MILLPARK'S dream of lifting the Junior Cup was halted by a nightmare performance on a day of contrasting weather and innings at Banford Green.

Belfast opposition Academy had every right to be confident going into this semi-final, having beaten the villagers recently in their league fixture, and were buoyed further when despite losing the toss were afforded the opportunity to open the batting.

Stephen Leckey and the returning James Wright opened the bowling for Millpark and did well to initially contain their opponents. Leckey, taking a catch of his own bowling, took the first wicket and left their hosts on a modest 20-1 off eight overs but this was to be a false dawn as Academy's number three entered the fray and took to the Millpark bowling.

Twenty from eight became 92 from 20 which became 170 from 35 as the visitors struck the ball firmly in the sun to find boundary after boundary.

A fast outfield and perhaps some naive fielding allowed the opposition to continue to add to their tally as the Millpark bowlers toiled without reward or the required luck to take a wicket.

By the time Stephen McCart was introduced the fruitful Academy innings had spawned a centurion in their number three bat and their remaining opener, though less cavalier, had reached fifty.

McCart, though, was to be the one to make the breakthrough when his son Stuart took a good catch on the boundary in the 39th over and a second wicket in the 47th this time a catch from second son Ryan.

Leckey, taking his second catch of the day, presented veteran McCart with his third wicket in the 49th over but the innings belonged to Academy as they posted 265 from their 50 overs.

Millpark, always facing an uphill struggle, where not helped by the downpour during the interval. The once fast and lush outfield had been drenched and though this was not ideal bowling conditions it meant the big shots would have to be bigger and the hard shots harder if they were to reach the boundary as easily as their opponents had done in their innings.

Stephen Leckey and Stephen McCart were the first to sample the conditions for Millpark, with McCart throwing down the gauntlet with some fine attacking play before he was beaten by a better ball and removed for 22.

Ryan McCart replacing his father at the crease failed to register a telling contribution before he was caught having presented a simple looping catch to square leg when attempting a big shot.

Semi finals chasing big scores and the position of number three require a more disciplined approach but the Hollywood hitting of Ryan McCart seems unlikely to change anytime soon.

Darrell Martin came to the crease with the score at fifty one runs off twelve overs before a change of bowling saw the removal of opener Leckey.