TENACITY AND spirit gave Sion Mills a deserved victory over Clontarf in yesterday's Royal Liver Irish Senior Cup cricket first-round match at Castle Avenue.

A total of 131 all out had looked nothing like enough for Sion Mills. Only man of the match Bobby Rao, whose well-earned 47 - off 77 balls, with four boundaries - had looked comfortable, and Clontarfs generous concession of 23 extras realised a higher score than any other Sion Mills batsman could achieve.

When Dave McGeehan and Johnny Daly put on 46 for the first wicket, Clontarf's hopes were high. Brian McNiece contributed a useful 39 in a typically gritty innings, and when he departed, Clontarf were on four for 95 with 10 overs left,

What followed was a string of disasters, as Clontarf batsmen passed each other by more often on the way to and from the middle, than they did en route up and down the track.

Eventually, Michael Ryan failed to get the single which would have given the strike to the more comfortable looking Keith Spellman and paid the penalty and was bowled, with 10 balls remaining, by Damian O'Neill, who took four for 19.

So Sion Mills deservedly squeezed through by nine runs and face Carlisle in Saturday's second round match at Kimmage.