Brigade on the brink of winning first league title in six years

Brigade are on the brink of a first Long's SuperValu Section 1 league title in six years after a thumping 117 run (DLS) win at Strabane Park put Andy Britton's team firmly in the driving seat ahead of their final game at home to Ardmore on Sunday.

The picture has been clouded a little by the fact that Donemana's game at home to Coleraine was postponed owing to the recent wet weather, however Brigade now only have to match the Holm side's result in Sunday's rearranged fixtures in order to claim the trophy.

Should the current leaders fail to win that one, and Donemana beat Eglinton, the destination of the trophy will then carry on until next weekend when the Tyrone side will have another crack at the Bannsiders.

For now though it is Brigade's to lose after they bowled the Red Caps out for just 49 on Saturday.

In a rain affected contest initially reduced to 39 overs a side, the visitors made 174-9 from their allocation- Scott Macbeth hitting 5 sixes and 3 fours in his 71 with Iftikhar Hussain adding 46.

Premiership Section 2 Champions, Fox Lodge

Andrew Mullen continued his impressive season picking up 3-32 and Rhys Logue likewise with 3-33, however it unravelled very quickly for the home side with the bat.

Overseas man Ranitha Liyanarachchi made 26 with TJ Boyd the only other player in double figures with 13 as no fewer than eight players failed to score a run for Strabane in reply.

Skipper Britton (6-12) ended the game as a contest very early in the piece with Macbeth (3-15) completing the rout.

At the bottom, Eglinton have been relegated following a late one-wicket defeat at the Bleachgreen.

Andy Lucas looked like being the man-of-the-moment for the villagers as he hit 112 in their total of 213 and then took 3-24 as Ardmore dug deep.

Lucas batted really well for his century which included 7 fours and 2 sixes with Mark Averill (32) the only other scorer of note for them.

Muhammad Edrees picked up 3-40 with two wickets apiece for Harry Zimmermann, Vivek Dwivedi and Junaid Ali for Ardmore.

Overseas man Ali also top scored with 62 in the reply with Aneesh Anilkumar making 53 but with the last pair at the wicket, the hosts were still 23 runs short of safety themselves.

Dwivedi was still there however and with nerves frayed down the rocky road, Vivek made 30* and Conor Brolly 7* to pull it out of the fire.

Two trophies this season for Fox Lodge skipper Jonny Robinson

The final game in the top division saw Bready pull away from the relegation play-off scrap with a narrow two-wicket win at home to Newbuildings.

Batting first, the visitors set a target of 210 courtesy of an excellent 106 from Jason Dunn.

'Bull' hit 10 fours and 6 sixes in his knock, but him apart, there wasn't an awful lot to shout about from anywhere else.

Jordan McCorkell (4-36) fared best with the ball for Bready, alongside Travis Faulkner (3-28) and Gavin Roulston (2-27).

The hosts' reply was boosted by an 85-run third wicket stand between Ryan Clarke and Roulston (43) with Clarke eventually going on to make a telling 76.

League 2 champions, Maghera

Skipper Ian Young's 23 and a late unbeaten 16 from Cameron McClay just about saw Bready do enough, despite two wickets apiece for Charlie Downey, Adam Allen and the influential Dunn.

In Section 2, new champions Fox Lodge recorded a 49-run win at Ballyspallen meaning the Roe Valley side now have to win at the Boathole on Sunday to pinch the promotion play-off spot away from the Donegal side.

Aaron Heywood (48*) and Jonny Robinson (48) combined to help the Foxes post a competitive 220 after Jason Milligan had fared best of the top order with 31.

Dylan McElhinney claimed the bowling honours with 3-40 with the Kennedy boys- Graham and Stuart- chipping in with two wickets each.

Graham then led the chase as he made 63 (10 fours and a six) with Kyle Morrow adding 36 and Stuart Kennedy 32 not out, however three wickets for Gayan Maneeshan and two apiece for Heywood and Jamie McIntyre saw the reply close on 171.

Maghera captain Alfie Stewart receives the League 2 championship trophy from NW President, Connie McAllister.

Glendermott posted a 5-wicket home win over bottom side Burndennett- Craig Doherty with an unbeaten 54, Alan Johnson 30* and Jason Lynch 22 as the hosts chased down 'Dennett's total of 144.

Andy Barr top scored with 24 for the visitors with Johnson and Trevor Britton picking up three wickets apiece and JJ O'Brien two in a comfortable win.

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Bonds Glen completed the day's business with a 5-wicket win away at Killyclooney.

Timmy Dougherty top scored with 40 and Andrew Neil made 24 in the home side's total of 132- Dharm Singh with 4-26 for the Bee Gees while Mark Robinson and Samuel Haslett added a couple each.

Haslett also top scored with 32 in the reply and John Long added 30 as the Kildoag side claimed the points.