977.

Brian Gilmore 2023