Duo fight it out for top flight spot

Both sides recorded emphatic weekend wins at a time where elsewhere, something of an end of season feel is creeping into matches. The Bee Gees have enjoyed a magnificent campaign both in the league and cups and although they have inflicted league defeats on Paul Brolly's team home and away this season, it is from here on in that their resolve will be tested.

Gary Hamilton's team made short work of Burndennett on Saturday in a game bearing little resemblance to the two sides' Sammy Jeffrey joust just a week earlier. Mark Roulston, who has been enjoying a really productive season, hit 6 fours and a six on his way to 39 and Stephen McCay added 21 but other than that, the visitors never turned up.

Colin Hall claimed four wickets and Richard Hepburn and David Robinson three apiece as Burndennett were bowled out for just 116 and the hosts haven't been missing those types of invitations all season.

Roy Robinson hit 7 fours and a six in his 46 whilst Keith Hamilton added 31 and Johnny Haslett was undefeated on the same score as the Bee Gees needed just 20 overs to wrap up a 7-wicket win.

And if that was thumping then Ardmore if anything were even more convincing as they crushed Killyclooney. West Indian Adrian Murphy smashed 15 sixes and 6 fours on his way to an unbeaten 151 and Paul Brolly hit 12 fours and a six as he too made a century as Ardmore racked up 333 for 2 in their 45 overs.

The hosts bowlers were all put to the sword but James Colhoun took it upon himself to make things very awkward for the league leaders when it came Killyclooney's turn to bat.

Colhoun was in excellent form but could find no willing partner as the rest of the order was found wanting. Just as he was about to celebrate his first senior ton however, Colhoun nicked one to Murphy behind the wicket and was gone for 99. That signalled the end of the resistance as Ardmore coasted to an impressive victory, Sean Gormley finishing with figures of 4 for 41 for them.

Drummond had managed to stay fairly close to the top two in the last month or so but having had their interest finally ended recently they came up short in a very low key affair at Sion Mills.

Gordon Cooke was once again the visitors' top scorer with 44 out of a total of 123 as they declared after 30 overs. Lee McGonagle bowled a superb 6 overs to claim 4 for 10 and Sion took the opportunity to boost their points return with a narrow victory.

Ryan O'Neill had a few weeks ago been handed the armband by John Brown as the latter has decided to step down to develop the second XI, and he and Andy Lucas helped send the hosts on their way to a welcome win with 30 apiece. Matthew Mills was the pick of Drummond's bowling with 3 for 23 but the truth is that this was as end of season as it gets.

The final game of the day was another pretty uncompetitive affair as Ballyspallen also claimed a couple of very welcome points with a win at home to The Nedd. The visitors managed just 68 all out as Ernie Cassidy and Johnny Martin cut through their order with 4 wickets apiece and despite losing five wickets in the reply, 3 of them to Gareth Burns, 'Spallen did enough to record the win.

Things will certainly get more competitive over the next fortnight, for the leaders at least and it would be a major surprise if the Bee Gees didn't take advantage of Ardmore's inactivity next weekend to draw level at the top with their only title challengers as they entertain Ballyspallen.

Burndennett host Killyclooney and The Nedd make the short trip to Drummond in the day's other two fixtures but the real story looks set to unfold on the final day, and quite possibly beyond as the two main combatants shoot for top spot.