DONEMANA AND BREADY PREPARE FOR WINNER TAKE ALL WEEKEND

The 2012 Long's SuperValu Division 1 championship looks certain to be returning to Tyrone this weekend but as yet it's destination is unknown with Donemana and Bready both having realistic chances of claiming it. Brigade could still spoil the party, but for that to happen the other two would both need to lose on Saturday and Mark Simpson's team would then have to go to The Holm on Sunday and win, creating a three-way tie at the top. Despite that scenario however the equation is simple- if Bready beat Fox Lodge, Donemana need to win their final couple of matches starting at home to Coleraine on Saturday to lift the crown. If Richard Kee's side slips up in either game, Bready would be champions because of their head-to-head record against the senior cup winners. Should David Scanlon's side lose at Ballymagorry of course, one win from their last two matches would do Donemana. And that trip to Fox Lodge is no �gimme� either as Jonny Robinson's team scraps to avoid the promotion/relegation play-off place against Eglinton the following weekend. The Foxies are two points clear of Glendermott in the safety of 7th place for now following their home win over Creevedonnell on Tuesday night. The already-relegated visitors had looked in all sorts of trouble in that one on the first evening after Brian Devine had reduced them to 15 for 5 with a spell of 4 wickets for 6 runs. A good knock from Andy Barr rescued the situation for Creevedonnell however as he made an unbeaten 64 in their 112 all out, Aaron Heywood and Jason Milligan picking up 2 wickets each. The home side wasted no time in setting after the target and despite a bright opening burst from Gary Neely, Wajihuddin (64 not out) and Jason Milligan (45 not out) saw them cruise to an emphatic 10-wicket win.

The penultimate weekend of the season had ended with both Strabane and Coleraine taking their leave of the title race following back-to-back defeats. The Red Caps were on the wrong end of a heavy reverse at Beechgrove on Saturday and found life no easier at Donemana the following day. Skipper Richard Kee picked the ideal time to post his first century of the season, hitting 9 fours and 3 sixes in his unbeaten 105 as the hosts went big. It was by no means a one-man show either with everyone chipping towards their imposing total of 302, Andy McBrine with 59, Kamran Sajid (49) and James McBrine (33 not out) all doing their bit. Kevin Martin anchored Strabane's reply as he too posted his highest score of the season but the left hander fell just 5 runs short of a deserved century. Mark Gillespie added 48 and 34 not out from Kevin Donaghey helped the visitors towards a very respectable 236 but the match was long since over as a contest by then.

Bready kept their hopes alive with another impressive weekend's work; the Magheramason side needing less than 6 overs to record a thumping win over Bonds Glen on Saturday. Chasing just 64 against the already relegated Bee Gees a half century from professional Agha Sabir paved the way for the facile win and they followed it up on Sunday when easing past Limavady, David Barr (80) and David Rankin (59) fared best for the hosts in their total of 251 as Des Curry picked up 4 wickets and Andy Britton 2 for the Roesiders. Limavady's reply never really took off despite Zeeshan Malik, Andrew Riddles and Stuart Thompson all getting good starts and in the end they were 59 runs short. Creevedonnell's week-end match at home to Limavady was washed out without a ball bowled but is set to be played this evening however there is little now at stake for either side.


Eglinton duly lifted the Division 2 championship trophy and now go forward to next weekend's promotion/relegation play-off against either Fox Lodge or Glendermott at Burndennett the weekend after this. The villagers claimed the title on the back of two thrilling wins against St Johnston in the space of four days, the first one on Thursday at the Boathole night finishing in a last-over win for the visitors in near darkness. Chasing a modest 101 for 6 from 20 overs the villagers got themselves in an almighty tangle early on, slumping to 22 for 4 before Chris Pierce (53 not out) and Stephen Smyth (27 not out) were able to grind out a last gasp win. If anything, Saturday's second match was even more enthralling with Eglinton getting home this time by the tiniest of margins, winning 307 to 306. Jamie Millar (74), Stephen Smyth (64), Chris Pierce (59) and Andy Christie (42) were all among the runs for the new champions however Saints' skipper David MacBeth was in no mood to give up the ghost. MacBeth completely dominated his side's reply hitting a superb 155 which included 15 fours and 3 sixes. With the Donegal side closing in on the win however MacBeth was finally dismissed just three runs short of the target and despite getting to within 1, the tail couldn't finish it off.

Sion Mills' second XI picked up the Intermediate 4 trophy on Saturday after a really good season under Damien O'Neill but the firsts went down to a very heavy defeat at Drummond as their campaign draws to a close. Johnny Havern's 40 not out was by far the best of Sion's disappointing 85 all out as Mark Averill claimed 5 wickets and Damien Carlin 3. Michael Lynch with an unbeaten 40 and Philip Moon 27 not out sealed an easy 9-wicket win for Gordon Cooke's team.

Burndennett were unable to finish their season on a high having been on the wrong end of a 7-wicket defeat at St Johnston on Tuesday night and the two sides now share second spot in the table. Mark Doherty's men had entertained relegated Killyclooney on Saturday and recorded an emphatic 219-run win as John McGettigan (78), Ross McCay (62), Stephen McCay (32) and Aidan Boyle (30) all contributed to a very healthy 281 for 9 in their 50. Richard Barr, Mark Gordon, Davy Riddles and Richard McMorris all claimed 2 wickets each for the visitors whose reply was symptomatic of their season to date. Skipper McMorris top scored with 23 as Killyclooney were shot out for just 62, McGettigan adding 5 wickets to his impressive day's work in a bloodless victory.

In the All-Ireland under-13 final at Bready on Sunday the home team entertained a Dublin YMCA side currently under the guidance of former Downpatrick player Kamal Merchant. The Bready lads, coached by Mark Olphert and Trevor Hamilton had travelled to Lurgan a week earlier and come away with a 6-wicket win. They invited their guests to bat first in the decider and a superb half century from Harry Tector helped the Leinster lads to a very competitive total of 95. Reece Kelly (2 for 16) and Ross Dougherty (2 for 18) were the pick of the Bready bowlers while Trent McKeegan, Dylan McCorkell, Dawson Crumley and Glenn Myles were the other wicket takers. The North West side struggled to cope with the spin of Tector who completed a man-of-the-match performance in picking up 4 for 12 in the home side's reply. Dylan McCorkell with 21 not out and Ross Dougherty (17) fared best with the bat as Bready were bowled out for 68- a first ever defeat for the team.

Finally this week , Fox Lodge Cricket Club will be holding a single wicket competition at Ballymagorry this coming Sunday starting at 2pm. The event is in aid of the local Alzheimer's Society and will feature a host of club professionals as well as players from Division 1 clubs. One of the organisers, Alistair Heywood explained that while he was aware that the Donemana v Brigade game was a big alternative attraction, the club was still keen to host the charity day. �We had organised the event for the Sunday after the senior cup final but the weather put paid to our plans then and the backlog of fixtures has meant that we had to keep the event until the season had finished. We still hope that plenty of cricket enthusiasts will come along and support what is a really worthwhile charity however and we can assure everyone of a great day's entertainment�.