ANDY McBrine led from the front as North West Warriors finally reached 200 in a three-day inter-provincial but the captain's defiant 87 was not enough to stave off a third successive defeat.

Leinster Lightning captain John Mooney's generous declaration, setting the visitors 293 in 97 overs gave Warriors the chance of a first ever Championship win but too many batsmen let their side down with rash or downright ugly shots and they were still 70 runs short when McBrine was caught off the leading edge with still 23 overs left in the match.

The top three Warriors batsmen again failed to deal with the new ball – David Rankin, Jason Milligan and Scott Campbell scored 32 between them in the match – although this time they were faced by the best spell of the match, Ireland opening bowler Max Sorensen bowling fast and straight.

Second time around, however, overseas player Ernest Kemm failed when, in partnership with his skipper, they could have left Mooney regretting his munificence.

Stuart Thompson had already enjoyed the benefit of enormous doubt when he was adjudged not out on one, to a catch behind off Eddie Richardson, and went on to add another 33 runs before being caught at slip but, for the second innings in a row, Johnny Thompson batted for the team before being beaten by a beauty from Mooney.

The umpires were so determined not to hold up play that they continued in persistent rain for half an hour before taking an early tea.

In the end only six overs were lost, not nearly enough to prevent Lightning, who had added 40 in five overs in the morning, from extending their lead at the top of the table.