There were just two T20 league games on Wednesday evening ahead of the weekend's cup final and coincidentally both finished in 33-run wins for the home side.

At the Rectory, Glendermott were entertaining a Fox Lodge side that had won its last three games on the bounce and Gordon Montgomery knew that a win for the visitors would move them 4 points clear of the bottom three heading into the back end of the season. The skipper decided this was to be his night- promoting himself from number 11 against Brigade last week to opening the innings here and the move paid off in spades.

Montgomery dominated from the outset scoring 47 of the 61-run first wicket stand with professional Roy Silva and then 30 of his 50 run partnership with Charlie Elder. Bob Robinson kept pace pretty well with his long time team-mate as he chipped in with an unbeaten 32 but when the 20 overs was up "Goofer" had smacked 10 fours and 9 sixes in a 73-ball 121 not out as Glendermott made 187 for 2.

The visitors had to start quickly and boy did they do that as Andrew McGinnis and Brian Allen ripped into everything that the home side threw at them. The 50-stand came up in 20 balls as the Foxies threatened to run riot but the introduction of Charlie Elder was to turn the game.

Elder removed both openers, McGinnis having made 42 from just 19 balls while Allen made 38 and after that the reply hit a wall as Steven McCloskey and then skipper Montgomery blew the bottom half away. Montgomery stole the headlines as his 3 for 5 complimented that terrific century but Elder's 3 for 22 and McCloskey's 2 for 17 were vital contributions as the Bonds Street boys took a major step towards safety.

In Division 2 Eglinton are well aware that St Johnston continue to keep the pressure on at the top of the table but Karl O'Doherty's men recorded a very good win over another side looking to pose a challenge, Drummond.

The hosts batted first and 37 from Andy Christie, 36 from Richard Wylie and 32 from Stephen Smyth helped them to a competitive, but no more than that. 134 for 4 in their 20 overs. Without the steadying influence of Gordon Cooke the visitors struggled in reply and 3 wickets apiece for Nigel Thompson and Neal Stewart as well as 2 for Stephen Smyth saw them finish on just 101.

It now looks like a straight shoot-out between the top two with the first of their head-to-heads coming up very shortly at the Boathole.