Brigade are the first team through to the semi-finals of the Faughan Valley Cup after a resounding 9-wicket win at Donemana in a game reduced by rain to 12 overs. The hosts raced out of the traps with William McClintock (43) and DJ Dougherty (36) both hitting 4 sixes in entertaining knocks. 55 came in the first 5 overs and a further 50 in the next four, but three wickets for Scott Macbeth (3-17), and two apiece for Jamie Millar (2-21) and Andy Britton (2-24) meant only 24 were scored in the final three, ending on 129 for 7. Ifty Hussain went cheaply in the reply but skipper Britton cleared the ropes 7 times in an unbeaten 71 from only 38 balls, sharing an unbroken second wicket stand of 100 in 8 overs with Adam McDaid, who 38 not out included 3 fours and 3 sixes.

St Johnston ended Bready's hopes of winning the group as they beat them by 5 wickets at The Boathole. Irosh hit 5 fours and 3 sixes in a top-score of 56, adding 83 in 11 overs with Davy Rankin (46), but their total of 129 from 6 looked a little light. The Saints though looked to struggling at the halfway point of the chase on 51 for 4. However, Coach Graeme McCarter hit 4 fours and 3 maximums in his 48, adding 72 in 9 overs with David Macbeth (35*) to change the complexion of the match. Ian Macbeth then hit two boundaries to seal the final overs win.

Ardmore leapfrogged Coleraine to the top of the group with a comfortable eight wickets win at Sandel Lodge. The Bannsiders were never able to really break the shackles of the visitors attack, despite a run-a-ball 34 from Marcus Poskitt - who retired hurt after slipping while batting - and a top score of 39 from Ravi Karunaratne that included 3 sixes. Chasing 115, openers Dharm Singh and Rachit Gaur added 89 to all but settle the contest. Singh top-scored with 54 from 40 balls (4 fours, 3 sixes), while skipper Gaur hit 5 fours in his 36.

Eglinton powered to a resounding 87-run win over Glendermott that sets them up nicely for the weekend challenges ahead. Andy Millar (37) and Liam Doherty (34) got them off to a brisk start with an opening stand of 64, while skipper Tommy Orr top-scored with 65 (6 fours, 2 sixes) adding a firther 56 with Mike Erlank (24) as they posted 183 for 4. The Rectory side lost Gihahn Cloete in the first over to Andy Millar (3-17) and never threatened thereafter, closing on 96 for 8 - two wickets for Josh Martin.

The Blayde Capell bandwagon rolls on as his sixth century of the season took his run tally to a whopping 1370 as Killyclooney beat Bonds Glen to stay top of the group. His 149 from 65 balls included 17 sixes and 7 fours, sharing an opening stand of 102 with William Finlay (36), before stepping on the gas in a third wicket partnership of 92 in 34 balls with skipper Timmy Dougherty. He hit 3 sixes in an over three times and you get the feeling that he may go for 6 sixes in an over sometime soon! A final tally of 211 for 4 was always out of the Bee Gees reach, ending on 144. Kenzie Hall's four wickets haul took his season tally to 31, making it a Killyclooney double in the run charts.

Holders Newbuildings were given a scare by Burndennett, but recovered to stay top of the group with a seven wickets win. Head Coach Niall McDonnell (35) shared an opening stand of 85 with in-form Mark Pollock, and a total of 170 plus looked on the cards. Pollock hit 12 fours and cleared the ropes twice in his 84 from 57 balls, taking his season total to 518 runs. A final total of 150 looked a little light but two wickets for Conan Pollock had the hosts slightly behind at 70 for 3 in the 12th over. Hanu Viljoen though hit 5 fours and 4 sixes in an unbeaten 67, sharing an unbroken 4th wicket stand of 83 in 8 overs with Hanu Viljoen to seal the win with seven balls to spare.

Strabane brushed aside the challenge of Ballyspallen to keep their group hopes alive with an emphatic 8-wickets win. The hosts could only muster 57, with three wickets apiece for Ryan Gallagher, Nasir Nawaz and Andrew Mullen. Nawaz (28*) and Gallagher (20) were also in the runs as they eased to victory in the 9th over.

Ifty Hussain took three wickets and top-scored with 74 against his old club as Brigade beat Fox Lodge easily to move top of Group D. The hosts had looked well placed at 70 for 2 at the halfway stage thanks to cameos from Johnny Robinson (32) and Gayan Maneeshan (23). However, thanks to Hussain (3-17), and two wickets apiece for the Macbeth brothers, they faltered to 118 for 9. Ifty then dominated an opening stand of 77 in 11 overs with DD Barr (18) which left the result in no doubt. His 74 from 48 balls included 13 fours and 2 sixes, while Scott Macbeth (24) was also in the runs in a fine all-round display by the Beechgrove side.

Gihahn Cloete scored his fourth hundred of the season as Glendermott made light of a 183-run target to win by 9 wickets inside 13 overs at Bonds Glen. The South African hit 15 fours and 7 sixes in his 108 - taking his season tally to 706 at 88.25 as he and Alan Johnson shared an opening stand of 176. Johnson's unbeaten 60 came from 32 balls and included 5 sixes and 5 fours. Earlier David Cooke (74*) and Sam Haslett (53) added 87 in 8 overs for the 4th wicket as the Bee Gees posted 182 for 4. It looked challenging - it wasn't!

A third wicket stand of 91 in 7 overs between Mike Erlank and Robbie Millar propelled Eglinton to 218 for 8 at Killyclooney. Erlank hit 7 fours and 5 sixes in a top-score of 73, while Millar's 20-ball 42 included 7 fours and 2 maximums. Ross McLaughlin also cleared the ropes four times in an entertaining cameo of 36. Blayde Capell scored the first 35 runs of the reply inside three overs, but made just two more as he was dismissed by his good friend Mike Erlank (2-14). The chase then petered out despite runs for Richard McMorris (27) and Mark Gordon (20). Andy Millar picked up 3 for 34 in the convincing 86-run win that opens up the group.

Strabane made short work of Burndennett in the Tyrone derby as they romped to a 9-wicket win in the Park. Mark McNulty (4-9) and Andrew Mullen (3-16) took a combined seven wickets as the visitors were rolled out for 77 - only Mark Pollock (24) making any impression. The modest total proved little trouble with Kevin Gallagher hitting an unbeaten 56 from only 32 balls (6 fours, 2 sixes) as he dominated a second wicket stand of 58 with elder brother Ryan (13*). Strabane secured the 9-wicket win just past the half-way stage and have given themselves a chance of hauling in leaders Newbuildings.

Coleraine moved to the top of Group A with a maximum points win over a weakened Bready, still without their overseas professional Irosh. The Bannsiders posted 140 for 7 with runs for Ravi Karunaratne (32), Patrick Carson (26), and Matty Smyth (22) - three wickets for Nathan McCombe and two for Gavin Roulston. The Bready chase never got going despite's David Rankin's 28, with two wickets apiece for Scott Campbell and the Hutchinson brothers.

Conor Brolly was the Ardmore hero as he struck David Anthony through the covers for a winning boundary off the final ball of the game at The Boathole. Chasing 163, Ardmore were coasting at 140 for 2, thanks to a third wicket stand of 119 in 13 overs between skipper Rachit Gaur (67) and Harry Zimmermann (56). However, panic set in as the finishing line approached and it took Brolly's cool head to secure the win for the Bleachgreen side. Jack Macbeth's recent good form continued as he hit 7 fours and 3 sixes in his 61 from 38 balls, sharing an opening stand of 85 with Deepak Reddy (35) who cleared the ropes four times. Ian Macbeth (26) and David Lapsley (21) also chipped in, while Anthony's successive maximums from the last two balls of the innings looked like being crucial before Brolly's last gasp intervention. The real hero of the night was Marley, the black labrador retriever, who lived up to her name by recovering 8 balls from the river and woodlands surrounding the ground!

Holders Newbuildings stay top of the group and on course for the semi-finals after a seven wickets win at Ballyspallen. Demith Perera and Stuart Kennedy shared a second wicket stand of 70 as the Bridge Park side posted 155 for 3 in their 20 overs. Perera hit 10 fours and 2 sixes in a top-score of 66 from 41 balls, while Kennedy's 57 included 7 fours and 2 sixes. The chase began quickly as Johnny Thompson unfurled his full range of orthodox and unorthodox shots, making a hard-hit 62 from just 32 deliveries. That allowed Gareth McKeegan (25*) and Ross Dougherty (30*) to ease to a comfortable win in the 17th over.

A fourth wicket partnership of 115 in 12 overs between Cameron Melly and DD Barr led Brigade to an ultimately comfortable 7 wickets win over a weakened Donemana at Beechgrove. Gary Neely's (3-17) early burst had given the Tyrone side some hope as they looked to defend 148 before the game was taken away from them. Melly had scored a match winning hundred when they met in the cup earlier this month, and he was their nemesis yet again, thumping 9 fours and 4 sixes in an unbeaten 77 from only 42 balls, while Barr's 53 not out included 4 fours and 2 sixes. Donemana's 148 for 6 was built around Jamie Huey's (40), 31 from Graham Boyd and William McClintock (21). It wasn't enough though as Brigade's winning run continued.

Coleraine ran out 36-run winners against St Johnston at The Boathole with an opening stand of 73 between top-scorer Matty Smyth (46) and Marcus Poskitt (38) laying the foundations for the win. Patrick Carson also made an unbeaten 20 as the Bannsiders posted 150 for 5. Ravi Karunaratne's superb 3 for 5, plus three wickets for Matthew Hutchinson restricted the Saints to 114 for 8 - David Lapsley's 34 their best contribution.

Ardmore gained revenge for last week's final ball loss to Bready with a 40-run win at the Bleachgreen. A second wicket stand of 77 between Harry Zimmermann (56) and Dharm Singh (29) set Ardmore on their way to 183 for 4. Ryan Brolly (33) and Dave Bezzant (16*) adding quick runs, as well as being boosted by 30 extras. Gavin Roulston (24) and David Rankin (19) got the chase off to a fast start, but four wickets for Dharm Singh saw the reply falter despite Ian Young's 31. Three wickets for Rachit Gaur plus two for Aviwe Mjigima sealed the 40-runs win.

It was a tale of two centuries and two huge partnerships at The Rectory as Bonds Glen chased down 225 to beat Glendermott by 7 wickets. Batting first the hosts racked up 224 for 3 with Gihahn Cloete making his third century of the season - hitting 18 fours and 8 sixes in an unbeaten 139. He added 139 in 12 overs with skipper Ben Mills who made 50. The Bee Gees were undaunted by the chase with Raymond Curry hitting 11 sixes and 8 fours in his 116 not out, sharing a second wicket stand of 134 in just 7.4 overs with Heinrich Roberts. The Bonds Glen skipper thumping 9 sixes and 5 fours in his 81 from just 26 balls as they coasted to the win with three overs to spare.

A third wicket stand of 132 in just 13 overs between Blayde Capell and Mark Gordon ensured Killyclooney stay top of the T20 Group as they easily chased 173 to beat Eglinton. Capell extended his lead at the top of the North West run charts with his unbeaten 80 (8 fours, 4 sixes) taking his tally to 885 for the campaign, while the left-handed Gordon powered his way to 69 (7 fours, 3 sixes. Eglinton would have been relatively happy with their score of 173 for 6 at halfway - Andy Millar's 64 including 4 huge sixes and 3 fours - while there were runs too for Jamie Millar (36*) and Tommy Orr 32. The ease with which 'Clooney chased it down though suspects that even 200 may not have been defendable.

Ross Dougherty's unbeaten 64 saw holders Newbuildings chase 158 to win by 5 wickets at Strabane. 'Doc' hit 9 fours in a classy innings, with runs too from Ryan Hunter (32) and Gareth McKeegan (29). Strabane's 158 for 2 saw Conor Graham make 53 (7 fours, 1 six), sharing stands of 69 with Kevin Gallagher (39) and 54 with Nasir Nawaz (37).

A seventh wicket stand of 87 in 34 balls between Conan Pollock and JG McGettigan helped Burndennett to a 104-run win over Ballyspallen. Conan top-scored with 57 not out from 29 balls (6 fours, 3 sixes), while McGettigan's unbeaten 35 included 6 fours. Earlier Mark Pollock's fine season continued with 43 (5 fourss). Ross McCay (3-15) and Brian Devine (2-14) made early inroads and Spallen never recovered to be all out for 67.

Donemana ended their losing run with Levi Dougherty's 99 helping them beat Fox Lodge by 22 runs in a high scoring game. He hit 9 fours and 8 sixes in his 99 from 53 balls, adding 108 in 8 overs with skipper Dwayne McGerrigle (42). Billy Dougherty made a breezy 31 as the hosts ended on 217 for 6. Fox Lodge gave the chase a real go, hitting 14 sixes - Ali Doherty hitting 5 of those in a top score of 60- but they ended 22 adrift.

There was a real thriller at Magheramason where Bready beat Ardmore off the final ball. Ardmore's 142 for 7 owed much to a fast start by Dharm Singh (20) and Aviwe Mgijima (47), before they lost their way - three wickets for Irosh and two for Kyle Magee. David Rankin's 64 (4 fours, 3 sixes) kept Bready in the hunt to leave them needing off the last over. Two boundaries by Jordan McCorkell from the first two balls gave Bready the advantage, but Ardmore fought back to take it to the final ball, with two needed. Ross Campbell was the hero scoring the winning runs to clinch what was a feisty affair.

Glendermott got a morale boosting win as they chased 154 to beat Eglinton by four wickets at The Rectory. Mike Erlank top-scored with 45 as the villagers posted 153 for 9. Three wickets for Todd KIllen and teenager Jake Montgomery, who was also the batting hero, hitting the winning boundary in the final over. Alan Johnson top-scored with 46 in the successful chase.

Killyclooney's super season continues unabated as they chased 180 to beat Bonds Glen by four wickets. The Bee Gees 179 for 8 was based primarily on a second wicket stand of 97 in 7 overs between Heinrich Roberts, who top-scored with 67 from 32 balls (10 fours, 3 sixes), and Mattie Barr, whose 23-ball 46 included 7 fours and 2 sixes. From 130 for 1, they slumped to 137 for 6 as Timmy Dougherty (3-34), Matthew Campbell (2-15), and Kenzie Hall (2-39) all picked up wickets. A total of 179 for 8 was made to look woefully inadequate as Blayde Capell and William Finlay added 95 in 6 overs. Capell's 65 from 23 balls (5 fours, 7 sixes) took his season tally to 805 at 134.16. Finlay made 28, while 20's too from Andrew Neil and Alan Colhoun ensured the win with almost four overs to spare.

Strabane made light work of Ballyspallen who batting first were only able to struggle to 81 for 8 - Stuart Kennedy top-scoring with 33 (5 fours) and skipper James Thompson making 19. Usman Azhar (2-10) had removed Demith Perera first ball and the Bridge Park side never really recovered from it. Ryan Gallagher took three wickets and made 19, as he and his brother Kevin (38*) added 62 for the second wicket to seal an 8-wicket win.

Fox Lodge's recent good form continued as they beat Donemana by 41 runs at Ballymagorry. Johnny Robinson top-scored with 34, while Brian Allen (28*), Jason Milligan (25), and Craig Doherty (23) all chipped in as they posted 136 for 6. Home skipper Aaron Heywood concerns that it was 40 too light were soon allayed as 'Zipper' himself took three wickets, as did Levi Kerr as the Holm side were bowled out for 95 - Jamie Huey's 26 down the order the best of a disappointing batting effort.

Defending champions Newbuildings won an entertaining match at Burndennett, casing 129 to win by 5 wickets. The hosts' 129 for 5 owed much to Derek Curry as 'Fraggle' hit 11 fours and a six in his unbeaten 61, sharing a 5th wicket stand of 69 in 9 overs with Conan Pollock (23). Charlie Downey three wickets took his season's tally to 18 and he leads the bowling charts in the North West. Gareth McKeegan (23) and Mark Hanna (21) got the reply off to a brisk start and Jason Bell's 36 and 26 from Jason Dunn saw the Foyleview Arena side win without the suspended Johnny Thompson and Hanu Viljoen. For Burndennett, there was two wickets apiece for Conan Pollock and Rian McGettigan.

There was another run feast at The Bleachgreen where Ardmore and Coleraine shared 409 runs in 40 overs. Dharm Singh top-scored for Ardmore, hitting 9 fours and 7 sixes in his 103 from 57 balls. He shared an opening stand of 164 in 16 overs with skipper Rachit Gaur, who hit 10 boundaries in his 64 as Ardmore ended on 212 for 2. Gaur then took four wickets as Coleraine made a spirited reply. Matthew Smyth hit 11 fours and 3 sixes in his 98 - just missing out on a deserved century. He and Rory Knox (42) had kept the Bannsiders in contention but the required rate was always just out of reach. The Ardmore fielding was exceptional with a stunning grab by Aviwe Mgijima rated as one of the best seen at Ardmore.

Bready got their campaign up and running with a seven wickets win at home to St Johnston chasing 137. David Rankin anchored the successful pursuit, making an unbeaten 52 as he shared stands of 71 for the first wicket with Gavin Roulston (45) and 58 for the fourth with Ian Young (23*). The Saints total of 136 was built around David Lapsley's unbeaten 72 (8 fours, 1 six) as he and David Macbeth (36) added 79 for the second wicket.

Liam Doherty led Eglinton to a seven-wickets win in an entertaining contest at home to Bonds Glen. The Ireland U19 international cleared the ropes five times in an unbeaten 62 from 41 balls, sharing an unbroken fourth wicket stand of 63 with Jamie Millar (21*). Chasing 114, Eglinton's Andy Millar (23) made a fast start, but his dismissal, followed by two wickets in two balls for Kyle Moore (2-20) had them wobbling ever so slightly. It was Millar time too in the bowling with the three brothers taking a combined six wickets to keep the Bee Gees to 113 for 7 - David Cooke making a run-a-ball 37 and Johnny Haslett an undefeated 27.

Blayde Capell took his season tally to 548 runs at an average of 182.66 as he plundered an unbeaten 176 to help Killyclooney beat Glendermott in a run feast. The South African professional hit 17 fours and 16 sixes in his 67-ball innings, sharing an opening stand of 170 in 14 overs with William Finlay (48). The Rectory side were undaunted by a chase of 233, and got close thanks to half centuries from Gihahn Cloete and Ben Mills. Three wickets for Kenzie Hall and two for Matthew Campbell restricting them to 215 for 7.

Defending champions Newbuildings got off to a winning start with a 10-wickets victory at home to Ballyspallen. The Limavady sde posted 133 for 5, with skipper James Thompson leading the way with an unbeaten 42 (3 fours, 3 sixes), plus there were 20s from Luke Gilfillan, Stuart Kennedy and Jamie O'Brien. The target proved woefully inadequate as JT thumped 10 sixes and 4 fours in his unbeaten 80 from just 35 deliveries. Mark Hanna was his partner in crime, making 53 not out from 26 balls (7 fours, 3 sixes) as the hosts raced to victory from the first ball of the 11th over.

Strabane won the all-Tyrone clash as they defeated Burndennett by 80 runs. Rhys Logue bowled superbly to claim 5 for 8 as the hosts were bwled out for 69 chasing 149 - Player/Coach Niall McDonnell making 32 of those. The Strabane total of 149 for 6 was built around 'Oasis' - The Gallagher brothers adding 89 in 11 overs for the third wicket with Kevin making 45 and Ryan 31. Mark Pollock took three wickets to take his season aggregate to 13 - while Brian Devine claimed two.

The game was postponed as a mark of respect following the tragic death of former Brigade youth player Alex Smallwoods. All matches on Thursday night held a minute's silence in his memory.