St Johnston were left reflecting on what might have been as they finished their league season with an emphatic 145-run win over Killyclooney to finish second in the table, one point behind winners Bonds Glen. In MacBeth (39) and Scott Devenney (28) gave the Saints a solid start which was continued by Michael Rankin and Jacob Maroske (50). They added 117 for the third wicket, with Rankin making 101 from only 84 balls (7 fours, 6 sixes) in their 287 for 6 – quick runs too for David Lapsley (21) and Deepak Reddy (20*). Jordan Nelson made 31 in the reply, while Darren Moan and Richard McMorris each hit 29, but Killyclooney fell well short on 142. Nathan Cole took three wickets, while there were two each for Ryan McAuley, Sabin Babu and Ian Macbeth.

Strabane ended their Championship campaign on a high with an eight-wicket win at home to Burndennett. Chasing 163, half centuries from Conor Graham and Ernest Musuku powered them an easy win. Graham top-scored with 57 (8 fours), while Musuku was a man in a hurry, hitting 5 fours and 4 sixes his his unbeaten 51 from only 29 balls. Skipper Aaron Gillespie also chipped in with 32. Earlier, Musuku had taken three quick wickets as the visitors slumped to 23 for 4, before half centuries for Mark Pollock (59) and Aiden Logue (57) steadied the ship with a fifth wicket stand of 120. However, there was another collapse as six wickets fell for just 20 – three of them to Tanvir Hasan. Burndennett will be hoping for better fortunes as they take on Bready in Sunday’s Eric Cooke final.

Bonds Glen clinched the Championship beating challengers Ballyspallen by seven wickets chasing 319. Henrich Roberts (39) and Matty Barr (35) shared an opening stand of 61 to lay an excellent platform. A third wicket stand of 123 in 15 overs between Steven Barr and Raymond Curry continued the momentum, with Curry hitting 11 fours in an even time 65. Barr hit 14 fours and a six in his 95 not out, adding a further 98 with David Cooke, who raced to 61 in only 38 balls (12 fours) in a remarkable win. It was tough on Spallen’s Demith Perera who had hit 16 sixes and 12 fours in his 165 not out, adding 189 in 19 overs with Stuart Kennedy (59) to take them to what looked a daunting 318 for 4. However, not for the first time this season, the champions were unfazed by a big target.

Glendermott’s Championship league campaign came to a disappointing end as they were beaten by Ballyspallen at The Rectory. They were soon in trouble at 7 for 3, with Nathan McGuire run out for 0, but battled back as Jake Montgomery made 40, Jason Lynch 32, and Todd Killen 29. Stephen Kennedy took three wickets as Glendermott finished on 139. He then made 26 in an opening stand of 46 with Steven McCluskey (23), and although the hosts fought back, Stuart Kennedy’s 49 (5 fours, 3 sixes) ensured a four-wicket win that keeps their title hopes very much alive.

St Johnston’s title hopes are still very much alive as Michael Rankin’s unbeaten 90 helped them to a dramatic one-wicket win at Burndennett. Chasing 250, a third wicket stand of 98 between Rankin and Jack Macbeth (42) put them in control. However, the hosts battled back and when the 9th wicket fell 15 were still needed from 9 balls. A wide was followed by two sixes from Rankin, who then kept the strike with a single. There was no nerves as he got the winning run from the first ball of the last over, finishing on 90 from 89 balls (3 fours, 5 sixes). Burndennett’s Mark Pollock made 100 not out in their 249 for 9 – hitting 8 sixes and 8 fours in his 67-ball innings. In the end, it wasn’t just enough.

Madhawa Fernando was the star of the show as Killyclooney thumped Strabane by 89 runs at the Park. The Sri Lanka top scored with a run-a-ball 79 (6 fours, 2 sixes), sharing a second wicket stand of 108 with William Finlay, who made 51 in Killyclooney’s 204 for 6. Ernest Musuku was the pick of the Red Caps attack, taking four wickets. Fernando then got in on the act with the ball, as he took five wickets, including Musuku and top-scorer Aaron Gillespie, who made 38 out of a disappointing batting effort of 115.

Jamal Anwar’s century powered Glendermott to a 110-run win at Killyclooney. The Pakistan professional hit 10 fours and 8 sixes in a brilliant 105 from only 72 balls as the Rectory side racked up 230 in a 30 overs match. Nathan McGuire, Ben Mills and Alan Johnson all passed 20, while Timmy Dougherty claimed four wickets and William Finlay three. Madhawa Fernando (34) and William Finlay (27) had the hosts 80 for 2 in the chase, but they collapsed to 120 all out – four wickets for Maguire, three for Johnson and two for Anwar in a comprehensive win.

Bonds Glen sit proudly at the top of the Championship after they beat Burndennett by 71 runs in a game reduced to 27 overs. David Cooke’s excellent season continued as the veteran top-scored with 48 (8 fours) in their 158 for 9, while Derek Curry hit three sixes in a breezy 23. There were two wickets each for Mark Roulston, Marcello Piedt and Mark Snodgrass. Kyle Moore and Raymond Curry took three wickets apiece to leave the chase in tatters at 36 for 6, and despite battling innings from Andrew Barr (28) and Roulston (20), Burndennett were all out for 87 – Derek Curry also taking three wickets.

A third wicket stand of 136 between Stephen Kennedy and Demith Perera helped Ballyspallen to a 19-run (DLS) win over Strabane. Kennedy top-scored with 78 from 91 balls (11 fours, 1 six), while Sri Lankan professional Perera’s 57 from 56 deliveries (5 fours, 2 sixes) helped the hosts post 206 in their 37 overs. Vadivel Moorthy (4-32) was best with the ball for the Red Caps. Aaron Gillespie smashed 7 fours and 4 sixes in a rapid 65 from only 44 balls, while Zimbabwean Ernest Musuku also bludgeoned 57 from just 37 balls (5 fours, 4 sixes). However from 182 for 5, Strabane collapsed to 189 all out – Jonathan Martin (4-49) mopping up the tail in double quick time.

Rain too had the final say in the game at Bridge Park between Ballyspallen and St Johnston. Early wickets for Nathan Cole (2-19) and Scott Devenney (2-26) had the hosts 19 for 4, before Stuart Kennedy and James Thompson (28) led a revival. The pair added 62 for the fifth wicket with Kennedy top-scoring with 68 from 70 balls (7 fours, 3 sixes). Michael O’Brien (25) also added late runs as they made 164. Leg-spinner David Anthony (3-26) claimed three wickets, while veteran Ian Macbeth also took 2 for 35. Deepak Reddy fell to Josh Wilson in the first over of the reply, but Alan Macbeth (5*) and skipper David Lapsley (13*) had taken the total to 26 for 1 in 5 overs when play was abandonded.

The one game in the Championship that did manage to beat the elements was at Killyclooney where Bonds Glen chased 220 to win by five wickets. Batting first, Killyclooney scored 220 for 6 in 36 overs, with Sri Lankan professional Madhawa Fernando top-scoring with 64 (10 fours, 1 six). There were runs too for William Finlay (43), Mark Gordon (35), and Kenzie Hall (29). Simon Killen (43) and Raymond Curry (20) got the Bee Gees off to a quick start, before Jordan Nelson (3-38) fought back. However, too many Cooke's didn’t spoil the broth for Bonds Glen as David hit an unbeaten 90 (7 fours, 6 sixes), sharing a century stand with his brother (49*), as they won by five wickets in the 31st over.

Rain had the final say at The Rectory in the opening game of the Championship between Glendermott and Burndennett. The home side would have been pleased with their batting efforts as they reached 223 for 9, with Ireland Wolves international Nathan McGuire their main performer, hitting 13 fours and a six in his 77 from 61 balls. He added 85 in 14 overs with Jason Lynch (36), while Alan Johnson’s entertaining 23 included three sixes. They had reached 223 for 9 in 38 overs when play was halted. There were hopes of a 20-over chase with a 152 run target, but further rain ended the contest prematurely.