Lisburn maintained the NCU’s stranglehold on the All-Ireland T20 Cup but, for the second year in a row, a Super Over was needed to decide the final.

It was a fitting way to end one of the best Cup finals of recent times with both teams scoring 192 in a game which ebbed and flowed throughout.

When Lisburn captain Neil Whitworth pulled the fifth ball of the last over for six to tie the scores, it looked as if they were about to book their place at the European Finals in Spain next year. But Whitworth cut the final ball straight into the hands of short thirdman to take the drama into an extra two overs.

Faiz Fazal, who had passed 5,000 club runs during his innings of 88, came out to face the Super Over and after hitting the first ball for four he followed up with three successive sixes. Even though Lisburn lost the only two wickets to the remaining two balls, their total of 23 proved more than enough.

Josh Manley performed the bowling heroics for Lisburn, despite also being hit for six from the second ball. A fourth ball dot left Leinster still requiring 14 from the last two deliveries and Manley applied the coup de grace with two wickets to spark a pitch invasion from the Lisburn supporters.

On a cold, blustery day, Lisburn had dominated the first 10 overs to reduce Leinster to 52 for five before a sixth wicket stand of 118 between Saqib Bahadur and Tom Johnson seemed to put the Dubliners in control.

They were helped by four dropped catches which allowed Johnson to hit 75 from just 30 balls (five fours, seven sixes) and Bahadur, who had another life in the final over, finished 61 not out from 32 balls with nine fours and a six. Leinster scored 76 in the last five overs.

Jonny Waite launched the Lisburn reply in typical hard-hitting style as they scored 18 off the first over and 19 off the fourth with Fazal’s contribution just two singles.

Waite holed out to deep mid-wicket in the seventh over but with 83 on the board, Lisburn were in the ascendancy. Fazal took over and brought up his 50 with consecutive sixes in the 12th over and when he smashed another 18 from four balls in the 17th over, Lisburn were just 24 runs from victory.

His wicket however, led to a mini collapse with James Hunter, David Miller, run out, much to his disbelief, coming back for a second and Matthew Humphreys all perishing in the frantic dash to victory.

Since Clontarf won the first All-Ireland T20 Cup in 2017, NCU teams have now won five of the next six, including the last three, with Nigel Jones picking up his fourth winners’ medal this year after leading CIYMS to three triumphs.

In contrast, the first match of the day was a one-sided affair and while Waringstown Women can now say they have played in an All-Ireland final they were no match for a powerful Phoenix side who swept to victory with more than eight overs to spare.

The Villagers could muster only 99 for seven in their 20 overs with Amy Caulfield batting through the innings for 21 not out. They may have got the rough of end of some leg before decisions – there were three in all – but a couple of run outs didn’t help. Naomi Matthews (19) and Cara Murray were the only other players to make double figures.

Caulfield did take the only wicket to fall but an unbroken second wicket partnership of 73 between Sian Woods and international Alice Tector, who shared 13 boundaries – Waringstown had five in their innings – ensured a quick finish.

Meanwhile, all the weekend action in the North West was rained off, including Newbuildings second and final attempt to play Killyclooney on Sunday. It leaves the Foyleview side 20 behind joint leaders Eglinton and Donemana, all with one game to play.