Leinster Lightning extended their lead at the top of the championship table following their 65 run win over the North West Warriors at Malahide on the final day of their Newstalk Inter-Provincial clash.
Leinster added 40 runs in 29 balls to their overnight 116 for 1 before declaring, setting the Warriors a target of 293 in a minimum of 97 overs. Fintan McAllister was the wicket to fall, having made 71, with Pat Collins unbeaten on 45.
The brittle Warriors top order was found wanting yet again, as Max Sorensen (2-54) and John Mooney (3-71) reduced them to 11 for 3, and then 63 for 5 shortly after lunch when Stuart Thompson (34) was dismissed.
To their credit, the Warriors battled back, led by skipper Andy McBrine, who together with Johnny Thompson (42), added 62 for the 7th wicket at at 173 for 6, there was still an outside chance they could snatch the unlikeliest of wins.
However there was to be no fairy-tale run chase as both Ricky-Lee Dougherty and Craig Young went cheaply.
McBrine battled on, before being last man out for 87 from 120 balls (8 fours, 2 sixes). Albert van der Merwe claimed the scalp of McBrine to finish with figures of 4 for 54, completing an excellent all-round performance for the former Irish international, following his match winning batting heroics in tandem with Max Sorensen.
The teams now switch to T20 mode, with the first round of matches taking place at Bready on Sunday (11am).
NEWSTALK INTER-PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP
At Malahide, Day 3 close LEINSTER LIGHTNING 324 and 156-2 dec (36.5 overs, F McAllister 71, P Collins 45*)
NORTH WEST WARRIORS 188 and 227 all out (67.4 overs, A McBrine 87, J Thompson 42, S Thompson 34, A van der Merwe 4-54, J Mooney 3-71. M Sorensen 2-54)
Leinster Lightning beat NW Warriors by 65 runs