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The Hanley Energy Inter-Provincial Series saw Leinster Lightning win all three trophies, but they did not have everything their own way, with the North-West Warriors coming agonisingly close in both the 3-day Championship and T20 Trophy.
The Hanley IP20 was the first of the competitions the get really going, and was the first to finish in the 2015 season, with all the games scheduled for the early part of the season due to the ICC World T20 Qualifiers being held in Ireland during July.

It was a useful tactic from Cricket Ireland that enabled selectors and new coach John Bracewell to see a lot of T20 action before selecting the squad for the qualifiers, with the Lightning’s Tyrone Kane the main beneficiary, forcing his way into the Ireland squad for the qualifying tournament after a string of superb displays.

Finishing the season without a win the Northern Knights struggled at times in the shortest format, but were still unlucky not to come away with a win, falling just five runs short in their opening game against the Lightning, and then three runs short on Duckworth-Lewis-Stern against the Warriors later in the season.

That opening match saw the Lightning win thanks to a hat-trick from Tyrone Kane, who struck at a crucial time helping to stall the Knights’ chase when it looked like they were on their way over the line in the opening game of the Hanley IP20.

The two sides met again in the second match of the series, but this time the Lightning had it all their own way, a brilliant 61 from just 37 balls from John Anderson setting the Lightning up for a convincing 53-run victory, earning them a bonus point that would prove crucial as the season wore on.

A week later the Lightning were hosts again, but this time to the Warriors as they got their own campaign underway. A superb spell of bowling from Tyrone Kane saw the Warriors in trouble immediately as he took five wickets for just 15 runs to reduce the Warriors to 31-5.

Stuart Thompson and Graeme McCarter (39), the only Warriors to reach double figures, rescued the innings with a 90 partnership as Thompson ended 71 not out, but it was not enough for the Warriors as the Lightning cruised home with time to spare, John Mooney unbeaten on 53.

In probably the game of the series the Warriors, knowing a win against the Knights would keep their title hopes alive, came out victorious at Eglinton with Duckworth-Lewis-Stern helping them to a 3-run victory after rain had reduced the game first to a 14-over a side match, before being further reduced to 11.

Stuart Thompson was again in form, smashing 42 from 22 balls as the Warriors made 96-3 in their interrupted innings, with the score adjusted to 99 using D/L/S meaning the Knights needed 100 to win.

James Shannon made a superb 57 not out, including smashing a six from the final ball, but it was not enough as Craig Young (2-29) and Graeme McCarter (2-8) handled the pressure well and restricted the Knights to 96-4, four runs short of their target.

Knowing another victory against the Knights in early June would set up a title decider with the Lightning later in the month, the Warriors arrived in Belfast full of confidence, but looked in real trouble at different stages throughout the game before eventually coming out as 13-run winners.

A late flurry from McCarther (30) and William McClintock (20) added 50 in just 34 balls to help the Warriors finish on 136-7, but that didn’t look like being enough as the Knights passed 50 with two wickets down and ahead of the rate.

They had lost key man James Shannon, who was run out without scoring, but Lee Nelson (37) and Chris Dougherty (40) seemed to be comfortable before they both fell as part of a Knights collapse, Craig Young finishing with 3-13 as the Knights were bowled out 14 runs short of their target to set up a crucial final match between the Warriors and Lightning.

It was not quite a winner takes all affair, with defending champions the Warriors requiring a win with a bonus point to level things at the top of the table. Knowing the Warriors needed to win with a run-rate 1.25 times better than themselves, the Lightning wisely asked the Warriors to bat first.

They came out all guns blazing, with Stuart Thompson (36), David Rankin (76) and Graeme McCarter (32) impressing as the Warriors became the first side to reach 200 in the 20 over format of the Hanley IP20, finishing on exactly 200-6.

John Mooney led from the front making a brilliant 110 not out as he carried his bat to lead his team towards victory. In the end the Lightning fell short of their 201 target only making 185-4 at the end of their 20 overs, but that didn’t stop the celebrations as the Lightning had passed the 155 they needed to prevent the Warriors getting a bonus point, and thus took the Hanley Energy Inter-Provincial Trophy for 2015.

Winners: Leinster Lightning
Player of the Series: Tyrone Kane
Most Runs: John Mooney (175)
Most Wickets: Tyrone Kane (10)

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