Bowl out disaster for Championship sides

Sion Mills host Killyclooney in a match where points will be at a premium at the wrong end of the table.

The Tyrone side are still looking for their first win of the season but have run both Ardmore and Creevedonnell very close in their opening games.

The visitors will be boosted by Sunday’s win in Laois and come into the match with a bit of form so it’s a far from easy call.

Creevedonnell versus Drummond gives the home side a chance to build on their one from one in the league and they will find this level a lot more to their liking than Pembroke were at the weekend.

Drummond will look to bounce back following a home defeat to St Johnston last time but the hosts start favourites.

Ardmore entertain a Burndennett side that has again struggled to get a settled team while the Bleachgreen outfit have won their only league game to date.

Ardmore have quality in the ranks this season but the visitors are no mugs themselves and won’t be overwhelmed by the challenge.

St Johnston take on Bonds Glen could be the game of the day and the Donegal side have made a flying start winning three from three, albeit two of those were by bowl out.

Alan MacBeth’s men have already accounted for Drummond in the league and would be putting down a real statement of intent if they won here given that the Bee Gees sit proudly at the top of the table with a couple of early wins.

With no replays in the RSA National Cup the first round programme was decided in the main by the dreaded bowl-out and North West sides fared very poorly in the six rain-affected ties.

Ballyspallen were first out as they lost 1-0 to Dundrum and they were followed soon after by Sion Mills who lost 3-1 to Cliftonville, Drummond lost to Malahide, Derriaghy defeated Ardmore, Burndennett were defeated 2-1 by Laurelvale but St Johnston won 2-0 against North Kildare.

There was play in the other two matches with mixed results for the local sides. Newbuildings looked all over the winners against Civil Service Dublin but folded late on to record a 22-run defeat.

The other game saw Killyclooney break their duck for the season when they were too strong for Laois at Portlaoise Rugby Club.

The hosts made a great start when the impressively named Ben Hur raced to a magnificent 108 not out, that innings helped the home side to a very competitive 218 for 9 from their 50 overs; but rain reduced the visitors’ target to 183 in 42 overs and they had a seven wicket win, thanks to Mark Gordon’s 68 and 30 from Geoffrey McDonald.