Cup final heartache for Foyle

A final flourish by Royal Belfast Academical Institution (RBAI) deprived them of a victory that for much of the match looked to be in their grasp but in the end they lost by four wickets.

Foyle won the toss and posted a challenging 164 for 7 in their 35 overs on a Muckamore pitch that proved an even contest between bat and ball.

Wicket keeper Andrew Austin held the Foyle innings together with a fine 69 that included seven boundaries and was instrumental in taking his side’s total to respectability.

Only two other players reached double figures - Gareth Connor with an undefeated 22 and Hayden Campbell with 14 - as the Foyle top order contributed little with the exception of Austin whose half century was the only one of the match.

In the field, Foyle looked to have the game in control until a sting in the tail by ‘Inst’ saw them to victory with four wickets and over three overs in hand.

At one stage RBAI were 62 for 4 and well behind the clock and, in the end, the middle and late order of Andrew Knape (45 not out), Ben Cochrane (23) and Lewis McNamara (19) took them to a comfortable victory.

Such was their late dominance that 74 required off the last 11 overs were knocked off within less than eight with the final two balls of the match going for a six and a four.