There was a certain inevitability about Saturday’s North West senior cup semi-finals as Coleraine crushed Bready to reach their first showpiece final in 30 years while Donemana do what they always seem to do these days and frustrated a battling Brigade to reach their sixth in a row.

There were a few scares along the way in Saturday’s Bank of Ireland senior cup quarter final ties however the “Big Three” of Donemana, Brigade and Coleraine and battling Bready too are through to the last four of this season’s blue riband trophy after some cracking weekend action.

Donemana - winners for the last four years - will host Brigade in the semi-final of the Bank of Ireland NW Senior Cup, with Coleraine entertaining Bready in the other match.

Anyone hoping to see two of the North West’s “Big 3” clashing in this season’s decider couldn’t have hand-picked a better line-up as Brigade, Coleraine and Donemana weren’t just kept apart in draw, but the trio even got home advantage as well.

Salmon beats off tough challengers to win the Bank of Ireland Player of the Round award.

Glorious sunshine greeted the start of the 2016 Bank of Ireland Senior Cup campaign and as with most years, matches went pretty much as expected with just about all favourites progressing.

After last Saturday’s All-Ireland action, local cricket clubs will stay focused on the cups this week as the 1st round of the region’s own blue riband competition dominates the North West programme.

With the senior cup first round ties looming this weekend the local Union took the opportunity to unveil Bank of Ireland as the competition’s new sponsor.

This year's North West senior cup final will be held at Strabane Park following a meeting of the Grounds Allocation Committee and approved by the Union's Board of Control.

The first round draw for the North West senior cup was made “live” on BBC Radio Foyle with all but two Premier League teams kept apart in the early stages.