STRABANE STILL FLYING HIGH DESPITE SAINTS LOSS

Strabane all-rounder Ryan Gallagher says the club's remarkable start to the season has exceeded expectations, but insists there is no danger of anyone getting carried away as they prepare for a crucial Senior Cup quarter-final against Newbuildings.

The Tyrone side have emerged as one of the surprise packages of the campaign, sitting firmly among the title contenders after a series of impressive performances that have put them firmly in the mix at both league and cup level.

While many outside the club may be surprised by their rise, Gallagher believes the foundations were laid long before a ball was bowled this season.

"We're in a better position than what we expected," admitted Gallagher. "We're just keeping our feet on the ground and keeping the pre-season going, really. The work that was done before the season has been massive for us. John Mooney put a lot of planning into things. Even though he's not here in person, he's here in spirit."

Gallagher paid tribute to Mooney for the unseen work that has helped transform the team's mentality and approach.

"He's been doing a lot of work in the background that no-one sees. He's been channeling things through myself, Kevin and Aaron and we've been relaying it onto the lads. We've done a lot of scenario work, technique work and mental work. It's basically the simple stuff of the game and it's starting to show now."

That preparation has helped Strabane establish themselves near the top of the league standings and Gallagher believes there is no reason why they cannot continue challenging the traditional powers.

"We're in a good position. We're sitting second, I believe, and we're not too far off the top. We believe we can go all the way.

"What's the point in playing if you don't believe it? Every game is a cup final for us at the minute and we're going out with that mentality."

Confidence received another boost on Saturday when Strabane travelled to Beechgrove and secured an impressive victory over Brigade.

Gallagher described it as one of the club's standout performances of the season so far.

"That was an absolute super win against Brigade," he said. "Aaron got us off to a good start again and probably would have liked to kick on a bit more, but that's cricket.

"Our professional Mohammed Mohsin was absolutely phenomenal. Batting and fielding, he was brilliant. On a tricky wicket, the way he played was excellent. He took the attack to them and with the ball he added a bit of craft as well.

"It was a good win and it's always good to beat Brigade at Brigade. It sends out a clear message that we're not to be taken lightly."

However, Strabane were unable to complete a perfect weekend as they slipped to defeat against St Johnston on Sunday. Gallagher believes the result ultimately came down to missed opportunities with the bat.

"We left a lot of runs out there," he reflected. "Myself and Rhys got us into a good position going into the last 10 or 12 overs, but then we lost wickets at the wrong time.

"We should have capitalised. We should have been 230, 240 or even 250 and that would have made it a different game in the second half."

Rather than dwell on the disappointment, Gallagher sees it as another valuable lesson in a season that continues to gather momentum.

"Every day is learning and every day is teaching. We move on, we learn from it and hopefully we get stuck into the next one."

Attention now turns to Saturday's Senior Cup quarter-final trip to Newbuildings, a fixture that carries added significance after painful cup defeats to the same opponents in recent seasons.

"Newbuildings aren't to be taken lightly," Gallagher warned. "They've got some absolute powerhouses in that team. We'll be preparing for them all week, looking at individual players and working on our own game as well.

"They beat us in a semi-final and a quarter-final over the last few years and that hurt deep. We owe them one. But we're not going to take them lightly. They're a very good team, well balanced, with a strong batting attack and a strong bowling attack."

With a place in the semi-finals at stake, Gallagher expects another fiercely contested encounter but remains confident Strabane can continue their impressive campaign.

"We'll be up for the challenge. Regardless of the result, cricket's always the winner. It's great to be playing these games and hopefully it's a good match and the weather holds for it."

DONEMANA WIN UNDER 18 CUP FINAL

Donemana were convincing winners of the Under-18 Cup Final, defeating Fox Lodge by nine wickets at The Holm to lift the trophy in front of a delighted home support.

Fox Lodge looked well placed at 43 for 3 thanks to an enterprising innings from Charlie Simpson, who top-scored with 28 from 27 balls, striking three fours and two sixes. However, once Simpson departed, the innings unravelled dramatically as the final seven wickets fell for just 18 runs.

Donemana's bowlers were relentless. Captain Luke Marillier led from the front with superb figures of 3 for 4, while Roy McGerrigle claimed 2 for 4. Jacob Cloughton also took two wickets, with Riley Boyd and Isaac Black picking up one apiece as Fox Lodge were dismissed for only 61 in 17.5 overs.

The chase began with a brief moment of hope for Fox Lodge when Josh Marshall removed Ryan McClintock in the opening over. It proved to be their only success of the innings.

McGerrigle and Marillier quickly took control, attacking from the outset and putting the result beyond doubt. McGerrigle hammered an unbeaten 28 from just 13 balls, including five fours and a six, while Marillier finished unbeaten on 20 from only 10 deliveries, striking three fours and a six.

The pair shared an unbroken second-wicket stand of 51 in just 21 balls as Donemana raced to 62 for 1 in only the 5th over.

North West Cricket Union chairman Raymond Mitchell presented the trophy to the victorious Donemana side who clearly have got some serious talent in the pipeline.

MINE'S A TREBLE SAYS MC CLINTOCK

William McClintock etched his name into Irish cricket folklore at the weekend when he smashed a 131-year-old record with a breathtaking innings of 339 for Bonds Glen against Letterkenny in the North West Championship.

The former Ireland international produced one of the most extraordinary innings ever seen on these shores, hammering 37 sixes and 21 fours in a remarkable 153-ball knock as Bonds Glen piled up 507 for 8.

McClintock arrived at the crease in the fourth over with his side on 36 for 2 and proceeded to dismantle the Letterkenny attack in spectacular fashion. He reached his century from just 60 balls, raced to a double century in 114 deliveries and brought up his triple century in only 142 balls before finally being dismissed in the 49th over with the score on 497 for 8.

His 339 is the highest individual score ever recorded in Irish cricket, surpassing the previous best that had stood since 1895. The innings is only the third triple century known to have been scored in Ireland and the first in 130 years.

The previous record belonged to Captain William Oates, who made 313 not out for the Munster Fusiliers against the Army Service Corps at the Curragh, while the only other documented triple century was scored by a visiting sailor in Midleton during the late nineteenth century.

Despite his historic achievement, McClintock was quick to stress that team success remains his priority.

“Going into the game we knew we needed a win to stay near the top with Glendermott, so we weren't taking Letterkenny lightly,” he said.

“It's great breaking the record and it's all good to celebrate, but my thoughts will be totally on the rest of the season and trying to get Bonds Glen promoted. I'd take achieving promotion over the 339 any day.”

McClintock, who won five T20 caps for Ireland in 2021, also revealed he missed North West Warriors duty in Dublin this week because of a toe injury.

“It’s not broken and hopefully I'll be back playing at the weekend,” he added.

For now, however, Irish cricket has a new record-holder and a new benchmark that may stand for generations.