NW CRICKET: Donemana claim Long's Premiership title in dramatic fashion

The Holm side went into their final game level on points with Eglinton and in second place on Net Run Rate only, with both clubs battling not just for wins over Killyclooney and Coleraine respectively, but also those five precious bonus points.

As it turned out, both teams posted big enough wins on the day to take the 25 points each; meaning they were still tied on points. However Donemana's huge 223-run win at Holm to Killyclooney and Eglinton's 73-run victory against Coleraine left a 150-run turnaround on Net Run Rate that put the Tyrone side back on top by fractions.

It was very much a team effort as Donemana batted first, Rumesh Buddhika making 47, William McClintock 40, Dwayne McGerrigle 34, Gary McClintock 31, Raymond Curry 23 and Levi Dougherty 23 all contributing to the big total.

Mark Gordon (3-58) was the most successful of the visitors' bowling with Jason Wallace adding 2-50 and Timmy Dougherty 2-77.

'Clooney's batting has struggled all year and never got to grips with Irish International Andy McBrine who bowled 29 deliveries for figures of 6-10. Buddhika weighed in with 3-25 as Gordon's 18 was the best of their reply of 61 all out.

It was seriously tough luck on Eglinton who made 218-7 as they batted first against Coleraine; Liam Doherty continuing his brilliant season right to the end as he made a superb 115 (12 fours, 4 sixes). Skipper Jamie Millar added 46 with Rory Knox (3-45) the pick of the Bannsiders' bowling. However the lack of depth in their batting order was to return yet again to haunt Coleraine.

They got off to a flying start with Marcus Poskitt getting 38, Scott Campbell 31 and Craig Averill 27, reaching 84-1 in reply before the wheels came off.

Stephen Hutchinson (15) was the only batter in the last eight to get to double figures as the deck folded tamely; Robbie Millar (3-49), Lahiru Dilshan (2-14), Doherty (2-18) and Jamie Millar (2-21) combining to secure the win for the villagers, albeit they will have been gutted to find it wasn't enough.

Newbuildings beat Ardmore by 69 runs in a high-scoring game at Foyleview, the home side making 302-6 in their 40 overs courtesy of a classy century from Ross Dougherty. He hit 12 fours and 7 sixes in his unbeaten 129 with skipper Gareth McKeegan adding 75 in a 157-run partnership between the pair.

Jason Bell added 39 and Jason Dunn 23, while Mujeeb Rahman (2-29) and Conor Brolly (2-63) were among the wickets for the visitors.

Harry Zimmermann (59), Hayden Melly (34), Dave Bezzant (32), Dharm Singh (30) and Rachit Gaur (20) all got going in reply, but there was no-one to crack on as Dougherty had done, and Ardmore came up short as a consequence.

Lewis Campbell picked up 5-51 and debutante Ella Wasson (2-41) as Ardmore finished seventh and will now have to defend their top-flight status in a play-off with St Johnston at Bready on September 14th.

The final game saw Brigade crush Bready by 10 wickets in what can best be described as an end of season encounter at Magheramason.

Ryan Clarke (24) and Gavin Roulston (10) put on 32 for the first wicket as the hosts batted first, before Ryan Barr (5-26) and Marcello Piedt (5-33) ripped through the order to see all 10 wickets fall for the addition of just 28 runs.

Iftikhar Hussain made 36* and David Barr 16* to give Brigade full points in little more than nine overs.

Also on Sunday, Strabane CC completed a most remarkable season at the Bleachgreen after Kevin Gallagher's side posted a very comfortable nine wicket win over St. Johnston in the final of the Sam Jeffrey Shield.

Having already clinched the Premiership Section 2 title last week; won the Sperrin Springs T20 cup last month and made it to the final of the National Cup before losing out to Rush, it's difficult to remember a more prolific summer for the Red Caps.

They had no hesitation in putting the Saints in to bat first on Sunday and restricted the Donegal side to 126 all out, with John Mooney again in the thick of things with figures of 3-19.

TJ Boyd bowled superbly for his 2-11 from seven overs while Nasir Nawar had 2-31 in his fifth over before having to go to hospital for treatment on a torn shoulder muscle.

It meant the prolific Pakistani wasn't going to be able to bat, but it mattered not a jot as Rhys Logue made 66 not out (9 fours) and skipper Gallagher 35 in an opening stand of 94 that ended the game as a contest.

Logue and Aaron Gillespie (13*) saw it through from there as Strabane won with almost 20 overs to spare to complete a superb campaign.