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  3. 21st Century Rivalries - Part 1
12th February 2014 by Paul Reynolds

21st Century Rivalries - Part 1

In a new series based on Cricket Leinster’s All Ireland club rankings, we look at club rivalries in the 21st century, starting with a look at two Fingal clubs, Malahide and Rush. In the thirteen years that the rankings encompass, the two have completed 21 matches (excluding T20 matches), with the overall score being Malahide 10, Rush 11

Using the rankings to plot the club’s changing fortunes, three distinct era emerge in the relationship between Malahide and Rush. Between 2001 and 2005 Malahide were in the ascendancy, with their 2002 Irish Senior Cup victory (beating Rush in the final) being the centrepoint.

From 2006-2009, Rush took over as the senior partner, being runners-up in the Irish Senior Cup once more in 2006, and Leinster Senior Cup runners up in 2006.

Since 2009, the clubs have been pretty equal, and despite slogging it out in Division 2, both experienced promising upturns in 2013, and will be amongst the favourites for promotion to Division 1 in 2014.

This article will look in detail over the 13 season period, looking at the matches between the sides, and the players that took part in some of the titanic battles that were fought in Kenure and Malahide.

 

2001-2005 – Malahide dominant, and a force in Leinster and Ireland

 

Matches won

Highest Score

Best Bowling

Malahide

2001 (3 matches), 2002, 2005

Michael O Brien, 83 (2005)

Johan Botha, 4-22 (2005)

Rush

2004

Naseer Shoukat 69 (2004)

Saadat Gull, 3-17 (2004)

 

The 2001-2005 period saw Malahide dominant against Rush, and pretty strong in Ireland as a whole. They reached an all time high 10th place in the rankings in 2004, won the Irish Senior Cup in 2002, and were in LCU Division 1/Section A from 2002 onwards.

Rush meanwhile were beckoning in a new era. Future Ireland player NaseerShoukat, Shahid Iqbal and Tipu Gull all made their presence felt in this period, and their performances persuaded Rush that more recruitment would be a good path to follow subsequently.

In the meantime though, it was Malahide who held the upper hand, winning five of the six completed matches during these five seasons.

The second encounter in 2001 was a Section B encounter in August, and despite being at home Rush were bundled out for 67, with the four pronged attack of Reinhardt Strydom, Damien Ryan, Jim Govan and Pete Saville destroying Rush. In reply, a certain Eoin Morgan, formerly of Rush, made short work of the chase, scoring 41* as Malahide won by 7 wickets.

The return league fixture was later that same month, but the result was the same. Markey replaced Strydom in the four man Malahide bowling attack, but again Rush collapsed (for 133), and this time Malahide found it even easier, with Dave McGeehan scoring 62*, and Eoin Morgan again with 50*.

The 2002 encounter was the big one, the Irish Senior Cup final, but the match was a bit of a damp squib for the neutral. The Malahide triumvirate of Govan, Saville and Ryan took three wickets a piece as Rush could only make 148, but when Eoin Morgan was dismissed for 9 by brother Gavin, Rush had the slimmest of chances. John Pryor and Damien Ryan steadied the ship though, and Malahide lifted the big one with a four wicket win.

A glimpse of things to come for Rush in 2004, as they got revenge for their 2001 drubbing, with a big victory. Shoukat, Gull and Shahid all took wickets as Malahide were bundled out for 67, and it was the type of devastating bowling that would help Rush rise to prominence in the next period we look at

 

2006-2009 – Rush surge up the rankings, as Malahide fall away

 

Matches won

Highest Score

Best Bowling

Malahide

2006 (2 matches), 2007

Darren Wotherspoon, 175 (2006)

Pete Saville, 4-31 (2006)

Rush

2006 (2 matches), 2008 , 2009

Lynel Jansen, 103 (2009)

Saadat Gull, 5-41 (2008)

 

The seven matches between Rush and Malahide in this period were pretty even (Rush won four to Malahide’s three). But behind these headline results were bigger issues.

Malahide were relegated in 2006, with the loss of Dave McGeehan and Eoin Morgan leaving a big hole in the batting. There was plenty of quality brought in afterwards, such as Simmi Singh and Darren Wotherspoon, but for whatever reason, results just didn’t follow. The Village still had some success, gaining promotion back to Section A at the end of the 2007 season, but they could not match the high standards of the first half of the decade. By 2008, they wuld have slipped to 29th in the rankings.

Across the estuary, the mood was much happier in Rush. Promotion from Section B at the end of 2004 saw Rush become established as a top Division club. Shoukat, Gull and Shahid formed the spine of the team, but others such as Fintan McAllister, Alan Butterly and Brían O Rourke were providing plenty of support.

Another Irish Senior Cup final (and another loss) in 2006, saw Rush established as one of the top clubs on the island for the first time in their history, and by 2007, they were 5th in the country and the highest ranked club in Leinster.

As with all local rivalries, Rush’s success didn’t mean much to Malahide. The 2006 league encounter (with 2005, the only seasons that both sides have been in the top division) was a case in point. Australian Darren Wotherspoon scored 175 and Phil Markey 111, the pair putting on 205 for the 4th wicket, as Malahide ran up 384ao. Rush batted valiantly in reply, but still finished 74 runs short.

The return match did much to send Malahide down to Section B, with the three Musketeers again taking wickets – Shoukat 3-30, Gull 2-29 and Shahid 2-6 as Malahide were bowled out for 145. Those two matches are a perfect example of the two clubs at this stage. Malahide capable of brilliance but unable to sustain it, and Rush clinical at times, with the strongest bowling attack in the country capable of strangling teams.

The 2009 match between the clubs saw Rush win again, and saw the first major innings in the fixture by a player that was to dominate over the next five years. Lynal Jansen joined Rush in 2007, and this was his third match against Malahide He scored 103* as Rush chased down 157 in a late August Section B encounter. Jansen’s bowling further strengthened Rush’s attack, but incredibly by this stage, Rush had joined Malahide in Section B, and haven’t been in the top Division since.

Division 1 cricket had improved by such an extent between the years of 2006 and 2009, that it was no longer possible to rely on three or four hot shots, and Rush just didn’t have enough strength in depth.

 

2010-2013 – All square. Both clubs struggle, but 2013 gives hope

 

Matches won

Highest Score

Best Bowling

Malahide

2011, 2012, 2013

Paul Tweddle 116 (2011)

Callum Riches, 4-24 (2012)

Rush

2011 (2 matches), 2012, 2013 (2 matches)

Lynal Jansen 139* (2012)

Lynal Jansen, 4-16 (2012)

 

The last four seasons have been a fallow period for both clubs, but recently there have been green shoots of recovery. Malahide are currently ranked 27th, a position thaty has only been bettered once since 2007. Similarly, Rush are at 29th, a position that takes them back to 2010 levels. A step in the right direction.

One man has bestrode this fixture in the last four seasons. Lynal Jansen has scored two hundreds and three fifties since 2009 (as well as his hundred in 2009), and Malahide must be thoroughly sick of him!

Of the three Malahide wins over Rush since 2009, Jansen missed one match (September 2011) ,and was dismissed for 3 in one (August 2012, although he took 4 wickets!). Only in the most important match between the two teams since the 2002 Irish Senior Cup final, did Malahide win despite Jansen score runs.

The 2013 National Cup semi final saw Rush set a good total, Jansen top-scoring with 70, as they made 237, Ryan Gallagher taking 3-41. It was to be Gallagher’s day, as he scored 101* taking Malahide to the National Cup final – where they beat Derriaghy later the same month. The other run scorer for Malahide was Fintan McAllister with 63. McAllister is a son of Rush, playing for them from 2004-2008, before moving south.

The relationship between these two teams, bookended by two vital All-Ireland encounters has maybe not attracted as many headlines as other Fingal derbies in recent years. But the players that have played in the fixture have been some of the best in the province over the first part of the 21st century.

To finish, I’ve selected a composite XI from the two clubs. It makes a pretty decent team!

D McGeehan (Malahide), F McAllister (Rush/Malahide), E Morgan (Rush/Malahide), L Jansen (Rush), N Shoukat (Rush), T Gull (Rush), J Pryor (Malahide), J Govan (Malahide), J Botha (Malahide), S Iqbal (Rush), P Saville (Malahide) 

 

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