SAINTS SCUPPER 'DONNELL'S TREBLE DREAM

It has been a pretty indifferent season for St Johnston in their first year back in the second tier of North West cricket but the Donegal men will be delighted to finish with silverware having captured the Sperrin Springs cup at Beechgrove on Sunday.

Despite the showers there was a decent crowd at the Limavady Road venue as the Saints repeated their 2008 win in this competition. In- form Creevedonnell were in the other corner and the Sammy Jeffrey winners were hoping to make this the second leg of a domestic treble as they batted first. Despite losing Gareth Falconer early, a 72-run second wicket stand between Myles Neely (36) and Gary Neely (29) provided a good platform for Stephen Scroggie's side to set the Saints a decent target.

From 77 for 1 however the middle order folded and in the face of some tight bowling from David MacBeth and Kushpal Singh, St Johnston reined the league leaders back to 118 for 8 in their 20 overs. MacBeth claimed 3 for 16 and Singh 3 for 19 and their efforts meant that St Johnston were now bang in contention again.

They too lost quick wickets as they began their chase however and despite 27 from Alan MacBeth and 22 from skipper David MacBeth the game was edging away from them with the lower order exposed.

Ian MacBeth was able to steady things at that stage however and a couple of lofty blows took the Donegal side into the final over needing 7 to win. MacBeth and Malachy Porter showed all their experience as they took ones and twos from the first four balls of Nicky Cooke's last over before Porter then thumped the next one to the square leg boundary for four to ensure that the trophy was headed back over the border as the Saints won a thriller by 2 wickets.

Skipper MacBeth collected the trophy from Bertie Faulkner and also picked up the man-of-the match award for his all-round performance.