It would be no exaggeration to say that The Hills were alive with the sound of Luke Clinton's name as the Fingallians bundled last year's defeated semi-finalists, Malahide, out of the Conqueror Leinster Senior Cup at Milverton on Saturday. Clinton held two superb catches and then, with only his third delivery, clean bowled Peter Saville to give The Hills victory by 12 runs in a first-round match of see-sawing fortunes.

Chasing The Hills' 197-run total, Malahide's hopes looked merely pious when they had lost five wickets for 77 at tea. And when Matt Dwyer shattered Damien Ryan's stumps with the first ball after the re-start to make that 77 for 6, a blessed early deliverance from the skinning wind looked very likely.

Enter the Australian Jason Smith. Ably aided and abetted by the resolute Robert Weir, Smith set about the bowling; his excellent innings of 48 included one six and seven fours to put Malahide back with a shout.

His innings ended when he straight drove Stephen Archer mightily only for Luke Clinton to set up a heart-stopping juggling act, before holding the ball for a second time as he fell. After a good catch behind by Mick Dwyer off Joe Clinton's bowling dismissed Stephen Smyth, leaving Malahide on 156 for 8, Luke Clinton then brought off a great running catch to dispatch Weir, giving Stephen Archer his second valuable wicket at 166 for 9.

Malahide needed 32 to win with one wicket standing and the patient Kevin Anderson and Saville had got 19 of them when Luke Clinton dramatically ended the fight-back.

Sean Hoare with 48 (three sixes, four fours) and Matt Dwyer (two sixes, three fours) had been The Hills' chief run-getters, apart from Malahide's generous donation of 31 extras.