Carrickfergus Cricket Club Under 15's were narrowly beaten by a very strong North Down side by 2 wickets in the final of the NCU Under 15 League. With the recent bad weather, batting conditions were not ideal as Carrick batted first at Comber. They lost an early wicket, but opener Jordan McClurkin and skipper Alex Haggan got their heads down and batted together for twelve overs, taking the score along to 47 after 15 overs. Carrick then lost both batsmen, with McClurkin caught at mid wicket for a gritty 12, and Haggan, who had been batting superbly, caught on the long on boundary for 30 including five fours. Peter McAlister marshalled the lower order, and a further 37 runs were added in the final ten overs, to leave Carrick on 74 for 9 at the end of their 25 overs. Alex Haggan removed both North Down openers early in the innings, and finished with 2 for 8 from a fine opening spell. The third wicket pair took the score slowly along to 34 before leg spinner Peter McAlister, who finished with 1 for 7 from his 5 accurate overs, achieved another breakthrough. A further two wickets from Johnny Addis and Glenn Shimmon before the score had reached fifty offered Carrick hope, but a vital fifteen run partnership at this stage edged North Down closer to their modest target. Shimmon picked up another couple of wickets and a run out left them 8 wickets down, but in the end they just scraped home in a tense finish with 2 wickets and 6 balls to spare.