Inter-Provincial Cup: North West Warriors bounce back to beat Munster Reds

Murray Commins top-scored for Munster Reds with 61

The North West Warriors bounced back from Saturday's defeat by Leinster Lightning to beat Munster Reds by five wickets in their interpro at Eglinton.

With the game reduced to 43 overs per side following a delay to the start of play because of rain, Munster were all out for 219, Murray Commins scoring 61.

For the Warriors, left-arm spinner Ross Allen took three wickets.

Warriors reached 220 with 4.5 overs to spare and five wickets in hand, Stuart Thompson top-scoring with 42.

William Porterfield also made a significant contribution with an innings of 38.

The highlight of the Reds' innings was a partnership of 62 between Commins and Cormac McLoughlin-Gavin, who at one stage slog swept two sixes over mid-wicket, before being removed by Thompson for 36.

Curtis Campher then came to the wicket and set about hitting five fours in an innings of 34 from 30 balls, before Commins ultimately fell to a tame caught and bowled by Boyd Rankin.

Captain Tyrone Kane (23) and Greg Ford (24) added late runs, but the Warriors wrested back the game's momentum by taking 6-20 in the last six overs.

In addition to Allen's three-wicket haul, Andy McBrine and Graham Hume took two apiece.

Warriors ease to victory

In response, Stephen Doheny briefly lit up the ground with 20 from 12 balls for Warriors, while opening partner Porterfield compiled a solid 38 from 56 balls.

For the second match in a row, McBrine came it at first-drop and once more played a confident knock, making 32 from 53 balls, a contribution which helped him to collecting the man-of-the-match award.

Thompson looked to swing the arms and struck four fours and two sixes in an attractive run-a-ball innings of 42.

While his dismissal saw the Warriors poised on 148-4, and the Reds seeming to lift in the field, Shane Getkate (35*) and Graham Kennedy (36) came together to put on a 58-run fifth wicket partnership in 52 balls and take the game away from the visitors.

The next Inter-Provincial Cup match is between the Northern Knights and Leinster Lightning on 16 May at Comber.