It was a day of few shocks as seven of the eight seeded sides progressed to the quarter-finals with Glendermott flying the flag for the Championship after an emphatic win at Killyclooney.

Their last senior cup success came in 2020, but with Andy McBrine available after being left out of Ireland’s T20 squads, they will certainly be among the favourites for the cup.

It’s been a stop-start to the year for Fox Lodge with postponements, but it promises to be a busy weekend for the Ballymagorry side with home back-to-games against Coleraine in the cup and their rearranged league clash with Strabane.

Fox Lodge captain Hannah McLaughlin lifted the first silverware of the new season as her side chased 126 to beat Bready by six wickets in the T20 Charity final.

It’s been a successful start to the season for Bready and new captain Ian Young, but they have suffered an injury blow ahead of their senior cup clash this weekend against Bonds Glen.

Limavady GS joined Strabane Academy and Lisneal College in the last eight of the Schools Cup with a five-wicket win over Regent House.

Bready beat Coleraine, Abaigh Gillespie bowled Strabane to victory over Newbuildings, while Bonds Glen edged out Eglinton as the NW Women's Premiership began.

Scott Macbeth produced a Man of the Match display as Brigade beat Ardmore by 24 runs in the DML T20 Charity final at The Rectory.

Fox Lodge gained the first silverware of the new season as they chased 127 to beat Bready by 6 wickets in the DML Women's T20 Charity final.

All four games fell victim to the weather in the North West Premiership.

There was play in three of the four games but none got close to a finish on a frustrating day in the North West Championship.

New signing Raymond Curry bounced back from a nervous debut where he failed to score, making a superb unbeaten 127 from 56 balls, that included 14 fours and 7 sixes, adding 145 in eight overs of carnage with Levi Dougherty (81).

Strabane have pulled off a major coup with the signing of former Irish international John Mooney. The 42 year-old won 182 caps for Ireland between 2001 and 2015, playing in three World Cups, and famously hitting the winning runs against England in Bangalore.

The skipper was pleased to start with not only the success, but the fact that a wide range of players contributed to the success, including new overseas professional Parth Palawat.

It was a delayed start to the campaign for Fox Lodge whose Championship game against Strabane fell by the wayside but they did get onto the field on Sunday with victories over The Nedd and Killyclooney in two closely fought encounters.

Donemana set the statisticians scrambling as they trounced the Nedd and also beat Killyclooney. Fox Lodge made it two wins from two as well.

There were two wins apiece for Ardmore and Eglinton in Group C of the NW T20.

Brigade won both their T20 Group B games, while Bonds Glen beat Glendermott, before the Rectory side edged out Coleraine in a last ball thriller.

There were two convincing wins in Group A for Bready and Newbuildings.

There were wins for Glendermott, St Johnston and Bonds Glen in the Championship

There were opening day wins for Coleraine, Brigade, Donemana and Bready in the Premiership.

Ian Young thought he was never play cricket again after a freak on-field accident in 2012 but on Saturday he will replace club legend Davy Scanlon as Bready captain for their opening NW Premiership game against Killyclooney.

There have been a few changes around the region, but one club who have more stability than most is Strabane, although they do have a new skipper in opening batsman Kevin Gallagher.

ARDMORE were the fairytale story in North West cricket last season – a first Premiership title for the unsung Co Derry side after 144 years. But captain Rachit Gaur is refusing to set any targets as they prepare to begin the defence of their crown on Saturday.

A new season at the Park and there is a new captain on deck with Kevin Gallagher the man in charge as they look to get back to the top flight.

On their day St Johnston proved themselves more than a match for anyone last season, but inconsistency cost them a chance of a Premiership slot.

The Nedd are back in the senior ranks after clinching the Qualifying League last season, and there's great anticipation around the Ballykelly venue as the season approaches.

Timmy Dougherty is once again skipper at Killyclooney, and he will be looking to replicate the highs of last season, when right up to the final weeks of the year they were in Premiership title contention.

Aaron Heywood is in charge once again at Ballymagorry, and he will be hoping that the incoming campaign is more reminiscent of the highs of the 2022 and their cup win, rather than the relegation blow of last year.

There’s a new captain at Bready with Davy Scanlon have stepped down from the role after 12 years at the helm. Ian Young has taken over the reins from ‘Sca’ and he will be assisted by Ryan Clarke and Gavin Roulston as vice-captains.

Alan Johnson has taken over the captaincy mantle once again and as usual there is plenty of activity going on, both on and off the field.

It was a very good 2023 season for Brigade winning a cup double, and they came very close to the treble, losing the Premiership by just one point.

It's back to basics for Burndennett who aren't bringing an overseas professional, opting to build the club from the bottom up.

A new Under 18 League launched this season by the North-West has come in for criticism even before it has gotten off the ground.

There is a new captain at the helm for Coleraine with Matthew Smyth is charge for the upcoming campaign.

The Rectory will host the finals of the Derry Midweek Charity Cups on Sunday May 5th.

It will be hard for Ardmore to replicate the success of last season, when they turned more than 100 years of heartbreak into a first Premiership crown.

Stephen Kennedy is at the helm for Ballyspallen who will be attempting to gain promotion to the Premiership top flight again.

It's been a relatively eventful close season down at Eglinton with a number of players in and out, as well as a new skipper at the helm.

There is a new overseas professional at the FoyleView Arena, while JT has hung up the boots.

Bonds Glen are the first club to be previewed ahead of the start of the North West season.

Killyclooney have been forced into a late change of professional, with West Indian Kimani Melius their new choice for the upcoming campaign.

Indian all-rounder Samarth Seth has been confirmed as the overseas professional at Newbuildings for the upcoming season.

Sri Lankan all-rounder Rumesh Buddika looks set for a stint with Donemana.

There was sad news over the weekend with the death of Mary Gillespie.

The first round draws for the NW men's and women's senior cups were made on Monday night at BBC Radio Foyle, conducted by recently retired legends Jordan McGonigle and Johnny Thompson.

The 2024 NW Women's Premiership will feature seven teams.

The North West Championship will get underway on Saturday April 27th.

Ardmore will begin the defence of their Premiership crown with a home clash against Coleraine on Saturday April 27th.

Ardmore have confirmed that wicket-keeper batsman Haydn Melly has joined the Bleachgreen side from Brigade.

Mollie Devine. DW Caldwell and Dermot Ward were the North West winners at the Cricket Ireland awards.

Glendermott have unveiled a trio of signings ahead of the new season.

Fox Lodge have confirmed the return of Sri Lankan Gayan Maneeshan to the club for the 2024 season.

There was sad news this week with the death of Ballyspallen all-rounder Clive Rogers.

Bready's Roly Black is off on his travels again, standing in the Under 19 World Cup whch gets underway in South Africa next week.