Ardmore on the brink of first senior title
The curtain will fall on the domestic senior cricket programme this weekend, but the NWCU couldn’t have hoped for a better finale as the 2023 title looks set to go down to the very last fixture on Sunday afternoon.
A couple of very costly slip-ups by Brigade means that Ardmore now have the destination of the trophy very much in their own hands, as they bid for a first senior title in their history.
While there are several permutations, the Bleachgreen side will plan for Andy Britton’s team to post a 25-point bonus win at home to Killyclooney on Saturday.
That will mean Ardmore requiring a total of 24 points from their two remaining fixtures- away at Donemana on Saturday and at home to Fox Lodge on Sunday.
Should Brigade fail to bag a bonus points win, Ardmore could claim the title before Sunday- and that could be ideal for Fox Lodge who have to beat the league leaders to have any chance of making next year’s Premier Division line-up.
That’s the second piece of business still to be resolved- whether it’s the Foxes or Coleraine who claim that decisive eighth place in the table.
The two met last weekend at Ballymagorry with the home side securing a vital win; however Marcus Poskitt’s century for the visitors wasn’t totally in vain as they secured an all-important five bonus points.
The only chance the Foxes have now is if they beat Ardmore on Sunday and Coleraine fail to win at St Johnston the previous day.
In a very unique one-division season, it is fitting that it’s all going down to the wire in what should be an exciting couple of afternoons for the local cricket fraternity.
Long’s SuperValu senior fixtures
Saturday (12 noon starts)
Donemana v Ardmore
St Johnston v Coleraine
Brigade v Killyclooney
Newbuildings v Eglinton
Sunday (12 noon)
Ardmore v Fox Lodge
LONG’S SUPERVALU SENIOR LEAGUE- CURRENT STANDINGS
| TEAM | PLAYED | WON | LOST | NO RESULT | BONUS PTS | TOTAL PTS |
| 1-Ardmore | 12 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 38 | 238 |
| 2- Brigade | 13 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 56 | 236 |
| 3-Bready | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 31 | 231 |
| 4-Killyclooney | 13 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 33 | 213 |
| 5-Donemana | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 44 | 204 |
| 6-Newbuildings | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 35 | 195 |
| 7-Eglinton | 13 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 35 | 195 |
| 8-Coleraine | 13 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 37 | 177 |
| 9-Fox Lodge | 13 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 31 | 171 |
| 10-St Johnston | 13 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 26 | 146 |
| 11-Strabane | 14 | 5 | 8 | 1 | 33 | 132 |
| 12-Bonds Glen | 14 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 26 | 86 |
| 13-Glendermott | 14 | 3 | 11 | 0 | 13 | 73 |
| 14- Ballyspallen | 14 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 11 | 51 |
| 15-Burndennett | 14 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 31 | 51 |
