Newbuildings stun Donemana ahead of next week's Senior Cup final

Newbuildings have taken over at the top of the Long's SuperValu Section 1 table after a Peat Salmon-inspired win over previous leaders, just a week before the two sides are set to clash in the season showpiece, The Sports Hub Senior Cup final.

It was a telling blow from Ross Hunter's team who have now won six on the spin in the league, and despite the fact that both teams were players down, Newbuildings now go to Beechgrove next weekend as the in-form side.

William McClintock and David O'Sullivan both made 76 for the current champions as they posted a very competitive 327-6 from their 50 overs, with contributions as well from Anuj Jotin (54), Raymond Curry (49), DJ Dougherty (35) and Dwayne McGerrigle who had to 'retire hurt' on 20.

Peat Salmon was the most successful of the Newbuildings attack with 2-46, but the West Indian kept the real fireworks for his batting.

Salmon cracked 18 sixes and 6 fours in a superb 155 not out as he, Ross Dougherty (62) and Jason Dunn (54) passed the target for the loss of just 3 wickets and with five overs to spare.

It was a clinical effort from the home team and it's probably fair to say that both sides now go into the senior final with genuine hopes of a league and cup double.

Brigade stay third in the table following a comfortable 7-wicket win at home to struggling Eglinton.

Jamie Millar (Eglinton) fared best of the batting as the visitors took first use; his 21 and Andy Millar's 20 pretty much the height of it in a total of 146 all out.

Brigade's Jamie Millar was best of the bowling; his 4-23 coupled with two wickets apiece for Scott Macbeth and Ryan Barr teeing it up for their batters.

David Barr hit 55* and Cameron Melly 39* with Adam McDaid and Iftikhar Hussain adding 24 and 22 respectively as Brigade won with little fuss- Andy Millar's 2-26 only delaying the inevitable for the visitors.

Bready's revival continued as they beat Ardmore by 74 runs with a superb Gavin Roulston century laying the platform for the Magheramason outfit.

Alan Johnson with the Sam Jeffrey Shield.

The opener made 116 with Jamie Magee also showing good form with 70 and Josh van Heerdon 46 not out in a considerable total of 290-4.

Harry Zimmermann helped himself to figures of 3-74 and the Ardmore captain was also best with the bat, albeit in an unsuccessful chase.

The Emerging Warriors skipper made 44 with Junaid Ali scoring 41, Sabin Babu 39 and Edrees a breezy 34*, however two wickets apiece for Travis Faulkner, Nathan McCombe, Ian Young, Van Heerdon and Roulston saw the reply close short on 216 all out.

Strabane added to Coleraine's recent woes as the Red Caps gave themselves a fighting chance of staving off relegation in a 4-wicket win over Rory Knox's men.

Louren Steenkamp top scored with 52 and David Cooke added an unbeaten 34 as the Bannsiders made 172-7 from their 50 overs with Mark McNulty and Andrew Mullen picking up two wickets apiece for the hosts.

Skipper Kevin Gallagher gave his side a good platform with 48 at the top of the order and the rest were able to combine to take advantage- Ranitha making 35, Aaron Gillespie 30 and Rhys Logue 24.

Century for Geeth Kumara - Glendermott

Despite a solid effort from James Bell (3-24) it was to be another defeat for the north coast side, whose early season form has completely deserted them.

The Sammy Jeffrey Shield final turned out to be an absolute run-fest as hosts Glendermott beat Ballyspallen by 172 runs.

The damage had been done early on in Friday's first day- Sri Lankan Geeth Kumara making a superb 189 (18 sixes and 8 fours) in a mammoth total of 446-5.

Ben Mills hit 82, Craig Doherty 70 and skipper Alan Johnson 69 and the Roe Valley side were unable to keep pace in reply.

Isaac Bird did make 71 and South African Test player Eddie Moore 63 to keep 'Spallen in with some sort of chance, but four wickets each for Kumara and Mills meant it was very much Glendermott's day with an overnight lead of 238.

The Rectory side took no chances with a 'follow on' and batted again on Day 2 with Kumara again top scoring with 70.

Mills added 43 with Jake Montgomery making 27 and Ryan Nolan 25 in a much more circumspect total of 225- an overall lead of 463.

It looked a long way off in all honesty but the visitors absolutely gave it a real go.

Despite the early loss of Bird on Day 2, Graham Kennedy with a brilliant 107 (12 sixes, 5 fours) and a classy 78 from Moore (11 fours, 5 sixes) actually gave their side faint hope of a massive upset, before that man Mills intervened again.

A late unbeaten 31 from Luke Gilfillan couldn't keep the former Glendermott skipper at bay and Mills with an excellent spell of 6-57 ensured the Shield wasn't leaving the Rectory.

That meant only two games in Premiership Section 2 and there was to be something of a surprise in both.

Leaders Fox Lodge went down to a 3-wicket defeat at Bonds Glen courtesy of an unbeaten 115 from Divan Posthumus.

The South African hit 15 fours and 5 sixes in his knock with Johnny Haslett chipping in with 30 to steer the Bee Gees past the Foxes total of 204-9.

Ryan Nolan batting for Glendermott

Best with the bat for the Magheramason side were Jason Milligan (50), Jonny Robinson (27), Luke Hayes (26) and Gayan Maneeshan (22) while Divan and Mark Robinson shared six wickets between them in a valuable win for Bonds Glen.

And if that was valuable, you'd have to think that Burndennett's first win of the season against second-placed St Johnston was even more remarkable.

It was an all-round batting effort from the home side that helped them to their mammoth total of 350-9; Rahmatullah making 55, Marty Mehaffey 54, Safi 43, Eddie McGettigan 42, Corey Roulston 42 and Niall McDonnell 34* while Nathan Cole and Scott Devenney claimed three wickets apiece for the Saints.

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Cole also topped the batting returns in the Donegal side's reply- his 67, Barry Scott's 54, 27 from Matthew Orr and 20 from Josh Hansadale the best of their 235 all out.

There were two wickets apiece for Safi, McDonnell and Rahmatullah as Burndennett recorded an extremely important 25-point victory.