North West Cricket: Cup action all the way this weekend

It's very much back to cup cricket this weekend with Saturday's quarter-finals in the Sports Hub NW senior cup and the Sam Jeffrey Shield preceded by Thursday night's penultimate round of group matches in the White Horse T20 competition.

There are some enthralling games to look forward to throughout, with the senior cup in particular proving difficult to call with any confidence.

Holders Newbuildings appear to be very warm favourites away at Strabane, however Ross Hunter's team have hardly set the world alight themselves so far this season and the Red Caps bowled very well on Saturday to see them comfortably beat Ardmore in the league.

The visitors have an excellent batting line-up on paper and it's usually only a matter of time before it comes together for them.

A top order of Gareth McKeegan, Jason Dunn, Ryan Hunter, Peat Salmon, Ross Dougherty and Johnny Thompson looks as good as any in the league, but Kevin Gallagher might feel it's a bit of a free hit for his side.

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They have players of their own in John Mooney, Ranitha, Aaron Gillespie, Rhys Logue and the two Gallaghers among others, capable of taking advantage if Newbuildings aren't on their game, however the Foyle View side look hard to beat.

Brigade will of course be hosting the final again this year and Andy Britton's team are also facing a Bready side that hasn't quite found top gear as of yet.

It would certainly be a big deal to the Limavady Road team if they were to make the final on their own turf and they too have a squad very capable of making that happen.

They've been in decent form so far this summer and the return of Scott Macbeth to the side will be most welcome after he missed the Irish Senior Cup defeat at Lisburn. The all-rounder picked up a 5-wicket haul in Saturday's ultimately abandoned league clash with Coleraine and with a very strong batting order to back up their bowling options, the home side will start favourites.

Bready look to have found another decent overseas option in Josh van Heerdon and with players like David Rankin, Gavin Roulston, Kyle Magee, Jamie Magee, David Scanlon, Conor Olphert and skipper Ian Young all likely to be involved, this could be close.

Not that we didn't already know it, but if there was ever any debate about Donemana's cup pedigree, their sensational Irish Cup win at Waringstown recently left no-one in any doubt about the mood they're in at present.

This competition brings out the best in Gary McClintock's men and the unenviable task of stopping them on Saturday falls to Ardmore.

Boundary for DJ Dougherty at Strabane Park

The Bleachgreen club are something of an enigma at the minute; the 2023 league champions fell down a hole in 2024 but have certainly started better this year.

That said, it's hard to know whether we'll get the team that thrashed Newbuildings on the opening day of the season or the one who capitulated at Strabane Park last Saturday is anyone's guess.

What does look certain is that Harry Zimmermann has been an inspired choice as skipper and with Junaid Ali looking a strong overseas choice, home advantage does give Ardmore some sort of chance.

Given that their opposition bats down to 13 however, this will have to be a huge performance from Harry's boys.

The fourth quarter-final is probably the toughest of all to predict as Coleraine travel to Eglinton.

The villagers have been a touch out of sorts early on but it was a similar story last season before they turned things around in style. A good cup run would certainly lift the mood and there are enough players in the squad to give the hosts a big chance here.

Coleraine have started well and Rory Knox could well have Marcus Poskitt available this weekend, which would really strengthen an already solid batting line-up. The form of the well-travelled David Cooke has also been a big help and it will be no surprise whichever way this one goes.

The Bannsiders have the edge on form but home advantage just levels it up and it may be decided by which of the overseas players has the better afternoon.

In the Sammy Jeffrey, the eye is immediately drawn to the tie between St Johnston and Fox Lodge at the Boathole.

Both sides have started well and the Foxes in particular have looked strong with the bat. Gayan Maneeshan's excellent 140 not out at Burndennett at the weekend was backed up by half centuries from TJ Nicholl and Jonny Heywood, as well as meaningful contributions from Luke Hayes, Jonny Robinson and Alistair Doherty.

The Saints are nobody's mugs of course- especially on their own patch- and the likes of Graeme McCarter and Michael Rankin have already been in top form this summer.

An ironic fly in the ointment for the Foxes could come in the form of Josh Handasyde- an Australian who had originally opted to join the Ballymagorry side but due to the player points system was unable to do so.

Josh has ended up at the Donegal club and has already shown a bit of form, so they'll want to make sure he doesn't come back to haunt them.

Ballyspallen will be hoping that Isaac Bird and Kagiso Rapulana can continue in the magnificent form that they've shown so far as the Roe Valley side head to Bonds Glen looking for their semi-final place.

50 for Kyle Magee v Fox Lodge

It's great to see 'Spallen finding a bit of form after a couple of lean seasons but they'll know that this is a tough place to go.

Divan Posthumus has picked up exactly where he left off before the sad and untimely passing of his father recently, and with Dharm Singh, Stephen Dunn, Johnny and Samuel Haslett and potentially Heinrich Roberts also in the line-up, this looks a very entertaining watch.

Two out-of-sorts teams clash at the Rectory where Glendermott will be hot favourites to see off Burndennett.

The home side haven't really got going yet but they have an array of potential match-winners in the squad and have to see this as an opportunity to kick-start their season.

Killyclooney are in exactly the same boat as they welcome Sion Mills to the Ballyheather Road- Timmy Dougherty's side should have too many guns for their League 1 opponents in the race to the last four.

The weekend gets under way a night early as the fifth round of matches in the White Horse T20 Cup are first up on Thursday. Pick of those include Ballyspallen v Eglinton- currently first and second respectively in Group B- with St Johnston and Ardmore clash at the Boathole as they look to finish in one of those top three qualifying places.

Group D is already down to a three-horse race given Glendermott's poor start. Leaders Fox Lodge host third-placed Newbuildings while Bready in second are next up at The Rectory.

As usual there's just the single game in Group A- leaders Donemana have home advantage over currently win-less Strabane.