History_1939_Win_over

In the first year of the war J.W. Hill was again captain of the 1st XI, and this side created a record by inflicting the first ever two-innings match defeat on Leinster at Rathmines. The scores in this match are recorded:

Leinster —
1st innings - 118 (Ruddle 5 for 29, Hill 4 for 15)
2nd innings - 116 (Hill 5 for 53, Ruddle 5 for 53)

Clontarf —
1st innings - 194 (Caprani 96)
2nd innings - 42 for 2

This was only Joe Caprani’s third senior match. His 96 took over four hours, and contributed largely to the club’s eight-wicket victory.

A Major Expenditure

In 1940 the Cricket Club again decided to enlarge the pavilion. The estimated cost of the proposed new structure was approximately £1,200 and included tables, chairs and additional fixtures in the kitchen. A proposed expenditure of this amount caused quite a controversy. The money was not available from club funds, so it was decided to borrow from the bank, the loan being guaranteed by ten club members. This method, while not acceptable to all, was agreed on and the work was satisfactorily completed that year.

Our 3rd XI, which had entered competitive cricket in 1934, had its premier success in 1941 when it won the Junior League under the captaincy of J. Burns.

First Cup Success

In 1943, under the captaincy of L.B. McMahon, the Club gained its second Senior success, and won the Leinster Senior Cup for the first time. What could be more fitting than the skipper to play such an important role in the final against Pembroke. Clontarf, who had scored 219, managed to take two Pembroke wickets for 82 before the close on Saturday night. On Monday, however, things appeared to be going wrong when Pembroke closed at 152 for 4, but the last six Pembroke wickets fell for 42 on the last night. W. Aylward fell to a magnificent one-handed catch at square-leg by Ruddock, and this, together with McMahon’s bowling (six wickets for 70 runs), contributed largely to Pembroke’s defeat. One cannot leave this match without referring to Joe Caprani’s 51. This innings took 4½ hours and included 10 boundaries. It was one of his best ever innings, in the opinion of many, as he rarely lifted the ball. The only chance he gave was that to Frank Miller when he was finally dismissed.

During 1944 two names that were to appear prominently in the records of the club and in the records of Irish cricket, first appeared. L.C. Jacobson, having graduated from Dublin University and returned from England, made his first appearance against YMCA while E.H. Bodell made his first appearance against Merrion in that same year. J.W. Hill further staked his claim as an all-rounder in scoring 119 against Pembroke in a two-day match at Sydney Parade out of a Clontarf total of 264. In the final League match that season against Leinster, R.T. Ruddock recorded the total of 119 not out.

One of the great wartime stories was told by A.A. O’Donnell about that great-hearted cricketer John McAdam, who was then playing for the 2nd XI. John arrived on his bike just as his team was about to take the field. After profuse apologies to his skipper he was just in time to bowl the second over of the innings ‘up the hill and into the wind’. He toiled from that end for the complete afternoon under ‘A.A.’s pitiless eye. Going in to tea John apologised again: ‘I’m very sorry about being late Mr O’Donnell, but the wind was against me all the way from the Curragh’!

Second Marchant Cup Winner

The year that followed proved a very successful one for the Rev W.J. Moynan, for he won the Marchant Cup. He scored a century against YMCA at Castle Avenue (100 not out) and a fortnight later he recorded 103 not out against Dublin University, also at home. In that same season he was selected and played for Leinster against Munster at the Mardyke. In 1946 Clontarf were runners-up in the Senior League to Pembroke, while N.C. Mahony, W.J. Moynan and J.W. Hill were included in the Leinster team against Derbyshire. Hill and N.B. Hool, who was later to play for the Club, shared in an eighth-wicket stand of 80 in this match, Hill scoring 57 not out. In May a remarkable match was played at Claremont Road. Clontarf scored 199 for 1 declared, N.C. Mahony scoring 100 not out and E. Dexter 79. YMCA, however, had other ideas, and with C.D. Colter scoring 57 and T.A. Beatty also 57, the match ended in a draw, with YMCA 114 for none, not much fun for the bowlers!