Donemana claim Ulster Plate as Premiership battle continues
Donemana IIs lifted the Ulster Plate on Sunday after a 46-run win over NCU side Muckamore at the Holm.
Mark Moore’s 37 and 36 from James Britton helped the Tyrone side to 148 all out despite the best efforts of Shane Henderson who claimed 4-29 for the visitors.
Donemana refused to let their opponents settle in reply however- Adam Britton with 4-25 as Muckamore’s top order collapsed to 35-5.
Sam Magee (28), Richard Keates (23) and Henderson (19) rallied in the middle, before Graham Boyd (4-21) wrapped up the win with an excellent spell as the innings closed on 102.
Two races have now developed in the Long’s SuperValu senior league- Brigade, Ardmore, Killyclooney and Bready currently filling the top four places with six teams now realistically battling for the remaining four spots.
The title challengers are separated by 19 points in all, however Killyclooney have played one match more than the other trio.
Brigade went to the top of the table following a 56-run win at Ballyspallen.
Half centuries from Cameron Melly (65) and Ryan Macbeth (53) and 31 from Andy Britton helped the Beechgrove side to a subdued 217 all out with Jamie O’Brien (2-7) and Stuart Kennedy (2-47) among seven different wicket-takers.
‘Spallen have struggled with the bat this year and despite 41 from Zeeshan Malik at the top of the order, and late runs from Jake Wenlock (35) and O’Brien (23) they were unable to keep pace in reply.
Iftikhar Hussain (2-19) and Ryan Macbeth (2-24) were best with the ball as the wickets were once again shared out, with Brigade mopping up all the points.
It’s been a great weekend for Killyclooney who beat Burndennett on Saturday and then followed that up with a narrow 2-wicket win at Fox Lodge on Sunday.
It’ll come as a surprise to no-one that Blayde Capell top-scored on both days; his half century at ‘Dennett followed up by 38 at Ballymagorry as the visitors only just chased down the home side’s modest 112 (revised to 110 by DLS).
Giles Moan chipped in with 25 and Mark Gordon 18*, but three wickets apiece for Aaron Heywood and Jonny Robinson meant the Foxies were right in it until the end.
Gordon’s unbroken 9th wicket partnership of 24 with Jordan Nelson (13*) got Timmy Dougherty’s men back into the title race.
Ardmore didn’t get things their own way either as Niall McDonnell’s century almost caused the upset of the weekend at the Bleachgreen.
Chasing a revised 191 from 34 overs, the Strabane schoolteacher hit 9 fours and 5 sixes in his excellent knock of 103.
Unfortunately for the visitors, Mark Doherty with 25 was the only other player to make double figures as Muhammad Edrees (3-13) and Harry Zimmermann (2-52) did enough to keep them at bay.
Earlier, Rachit Gaur made 68, Zimmermann 38, Aviwe Mgijima 35, and Ryan Brolly 24 in the home side’s 213-6 while Conan Pollock (3-43) and Mark Pollock (2-35) were best with the ball before the rain meant a DLS review.
In Sunday’s fourth and final game, Strabane recorded their fourth win of the season; denting Eglinton’s recent winning run in the process.
Nasir Nawar hit 61, Kevin Gallagher 30, Uzman Azhar 24 and Conor Graham 22 as the Red Caps posted 154-6 in 40 overs; Liam Doherty (3-12) best with the ball for the villagers.
Doherty top scored in the reply too- his 29 and 19 from Mattie Mills the best of Eglinton’s reply of 94.
Azhar picked up 3-28 with two wickets apiece for Ryan Gallagher, Nawar and Rhys Logue in a win that means Eglinton will need to win at least one of their three remaining league games to stay in the hunt for the top eight.
Tommy Orr’s side are currently 15 points ahead of Donemana in 9th, however all but one of the teams behind them have games in hand, so there’s still work to be done not just for them, but all the chasing group.
LONG’S SUPERVALU SENIOR LEAGUE- CURRENT STANDINGS
| TEAM | PLAYED | WON | LOST | NO RESULT | BONUS PTS | TOTAL PTS |
| 1-Brigade | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 46 | 226 |
| 2- Ardmore | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 214 |
| 3-Killyclooney | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 32 | 212 |
| 4-Bready | 11 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 27 | 207 |
| 5-Eglinton | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 30 | 150 |
| 6-Newbuildings | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 29 | 149 |
| 7-Fox Lodge | 11 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 29 | 149 |
| 8-Coleraine | 10 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 25 | 145 |
| 9-Donemana | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 35 | 135 |
| 10-St Johnston | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 21 | 121 |
| 11-Strabane | 12 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 29 | 109 |
| 12-Bonds Glen | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 21 | 81 |
| 13-Glendermott | 12 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 47 |
| 14- Ballyspallen | 12 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 11 | 31 |
| 15-Burndennett | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 24 | 24 |
