Gillespie and skipper thrilled with title success

It was fitting that the Gillespie brothers Peter and Mark were at the wicket when the winning runs were scored, Peter having scored 1400 runs this season while Mark scored over 900 and also took an incredible 52 wickets.

Mark was thrilled that after this campaign he and his team-mates aren't sharing the championship.

"It's great, there's no mess, we're out on our own and and thank God we held our nerve. It's amazing, a great feeling and something we wanted to prove.

"We thought we had thrown it away by the half way stage in the season, but to win our last nine league games shows just how determined we were. It's a great feeling for everyone in the club. From players, to officials and supporters, the size of the crowd here shows just how much it means to us."

Mark also conceded that he was worried that Saturday's encounter would have been washed out, after the terrible wet weather conditions, which they met whenever they arrived in Donegal.

"We saw the rain coming in, we stood for two hours and we thought it just wasn't going to happen. We thought it would drag on until the middle of next week and there were nerves because Jonathan (Beukes) our professional is returning home on Monday and we couldn't have changed his flight. The panic did set in, but thankfully it worked out in the end.

"The boys bowled well, they went out and didn't give anything away. We went out and attacked it and kept it to a low scoring game and that suited us at the end of the day."

When asked what did it feel like to be at the wicket with brother Peter when the final runs were scored, Mark was over the moon and to top it all off he put the icing on the cake by hitting a six to seal the victory and the title.

"It was great to be there with a brother who has scored more than 1400 runs this season, what more can you say, it's brilliant. It's always nice to finish a match with a six, I'm just glad it was me who hit the runs.

"Plenty of wickets and plenty of runs, I just got over the 50 wicket mark for the first time and once again I just fell short of the 1000 runs, but I'll take that any year."

For skipper Jonathan Beukes, he too was thrilled with the championship success.

"I think we came here today knowing we just had to win and we all believed we could do it. So it was about the weather and putting in a good performance to get us across the line and thankfully all fell into place.

"For me personally it's been a great year, indeed it's been a great four years for me. There has been a great of development with players coming through and personally I have enjoyed it all, just as much as playing anywhere. I have made some great friends and I have enjoyed the spirit of the game in the North West.

"You know everywhere you go there are different forms of cricket, a different way of playing and you have to adapt, so I've enjoyed playing here as much as I've enjoyed cricket anywhere. I've really enjoyed being a part of this team, a part of this club and I wish Strabane every success for the future.

"I don't know what's going to happen, but they're a great bunch of guys. It's a great league also, the players work hard, they play hard - and it's been great to be a part of it."

Elsewhere Brigade had to settle for a share of second place as they went down at Donemana where the McBrine twins starred with the bat and ball James scoring 101 and Junior picking up seven wickets.

Bready by virtue of their win at Glendermott in a high scoring game at the Rectory joined Brigade in joint second spot. Fox Lodge and Limavady finished joint third with 22 points this after the Foxies defeated the Roesiders in the last game in a low scoring game at Eglinton.

Donemana after winning their last 3 games ended up in sixth place a position they share with Glendermott the Bonds Street men can be happy with their seasons work. Coleraine ended their season with a comfortable win at home to Eglinton where Ian McGregor was again in good form with the bat to leave them third from bottom.

The Villagers were relieved to have beaten St Johnston last week as they finished second from bottom having won just two matches all season.