Donegal men lead theway in Championship

Having only just got the better of Killyclooney last midweek the leaders survived another couple of scares this time too before emerging with all four points.

Creevedonnell were the visitors on Saturday and Gary Neely must have thought the omens were good when he won the toss - the Saints have lost the toss just three times in 16 games this season, two of them to Neely.

The visitors decided to take first use however the slow paced pitch was soon causing them problems as Ryan Macbeth, David Lapsley and Rammohan Goud found plenty of life.

At one stage it looked like Creevedonnell would struggle to 100 however resistance from Alan Patterson (28) and Jack Glenn (44) down the order changed their fortunes. A final total of 170 was as good as the Curryfree Road side could have hoped for and gave their attack something to bowl at.

The hosts’ reply started reasonably well but skipper Neely is definitely bowling as well as he has in years at the minute and he had the scent in his nostrils early on. Despite the skipper’s efforts however there was no shifting Jassi Wallia, St Johnston’s new man defying all they threw at him as he made 61. Ryan Macbeth made a valuable 29 and Alan Macbeth 22 but despite four wickets apiece from Neely and Patterson, the Saints clung on for a nervyone wicket win.

Ardmore have lost just once this season and Lee Brolly’s side looks capable of pushing the leaders all the way after they recorded another solid win, this time at home to Sion Mills. George Brolly, Conor Brolly and Andrew Riddles all combined to leave the visitors in plenty of early trouble here before a resilient 45 not out from Lee Finlay and 33 from skipper Ryan O’Neill gave Sion some sort of chance. Chasing 147 the Bleachgreen boys lost a couple of early wickets themselves before an unbeaten 43 from Riddles, 30 from Adrian Murphy and 29 from young Peter Harrigan got them straightened up again.

The home side posted a six-wicket win that certainly keeps their pot boiling at the business end of the table.

Still no joy for Killyclooney as they search a first league win for nearly two years although they really aren’t that far away. The damage was done early on in this one as Bonds Glen professional Gihan Dilruk had a field day to himself - the Sri Lankan clubbing 22 fours and 12 sixes on his way to a magnificent unbeaten 197. John Long chipped in with 34 and Willie Jackson 26 while despite Dilruk’s savage attack Keith Stephenson returned very respectable figures of 3-41.

In the end the final total was a mammoth 344 for 6 but to be fair the hosts gave it a real go.