The resilience of North County was clearly evident for all to see, as they fought back from precarious positions at least three times, to see off the determined challenge of underdogs Donemana.

On a rain affected first day, only Conor Armstrong stood between Donemana and a unlikely win, as the Balrothery outfit collapsed to 11 for 3 and 67 for 5, after choosing to bat in difficult conditions. Those wickets included Reinhardt Strydom, Ritchie Lawrence and Andre Botha, all of whom failed to score.

The opening attack of Steven Dunn and Andrew Britton were causing all sorts of problems, and were then backed up by Azhar Shafiq, who removed the dangerous Adrian Murphy for 11. Donemana sensed it could well be their day, when Junior McBrine bowled John Mooney for 8 with his second delivery.

However Armstrong stood fast, and batted with great assurance, combining watchful defence, with his trademark crashing off side boundaries. He reached his fifty from 70 balls, hitting 9 fours, and had moved onto 64 and County to 106 for 5 off 32 overs, when rain halted play for the day.

On the resumption on Saturday, County began very circumspectly, adding just 10 runs in the first 8 overs. That didn't pay off, as both Armstrong (68), and Ciaran Garry (20), went shortly after, and once again Donemana were in the ascendancy at 116 for 7.

What followed was probably the defining stand of the match as the combative Dara Armstrong (30), and Denver De Cruz (18), added 46 runs for the 8th wicket in the last 9 overs, and allowed County to get up to 165 for 9, which was always going to give their much vaunted attack something to defend.

Andre Botha removed Graeme Boyd (6) early, but both Azhar Shafiq and James McBrine looked at ease on a wicket which had very little pace in it. It was Dwayne Harper who took the enxt two wickets, having Shafiq brilliantly caught down the leg side by Armstrong, and then Dale Olphert slashed widely, being well caught at third man by Ritchie Lawrence.

Shortly after tea, Lawrence beat Junior McBrine's defences with a well flighted delivery which spun through the gate, and County sensed blood, at 52 for 4.

Dwayne McGerrigle went on the attack, as12 came from Eddie Richardson's opening over, and the skipper then struck Lawrence for the only 6 of the innings. he survived a difficult chance, dropped by De Cruz at square leg, who may have been better better advised leaving it to the in rushing Garry.

It wasn't to prove costly, when with the game finely poised at 91 for 4, McGerrigle and McBrine departed in quick succession. McGerrigle (23) slashed Richardson straight to John Mooney at point, and then McBrine (30) played round a straight one from Botha, and there was no way back.

Jordan McGonigle was run out after a mix up with Ritchie McBrine for 0, and the youngster then picked out Murphy on the deep mid-wicket boundary off Lawrence, making just 3.

Richard Dougherty missed a straight one from Richardson, and Andrew Britton then gave Richardson his 3rd wicket, pushing the simplest of catches to Murphy at cover. What had promised to be a close challenge, had petered out to a disappointing total of 112 all out with 10.2 overs unused.

Man of the Match adjudicator Roy Torrens not surprisingly opted for Conor Armstrong, the one batsman who adapted to the conditions successfully.

Theer were many tributes paid to Strabane and their hard working members and groundstaff, who performed heroics over the two days, and rightly so. The club did the North West proud, and the ground looked the 'proverbial picture', in front of an enthusiatic and large support from all clubs in the area.

John Mooney accepted the trophy from Hope Kerr, paying tribute to her sponsorship. John dedicated the win to his brother Paul, who emigrated last year to New Zealand.

At Strabane, North County beat Donemana by 53 runs

North County
C Armstrong c J McBrine b McGonigle 68.
R Strydom b Dunn 0
R Lawrence b McGonigle b Dunn 0
A Botha c McGerrigle b Britton 0
A Murphy lbw Shafiq 11
J Mooney b A McBrine 8
C Garry st Dougherty b A McBrine 20
D Armstrong ct A Britton b A McBrine 30
D De Cruz c & b A McBrine 18
E Richardson not out 0
Extras 10 (5w, 1b, 4lb)
Total 165 for 9

Fall 1-5 2-10 3-11 4-46 5-67 6-113 7-116 8-162 9-165

A Britton 10-1-25-1 S Dunn 10-3-29-2 A Shafiq 10-1-41-1, A McBrine 10-0-46-4, J McGonigle 10-2-19-1

Donemana
A Shafique c D Armstrong b Harper 18
G Boyd b Botha 6
J McBrine lbw Botha 30
D Olphert c Lawrence b Harper 5
A McBrine b Lawrence 3
D McGerrigle c Mooney b Richardson 23
R McBrine c Murphy b Lawrence 3
J McGonigle run out 0
A Britton cMurphy b Richardson 6
R Dougherty b Richardson 1
S Dunn not out 1
Extras 15
Total 112 all out in 39.4 overs

Fall: 1-19 2-28 3-36 4-52 5-91 6-91 7-97 8-107 9-111 10-112

A Botha 8-3-17-2 D DeCruz 8-0-23-0 D Harper 3-0-7-2 J Mooney 5-2-10-0 R Lawrence 9-2-25-2 E Richardson 6.4-1-25-3