St Johnston cause Sports Hub NW Senior Cup shock knocking holders Brigade out

Things got underway on Saturday with the first round of the Sports Hub North West senior cup and there were to be several surprises in store with three of the top seeds falling at the first hurdle.
Glendermott's Alan Johnson is bowled by Conor Olphert in Bready's senior cup win. Picture by Lawrence MooreGlendermott's Alan Johnson is bowled by Conor Olphert in Bready's senior cup win. Picture by Lawrence Moore
Glendermott's Alan Johnson is bowled by Conor Olphert in Bready's senior cup win. Picture by Lawrence Moore

The biggest casualty were Brigade - a side who lifted four of the cup competitions in 2021 and who represented Ireland in this year's European League in Spain as a result.

The Waterside team were beaten at home by St Johnston in one of the biggest upsets in recent years - and a deserved victory it was for the Donegal men too. Batting first, the visitors posted a very competitive 198-9 from their 50 overs, with father and son Ian and Jack Macbeth combining to do much of the damage.

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Ian hit 6 fours and 4 sixes in his match-defining 71 not out with Jack adding 34. David Anthony and Jacob Maroske both chipped in with 25 while Nick Gray (4-27) and David Barr (2-26) were best with the ball for the hosts.

Brigade’s reply just never got going and they were in trouble for most of the afternoon.

Graeme McCarter fared best with 28 while skipper Andy Britton added 23, but once the Saints had them down, they never let them back up.

Anthony bowled really well to claim 4-23 with Macbeth senior completing a man-of-the-match performance with 3-14. Nathan Cole weighed in with 2-14 as Brigade were all out for 130- a famous 68-run win for the Donegal men.

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Donemana are safely through to the quarter-finals after a comfortable win at Strabane Park.

Ryan Gallagher top scored with 42 and Conor Graham made 20 in a disappointing 119 all out for an under-strength home side.

In-form William McBrine (4-13) and Dean Mehaffey (2-12) were best with the ball for the Holm men, who had little trouble knocking off the required runs.

Gary McClintock (35), William McClintock (34*), Andy McBrine (21) and Kyle Dougherty (20) proved to be as much as they needed to get over the line- Ehtesham Ahmed (3-30) bowling well in defeat for Strabane.

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Coleraine’s home defeat by Ballyspallen was something of a surprise as well, however the Bannsiders have only themselves to blame.

Sitting on 127-3 chasing 180, the north coast side contrived to lose their last 7 wickets for a mere 15 runs as the wheels well and truly came off on North West 200 day.

Demith Perera had earlier top scored for 'Spallen - 5 sixes and 4 fours in his 75 with support coming from Stephen Kennedy (31), James Thompson (23*) and Luke Gilfillan (21).

Stephen Hutchinson (3-19) was the pick of the Bannsiders’ attack, before that spectacular collapse sent them crashing out of the cup.

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Ravindra Karunaratne hit 8 fours and 4 sixes in his 75 but Perera turned provider with the ball for the Roe Valley men as his 5-45 and Kennedy’s 3-24 turned the game completely on its head.

A brilliant partnership between Marco Marais and Jason Milligan sent Fox Lodge into Monday’s draw as they beat Killyclooney by 9 wickets.

The South African smashed 17 sixes and 4 fours on his way to 138 not out with Milligan adding an unbeaten 67 (8 fours, 1 six) at the other end.

Earlier, Alan Colhoun had crashed 12 sixes and 3 fours in his 104 with Richard McMorris weighing in with 45 in Clooney’s total of 248.

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Adam Walker (3-19) and Alistair Doherty (3-34) were best with the ball as the Ballymagorry side cruised to the win.

Glendermott were no match for Bready at Magheramason as the home side recorded an 8-wicket win.

Nathan McGuire’s 36 was the best of the Rectory men’s 97 all out as Gregory McFaul (3-12), Davy Scanlon (3-15), and Conor Olphert (3-23) proved too hot to handle.

Davy Rankin made 36 at the top of Bready’s order as they reached the quarters with bundles to spare.

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And Burndennett progressed too after a cracking first round tie at home to Ardmore.

Marcello Piedt top scored for ‘Dennett with a hard-hitting 48 (5 fours, 3 sixes) but only after Eddie McGettigan (37) and Marty Mehaffey (28) had given their side an ideal platform with an opening stand of 78.

Dharm Singh (5-45) and Harry Zimmerman (4-29) combined brilliantly for the Bleachgreen boys to restrict Burndennett’s total to 154.

Zimmerman was in good form with the bat too- his 43 (7 fours) keeping Ardmore in the contest throughout; but they just couldn’t get over the line in reply.

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Ciaran Curley added 22 and Mark Chambers 16, but Mark Pollock’s 4-26, 3-41 from Mark Snodgrass and 2-28 from Piedt was enough to restrict the visitors to 143 all out- an 11-run defeat.

The highest scoring game of the day was up at the Glen where Newbuildings and the Bee Gees shared nearly 550 runs.

Ryan Hunter made 70 (7 fours, 3 sixes) and Johnny Thompson 60 (4 fours, 4 sixes) as the visitors set a target of 301.

Ross Dougherty (49), Ross Hunter (39) and Jason Dunn (36*) were also among the runs - the latter pair posting a late 72 run stand that gave Newbuildings the edge at half-way.

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David Cooke (3-48) was best with the ball for the hosts with David Robinson and Mattie Barr chipping in with two wickets apiece.

Overseas man Heinrich Roberts hit 11 fours and a six on his way to 61 in the reply, while Cooke also made a half century (52) and skipper Jonny Haslett an unbeaten 38.

It wasn’t to be enough in the final reckoning however - Thompson (3-25) and Ross Hunter (3-62) on the mark as the Bee Gees came up 62 runs short.

In the final game, Eglinton had a walk-over after The Nedd were unable to field a team.

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