Sam Jeffrey Final this weekend

The final between Bonds Glen and Burndennett will be played at Eglinton, on Saturday, at 12noon.

There was plenty of action for Division Two sides over the weekend with a full programme of fixtures on Saturday followed by two more games on Sunday including a big day for Bonds Glen in the final of the Club Turf Ulster Shield.

Gary Hamilton's side met NCU outfit Muckamore at Ballymagorry in the decider; the Belfast team travelling as very firm favourites having also accounted for Ardmore in the semi-final.

In truth the visitors look much too classy for this competition and in the end the Bee Gees were on the receiving end of a pretty heavy defeat having had no answer to their opponents’ all round power.

Muckamore batted first and the writing was on the wall very early as professional Kamtekar and Wayne Horwood set about taking on all comers in a magnificent opening stand. Man-of-the-match Horwood was finding the compact Ballymagorry venue very much to his liking and smashed 10 fours and 11 sixes on his way to a brilliant 141 that was appreciated even by the Bee Gees support.

Kamtekar was out just seven runs short of what would have been a thoroughly merited ton and although slightly less aggressive than his partner, the game was already beyond the North West side by the time those two had been split up. Derek Curry's 2 for 59 was the best that Bonds Glen had to offer as none of the bowlers were spared as the first 40 overs yielded a huge 323 for 5.

Former North Down player Ralph Coetzee then brought his experience to the party, the spinner claiming 3 for 16 to ensure that there would be no chance of any surprises whilst Neil and McCulloch offered the support needed. Only Johnny Haslett (24) and Roy Robinson (21) got a start in a disappointing reply of 126 all out but in truth this one was over as a contest a long way before the final wicket fell.

Just 24-hours earlier the Bee Gees had cemented their place at the top of the league table when they somehow got themselves out of a real jam at Killyclooney. Mark Gordon’s 58 was by far the highlight of the hosts 150 all out and Richard Hepburn was the most successful bowler with 3 for 28.

For the second week running the Bee Gees batting let them down and at 88 for 8, 150 was a long way off. Also for the second week running however, just as against Ardmore, Richard Rodgers dug his side out of a real hole, the wicketkeeper thumping 6 fours and 5 sixes in an unbeaten 61 that saw the visitors squeeze home.

Ardmore stay joint top after they thumped Sion Mills in a low key contest at the Bleachgreen. Adrian Murphy hit a half century for the hosts before becoming one of Raymond Harper’s 6 victims, the teenager proving one of John Brown’s bright prospects as the Tyrone side attempts to rebuild from their base.

Ardmore’s total of 215 always looked some way beyond Sion however, especially since their skipper was unavailable and in the end they managed just 92 in reply.

The promotion spot now looks to rest between the top two after Creevedonnell put a real dent in Drummond’s challenge with a 3-wicket win. Gordon Cooke’s side’s batting was found wanting for once as they posted just 122 all out as Andrew Clarke with 4 for 38, Nicky Cooke, 3 for 34 and Charlie Elder, 2 for 9, dominated with the ball.

The visitors didn’t find things much easier in reply and it took 27 from Nicky Cooke and an unbeaten 26 from Richard Philson to get them over the winning line in nervous fashion.

Stephen Scroggie’s side then gave their own flickering title hopes a shot in the arm on Sunday when they were too strong for Sion. The home side batted really well mind, Ryan O’Neill making 43, John Brown 38 and Andy Lucas and Nigel O’Neill 35 apiece in a very decent total of 236. Lee McGonigle played a real anchor role batting at number 5, the bowler scoring 4 not out as the last five wickets put on 114!

Brian Dougherty was by far the pick of the visitors’ attack, the left armer claiming 6 for 42, and the former skipper also made 39 at the top of the order as Creevedonnell set off in chase.

One man dominated the reply however, visiting skipper Scroggie smashing 8 fours and 13 sixes in an unbeaten 126 that set up a 6-wicket win.

The final game of the weekend saw Burndennett record an easy win at The Nedd. The home side could manage just 103 all out as their poor run with the bat continued, Stephen McCay with four wickets and Mark Roulston with three doing the damage. Philip Kelly’s unbeaten 47 saw to it that Burndennett claimed the points with a minimum of fuss.

This coming Saturday could well be pivotal in the race for promotion, Ardmore travelling to take on Gordon Cooke’s vastly improved Drummond side while the Bee Gees can only sit and watch.

Creevedonnell should have too much for Ballyspallen, as should Burndennett at Sion despite a shock in the reverse fixture. Killyclooney at home to The Nedd is slightly harder to call but a home win looks favourite.