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Leinster Lightning won the Hanley Energy Inter-Provincial 50-over Cup after another victory over the Northern Knights secured the trophy with one game to spare.
FINAL SCORECARD

A strong bowling display saw the Knights bowled out for 138 as they chased 218 for a win, meaning the Lightning took five points from the day, enough to see them win the title ahead of their final game against the Warriors.

After winning the toss, Lightning captain John Mooney elected to bat first in damp conditions at Waringstown, although the top order struggled to score, with Max Sorensen (39), Dom Joyce (36) and Eoghan Delany (48) recovering well in the middle order to help the Lightning post 217.

Mooney himself was the first to fall for just four when James Shannon took a low catch at third slip from the bowling of Stephen Bunting. John Anderson (10) was also caught from an edge, this time from the bowling of Lee Nelson.

When Fintan McAllister (15) fell to James Cameron-Dow in the 18th over the Lightning found themselves 47-3. Sorensen then produced a quick-fire 39 from just 34 balls before he and Andrew Poynter (18) fell in quick succession.

At 101-5 from 30 overs the Knights were confident of keeping the Lightning under 200, but an excellent, and patient 89-run partnership between Dom Joyce (36) and Eoghan Delany (48) got the Knights to within touching distance before they both fell to Andrew White in the same over.

Simi Singh (11*) and Tyrone Kane (11) both hit sixes in the final overs before Yaqoob Ali (2) was run out with one ball remaining to leave the Knights with a target of 218 to win.

In reply the Knights made a positive start, with openers Rassie van der Dussen and Chris Dougherty putting on 42 before van der Dussen was caught at point off the bowling of Mooney.

James Shannon (1) followed just two overs later as Mooney (4-25) picked up a second wicket. Wickets falling in pairs seemed to be the order of the day as Andrew White (5) and Chris Dougherty (16) both fell in the same Yaqoob Ali (3-20) over to leave the Knights 57-4.

Mark Adair (14) and Peter Eakin (18) showed some slight resistance and smashed a six each in the closing stages of the game, but the the writing was already on the wall at Waringstown with the Knights a long way short of their 218 target.

John Mooney finished with four wickets and Yaqoob Ali three as the Lightning won by 79 runs to take the Hanley Energy Inter Provincial Cup title with a game to spare.

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