BRIGADE CHASE IRISH SENIOR CUP FINAL BERTH

The Under-19 World Cup qualifiers move into the North West this week leaving a fairly distorted league picture for senior clubs although there is a huge game at Beechgrove on Sunday when Brigade host Belfast side Waringstown with a place in the Bob Kerr Irish Senior Cup final at stake. The Under-19 tournament started in Dublin last week and moved to the city on Tuesday and Ireland have a packed schedule this weekend with games at Limavady on Friday, Bready on Saturday and Strabane on Sunday before wrapping up their programme at Eglinton next Tuesday. Should they finish in the top six, and with three wins from four matches in Leinster there is no reason why they shouldn't, the Irish lads can then look forward to a trip to Australia early next year. In the absence of much senior domestic cricket, organisers have appealed to local enthusiasts to come out in numbers to support the tournament this weekend and to offer the hosts in particular as much backing as possible.

Saturday- Billy Henderson Properties Division 1

GLENDERMOTT V EGLINTON

These two have the senior stage pretty much to themselves on Saturday and while Glendermott are mathematically not yet out of the woods it is a massive match for the villagers. Joint bottom on just four points and with only this and an away day at Limavady before their showdown with the Bee Gees, any shred of an advantage now would be priceless. And they have a chance too because Glendermott have been very hit-and-miss this season and particularly so in the last six weeks. They were as poor albeit against a ruthless Brigade last time as they were impressive at Donemana before that and much will depend again on the form of professional Roy Silva. The Sri Lankan's double hundred against the cup finalists was a savage bit of hitting and at an equally compact Rectory the visitors need to ensure that they keep him in check. Ironically the two former Eglinton players in the home camp, Stephen Smyth and Craig Averill are on an awful run of form and both are finding runs much more difficult to come by this season than last. Therein lies Glendermott's problem but again Eglinton have to be wary of one or other finding their form at the wrong time for them. The visitors really shouldn't be in this situation again and have more than enough quality to be continually swimming against this relegation tide. Chris Pierce found his shooting boots last time out after a barren few weeks but Richard Wylie and skipper Andy Christie have also been out of sorts while professional Ryan Butterworth hasn't been able to turn any losses into wins. It is bound to be a fairly nervy afternoon, maybe even for both sides but certainly for the visitors, but if Eglinton are to avoid relegation this is the first of their two opportunities to do so.

Sunday- Billy Henderson Properties Division 1

BONDS GLEN V FOX LODGE

The Bee Gees will have the benefit of knowing where they stand after Eglinton's game at Glendermott but either way Gary Hamilton's side will feel they have a chance against another team to have been in and out this season. The visitors have some excellent results in the bank including a stunning win at Strabane Park but they have been shaky enough when put under pressure as well. Brian Allen's men were well fancied for a big season this time but hit the buffers mid-way and the damage was done however the Ballymagorry outfit will still be hopeful of a top four finish. They have undoubted quality in the camp so whilst they may not be in line to win it themselves they may yet have a big say in who does. It's a thoroughly different game for the hosts however and they have this and a home match with Donemana next weekend before their crunch meeting with Eglinton. Home wins over Bready and Glendermott would seem to suggest that the Bee Gees are a different proposition at the Glen and they have surprised many by still being in contention at this stage. Richard Hepburn and professional Gihan Dilruk have led the resistance but as always it has been a team effort. The Foxies will start favourites but if they take their eye off the ball it could leave the way clear for the hosts to heap the pressure back on Eglinton.

LIMAVADY V DONEMANA

This one goes ahead despite the visitors looking for a postponement as their two Under-19's are still on International duty and there is now a very real danger that the Holm men's season could be scuppered by the loss of Hunter and McBrine. It's a strange one really because in normal circumstances Donemana would have expected to be given some breathing space, however it looks as though the North West will stick by its decision to make them play on. The hosts are on a roll as the title race gets serious and two points here would certainly strengthen their hand with Brigade otherwise engaged. Andrew Riddles' team has a very compact look about it, particularly in the batting stakes with Adnan Akmal, Thomas Riddles and Stuart Thompson all in very good form of late. Their bowling boasts the likes of Ricky McDaid and Simon Dunn as well as Thompson and his skipper but they certainly miss Decker's ten overs and they struggle a little for a fifth unless Nigel Thompson is available. For Donemana, much will depend on their ongoing league contest at Beechgrove and how the side has recovered from their weekend disappointment. Richard Kee remained very upbeat ahead of their big week but the last thing he needed was to have to tackle the other two teams at the top without his full panel. The Holm men will get on with it as they always do but despite that battling spirit they remain slightly vulnerable and in the circumstances Limavady would start favourites.

Bob Kerr Irish Senior Cup Semi Final

BRIGADE V WARINGSTOWN

What a cracking game in store as the recent NCU cup winners visit Beechgrove to tackle a Brigade side that has recovered fully from their mid-season blip and are now many people's favourites to go on to lift the Billy Henderson Properties senior title. Brigade are currently involved in that top-of-the-table match with Donemana after which Mark Simpson will turn his attention to trying to reach September's final in this premier cup competition. Boasting one of the hottest bowling attacks in the country the Waterside club can call on Johnny Thompson, skipper Simpson, Ata-Ur-Rehman, Iftikhar Hussain, Trevor Britton, Nick Donnell, Ryan Brace and Graeme Moore and although the batting had looked a little less intimidating earlier, that too seems to have been fixed. Mattie Moran and Chris Dougherty have proven to be a potent opening partnership and they have been able to set it up for Hussain, Gareth McKeegan, Rehman and the rest to post their totals.

The hosts will need to be at their very best of course because even without the prolific Obus Pienaar, now with the South African Development squad, Waringstown are a quality side. They too have been affected by the Under-19 qualifiers having lost Josh Hall to the Ireland squad but such is the confidence in the side that they brought 14 year old Adam Dennison into the team that won their senior cup competition last weekend. Kyle McCallan is an obvious threat to Brigade and the former International is still very much one of the most talented cricketers in the country. Jonathan Bushe is another familiar name and Brigade will also need to be wary of the likes of Andrew Cousins and Lee Nelson in a side that looks strong the whole way down. The Waterside club are by no means out of this and if their batting holds up they have a major chance despite the fact that the visitors start favourites.