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The curtain comes down on the 2026 Sports Hub NWCU Senior Cup this Friday as Coleraine and Newbuildings go head-to-head in what promises to be a fitting finale to this year’s competition. Both sides have produced impressive performances on their route to the decider and will now battle for one of the North West’s most prestigious trophies.

Coleraine arrive in the final after overcoming Letterkenny, Ardmore and Donemana in an impressive cup run. They opened with a six-wicket victory over Letterkenny before edging Ardmore by 25 runs in the quarter-finals. Their semi-final performance was arguably their best of the campaign, posting 189-8 before dismissing Donemana for 142 to secure a convincing 47-run win and book their place in the final.

Newbuildings have looked equally formidable throughout the competition. They began with a DLS victory over Burndennett before producing a dominant display against Strabane, amassing 327-5 on their way to a 142-run success. They completed their route to the final by bowling Fox Lodge out for just 91 before comfortably chasing the target with eight wickets to spare.

There is quality throughout both squads. Newbuildings will once again look to overseas professional Peat Salmon, whose exploits have made him one of the North West’s most recognisable names. Salmon has consistently proven himself to be one of the competition’s elite performers every season he has returned, and he arrives at the final as the NWCU Premier League’s leading run-scorer, making him a key figure in Newbuildings’ hopes of lifting the trophy.

Coleraine, meanwhile, boast an experienced overseas professional of their own in Louren Steenkamp, who represented Namibia at the most recent ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Alongside Steenkamp, Coleraine’s bowling attack has been spearheaded by Scott Campbell, who heads into the final as the joint second-leading wicket-taker in the NWCU Premier League this season.

With Newbuildings carrying one of the league’s most destructive batting line-ups and Coleraine possessing a balanced side featuring international experience and one of the competition’s most effective bowlers, all the ingredients are in place for an enthralling Senior Cup Final. Two of the North West’s standout teams have earned their place in the showpiece, and only one will leave with the 2026 Sports Hub NWCU Senior Cup.

The North West Warriors enjoyed mixed fortunes across their Inter-Provincial Trophy double header at Wallace Park, Lisburn, defeating the Northern Knights on Tuesday before suffering a 40-run DLS defeat to Leinster Lightning on Wednesday.

Tuesday: Warriors hold off Northern Knights

The Warriors produced an impressive all-round display to defeat the Northern Knights by 16 runs after posting an imposing 214-5 from their 20 overs. Andy Balbirnie got the innings off to a flying start with 53 from just 29 deliveries, while Jared Wilson (23) and Scott Macbeth (32) kept the scoreboard ticking before Gareth Delany stole the show late on with a blistering unbeaten 55 from only 20 balls. Andy McBrine added an unbeaten 21 as the Warriors finished strongly.

The Knights threatened throughout the chase thanks to Morgan Topping’s entertaining 83 and Ryan Hunter’s unbeaten 46, but the Warriors repeatedly struck at crucial moments. Gareth Delany completed a superb all-round performance with 3-29, while Liam McCarthy and Trent McKeegan both claimed two wickets as the Knights were dismissed for 198 with one ball remaining.

Wednesday: Balbirnie century not enough against Lightning

Andy Balbirnie produced one of the innings of the tournament, carrying his bat for a magnificent 102 not out from 61 balls as the Warriors posted 176-4 from their rain-reduced 18 overs. The skipper struck 11 fours and five sixes, receiving useful support from Scott Macbeth (29) and Gareth Delany (28), while Jai Moondra claimed 3-39 for Leinster.

Set a revised DLS target of 185 from 18 overs, Leinster responded in explosive fashion after losing Tim Tector to the opening ball. Stephen Doheny hammered 42 from just 14 deliveries before Harry Tector (59*) and captain Lorcan Tucker (25*) guided the chase to 129-2 after 9.4 overs. With further rain preventing any more play, Leinster were declared winners by 40 runs under the DLS method.

Despite the defeat, Balbirnie enjoyed an outstanding two days with the bat, following his half-century against the Northern Knights with a superb unbeaten century against Leinster, underlining his excellent form in the competition.

North West Warriors were unable to overcome a powerful Leinster Lightning side as they fell to a 170-run defeat in the Inter-Provincial Cup (IP50) Final at Pembroke Cricket Club. After opting to bowl first, the Warriors found themselves under pressure from the outset as Tim Tector (122) and Stephen Doheny (124) shared a mammoth 235-run opening partnership. Harry Tector then blasted 86 from just 35 deliveries and Lorcan Tucker added a rapid 52 to propel Leinster to an imposing 446-6. Andy McBrine (2-63) and Ryan MacBeth (2-65) claimed two wickets apiece, while Liam McCarthy and Trent McKeegan also struck, but Leinster’s batting depth proved decisive.

Chasing an enormous target, the Warriors lost early wickets before Andy McBrine produced a magnificent captain’s innings, compiling a superb 100 from 93 balls with 11 fours and three sixes. Ben Calitz added 41, Scott MacBeth made 41 and Jared Wilson (34) and Liam McCarthy (33) also made useful contributions, but regular wickets prevented any sustained momentum. George Dockrell starred with the ball for Leinster, taking 4-55, as the Warriors were eventually dismissed for 276 in 40.4 overs. While the result did not go their way, McBrine’s outstanding century was a major positive as the Warriors finished runners-up in this year’s competition.

The Emerging Warriors produced a spirited fightback to earn a hard-fought draw against the Emerging Knights in their opening Future Series two-day clash at Middle Road, Carrickfergus, after recovering from a first-innings deficit of 234 runs.

After being asked to field, the Warriors were made to toil as the Knights piled up 414/8 declared. Jordan Neill dominated with a blistering 193 from just 105 balls, while Ryan Hunter (65), Seb Yeates (50) and James West (45) all contributed valuable runs. Robbie Millar was the standout with the ball, claiming 3-41, while Scott MacBeth impressed with 2-52 in a disciplined 14-over spell as the Warriors eventually worked their way back into the innings.

The Warriors’ reply never quite gained momentum as Carson McCullough ripped through the batting with outstanding figures of 5-23. Hassan Shahid (9), Mo Hussain (47) and Gavin Roulston (28) all made starts, but regular wickets saw the North West side dismissed for 180, forcing the follow-on.

Facing a huge challenge, the Warriors responded with tremendous character. Early wickets left them 0-2 before Luke Marillier (29) and Hassan Shahid (31) steadied the innings. The defining partnership came between Scott MacBeth and Sam Haslett, whose composed stand shifted the momentum back towards the visitors. Haslett contributed an important 36 before Scott MacBeth took centre stage, producing a magnificent unbeaten 119 from 127 deliveries, striking 14 fours and three sixes. His innings combined patience with controlled aggression, ensuring the Warriors moved well beyond danger.

With valuable lower-order support from Bobby Brolly (16) and Robbie Millar, the Warriors reached 266/6 before the two captains shook hands bringing an early end to proceedings, securing a deserved draw.

Although the Emerging Knights controlled much of the match, the Warriors will leave Carrickfergus with plenty of positives. Scott MacBeth’s outstanding century under pressure was the headline performance, while the resilience shown throughout the second innings highlighted the determination within the North West squad as they battled back from a seemingly impossible position to deny the hosts.

In Sunday’s opening match, Leinster elected to bat first and posted 147-5 from their 20 overs. Former Warriors player Zara Craig anchored the innings superbly with an unbeaten 67, while Ellie McGee provided valuable support with 28. The Warriors’ bowlers kept the remaining Leinster batters under control, with captain Kia McCartney leading the way by claiming two wickets.👏

In reply, the Warriors produced a determined batting performance with contributions throughout the order. Sarah Black top-scored with 32, while Millie Spence made 22 and Ella Wasson added 21. However, Leinster’s disciplined bowling attack maintained the pressure throughout the chase, restricting the Warriors to 113 and securing a 34-run victory.

The Warriors faced another tough challenge in their second game against the NCU. Batting first, the visitors amassed an imposing 199 on the fast-scoring Oakhill outfield, thanks largely to an outstanding unbeaten 115 from Abbi Harrison. 🏏

Set a demanding target, the Warriors battled hard but found scoring difficult against a disciplined NCU attack. Sarah Black again top-scoring with 34, while T. Hurley was the pick of the NCU bowlers with three wickets. The Warriors were eventually dismissed for 129, giving the NCU victory by 70 runs.

After being asked to bat first, Coleraine battled their way to 189, thanks to an excellent 61 from opener Scott Campbell and a crucial 44 from captain David Cooke, giving their side a competitive total.

Donemana captain Andy McBrine did everything he could to keep his side in the contest, producing a superb spell of 4-20 to restrict Coleraine’s innings.

Chasing 190, Donemana once again looked to their skipper, with McBrine leading from the front with 36, while Luke Marillier provided valuable support. However, it was Gareth Burns who stole the headlines with a magnificent four-wicket haul, producing a match-winning spell to dismiss the reigning champions and send Coleraine through to the Sports Hub Senior Cup Final.

Unfortunately, the other semi-final between Fox Lodge and Newbuildings was washed out after just five overs due to the weather. The tie will now be replayed at a later date, with a place in the final still up for grabs.

It has been a challenging few matches for the North West U19 Girls at the Inter-Provincial T20 Festival, but there have been plenty of encouraging performances as they continue to develop against strong opposition.

The opening fixture saw North West take on the NCU, with the Warriors winning the toss and electing to bowl first. NCU posted 103, with their opening pair laying the platform through scores of 35 and 27 before the North West bowlers pulled things back. Tiara Mitchell, Anna McGurk, Jessica Cooke and Sophie Hamilton all claimed a wicket apiece in a disciplined bowling display.

In reply, North West found it difficult to build meaningful partnerships. Captain Millie Spence top-scored with 14, while Lucy Thompson added 13, but the side ultimately finished 20 runs short. NCU’s Moore was the standout performer with the ball, claiming four wickets.

Today’s opening match against Leinster saw North West produce one of their best batting performances of the festival. Batting first, they posted a competitive 109, with Jodie Spence leading the way with 27 and Mansi Bhavsar providing valuable late acceleration with an entertaining 18 from just 12 deliveries. Despite the competitive total, Leinster successfully chased the target in the 17th over, with captain A. Lawlor top-scoring with 30.

The second game of the day saw another meeting with the NCU in a low-scoring contest. Jodie Spence continued her fine form with the bat, scoring a crucial 22 as North West were bowled out for 54. P. Speer and V. Minford led the NCU bowling attack with three wickets each.

North West fought hard in defence of the modest total and gave themselves hope by reducing the NCU to three wickets down before any batter reached double figures. However, the middle order steadied the innings and guided NCU to victory in the 13th over.

The girls now turn their attention to their final fixture of the festival against Leinster on Saturday. Despite the results so far, the squad has shown great determination throughout the competition and will be hoping to finish the tournament on a high with a well-deserved victory.

The North West Warriors made it two wins from two in the Inter-Provincial Cup with a hard-fought 12-run victory over the Northern Knights in an entertaining contest.

After losing the toss and being asked to bat first, the Warriors were led superbly by captain Andy McBrine. Leading from the front, the skipper struck a composed 69, guiding his side through the middle overs after an early loss.

Ben Calitz continued his impressive form with a well-crafted 54, sharing an important partnership with McBrine to lay the foundation for a competitive total. Gavin Roulston made a positive start with a valuable 26 at the top of the order before Gareth Delany injected momentum late in the innings with a quickfire 28, helping the Warriors post 239 from their allotted 50 overs.

The Northern Knights bowlers ensured the target remained within reach, with Shane Dadswell producing an outstanding spell to claim four wickets, while Reuben Wilson picked up three to prevent the Warriors from pushing beyond the 250-mark.

Chasing 240 for victory, the Knights made a confident start. James McCollum anchored the innings with an impressive half-century and looked set to guide his side towards the target before Craig Young produced the crucial breakthrough, trapping him lbw at a key stage of the chase.

Knights captain Cade Carmichael kept the chase alive with a well-made 46, while Adam Leckey remained unbeaten on 30 as the visitors battled deep into the innings. However, the Warriors’ bowlers continued to strike at regular intervals, preventing the Knights from building the partnerships needed to overhaul the target.

Craig Young was the standout performer with the ball, finishing with three wickets and delivering when his side needed him most. Supported by a disciplined all-round bowling performance and sharp fielding, the Warriors restricted the Knights to 227, sealing a deserved 12-run victory.

The result means the North West Warriors have started their Inter-Provincial Cup campaign in perfect fashion, making it two wins from two. It was another impressive all-round team performance, with significant contributions from both the batting and bowling units, as the Warriors continued their unbeaten start to the competition.

North West Warriors produced a composed run chase to defeat Leinster Lightning by six wickets in a rain-affected opening match of the Inter-Provincial Cup at Bready.

After persistent showers delayed play, the contest was reduced to 37 overs per side. Warriors captain Andy McBrine won the toss and chose to bowl first, a decision that paid dividends despite a determined Leinster batting display.

Leinster openers Tim Tector and former Warriors player Stephen Doheny made a positive start before Ryan Macbeth produced the breakthrough, bowling Doheny for 12 with an excellent delivery. Moments later, Gavin Roulston provided one of the highlights of the innings with a direct-hit run out to dismiss Chris De Freitas without scoring, leaving Leinster under pressure.

Tector continued to anchor the innings with a well-made 39 before Jeremy Martins and captain Lorcan Tucker rebuilt for the visitors. Martins struck an impressive 56 before falling to Craig Young, who claimed his second wicket of the afternoon.

Tucker then took control during the closing overs, finishing unbeaten on 74 from 57 deliveries. His innings included eight fours and three sixes as Leinster accelerated strongly to post 211-6 from their 37 overs, setting the Warriors a challenging target of 212.

Craig Young was the standout performer with the ball for the home side, returning figures of 2-31 from six overs, while skipper Andy McBrine conceded just 23 runs from his eight overs and picked up one wicket.

The Warriors made the ideal start to the chase as Jake Egan and Gavin Roulston dominated the new ball. The pair shared a century opening partnership, putting immediate pressure on the Leinster attack. Egan’s 43 laid the foundation before Roulston continued the assault with a classy 64, his innings eventually ending via a run out from Chris De Freitas.

With wickets falling through the middle overs, McBrine (24) and Scott Macbeth (24) kept the scoreboard moving and ensured the required run rate remained under control. As the match entered its closing stages, Leinster sensed an opportunity to snatch victory, with George Dockrell claiming two important wickets to leave the contest finely balanced.

However, wicketkeeper Ben Calitz produced the decisive innings under pressure. Showing composure and power in equal measure, Calitz blasted an unbeaten 31 from just 17 balls, including two fours and two sixes, to swing the momentum firmly back towards the Warriors.

His late hitting, alongside Gareth Delany’s unbeaten support, guided North West to 215-4 with seven balls remaining, securing an impressive 6 wicket victory.

Three NWCU clubs will be represented in the Ulster Plate semi-finals after Fox Lodge, Donemana and Brigade all came through their quarter-final ties on Sunday. St Johnston’s campaign came to an end as they were comprehensively beaten by a strong Muckamore side.

Fox Lodge continued their impressive cup run with a five-wicket victory over CI in an entertaining encounter. After winning the toss, CI opted to bat first but found scoring difficult against a disciplined Fox Lodge attack. Jonny Moore top-scored with 34, while captain Adam Maitland added 28 in an innings that never quite gained any real momentum. Fox Lodge kept the pressure on throughout, with Adam Walker producing the standout performance with the ball. His superb figures of 5-24 from eight overs ripped through the batting order and helped dismiss CI for 174.

Needing 175 for victory, Fox Lodge approached the chase with confidence. Charlie Simpson anchored the innings magnificently, remaining unbeaten on 64 in a composed knock that mixed patience with timely aggression. Despite Ben Snell’s three wickets giving CI some hope, Fox Lodge kept their nerve and reached the target in the penultimate over to seal a deserved place in the semi-finals.

Donemana survived a spirited Waringstown fightback to claim a dramatic 12-run victory at The Lawn. Batting first, Donemana recovered well after a steady start to post an imposing 224. Ollie Britton was the architect of the innings with an excellent 72, providing the platform for the visitors. The finishing touches came from Gary Neely, who remained unbeaten on 40, and Christopher Neely, whose unbeaten 34 ensured Donemana finished strongly. Ross White was Waringstown’s most successful bowler, claiming three wickets.

Waringstown’s reply got off to the perfect start thanks to Robbie McCollum’s 40, but regular wickets meant the required rate continued to climb. James Mitchell fought bravely with an unbeaten half-century, but Donemana held their composure in the closing overs to secure a hard-earned victory and progress to the last four.

Brigade produced an all-round display to overcome fellow North West side Ardmore by 63 runs. Nick Gray stole the show with a blistering 69 from only 44 deliveries, striking five boundaries and four sixes in a match-defining innings. His attacking approach lifted Brigade to a competitive total of 195 despite an excellent bowling performance from Muhammad Kharotai, who claimed four wickets.

Ardmore’s chase never quite gathered the momentum required. Gibi Babu provided early impetus with a quickfire 31, while Kharotai completed an impressive all-round performance with 23 and Matthew Rowlands added 20. However, Brigade’s bowlers kept taking wickets, dismissing Ardmore 63 runs short to book their semi-final berth.

Muckamore completed the semi-final line-up with an emphatic 128-run victory over St Johnston. Captain Philip Skillen led by example after Muckamore were asked to bat, compiling an outstanding unbeaten 82. He received useful contributions from the rest of the batting order which helped the visitors post an imposing total of 237.

Facing a demanding chase, St Johnston struggled to build lasting partnerships against an accurate Muckamore attack. David Lapsley fought valiantly with an unbeaten 61, but he lacked support at the other end. Jack Kirkpatrick proved the match winner with the ball, claiming a superb six-wicket haul as Muckamore wrapped up a convincing victory to reach the Ulster Plate semi-finals.

The results mean Fox Lodge, Donemana and Brigade will all fly the flag for the North West in the Ulster Plate semi-finals, with all three sides now just one victory away from reaching the final.