Clontarf and Balbriggan will contests the 2025 Irish Senior Cup final after both won contrasting semi-finals against Malahide and Lisburn.

2013 champions Clontarf made it through to the final for a fourth time after a 104-run win over Malahide in a game that they dominated throughout.

Curtis Campher made a rare appearance in Clontarf colours - just his third in two years at Castle Avenue - and the irish international hit a fluent 68 in 61 balls (10 fours, 1 six) as he and Eoghan Delany shared a third wicket stand of 109 in 18 overs.

Delany - who was captain in that 2013 win - went on to make an unbeaten 117 (7 fours, 1 six) - adding a further 96 in 15 overs with overseas professional Patrick Xie, whose 41-ball 53 included six fours and one maximum.

Skipper David Delany chipped in with 24 and a final total of 292 for 7 was always going to be challenging.

James Newland (4-45) was the pick of the villagers attack.

Cormac McLoughlin-Gavin started the reply well and at 56 for 1, Malahide would have been relatively satisfied with the match state.

However, three wickets fell for just three runs, including the big wickets of Jeremy Martins and Matt Ford, to put a severe dent in their chances.

McLoughlin-Gavin went on to make 83 (9 fours) but Malahide fell well short - bowled out for 188 in the 42nd over.

Reuben Wilson took four wickets, while Curtis Campher completed a fine all-round effort with three, and Cillian McDonnell two in the 104-run win.

Lisburn's hopes of a first Irish Senior Cup trophy were dashed in a last over thriller at Balbriggan, who reached the final for the first time themselves.

Needing 19 off the final two overs with two overs remaining, Balbriggan’s Jordan Hollard took a liking to Faiz Fazal, plundering 18 off the penultimate over to tie the scores.

Balbriggan last pair hug: Pic by Jayne Barker

Josh Manley trapped Matthew Hollard off the first ball of the final over, but last man Kashif Ali held his nerve to get the winning runs with three balls left.

In truth, Lisburn have only themselves to blame as they had four overs unused in their under-par total of 254 in ideal batting conditions.

Ross Adair hit seven fours and two sixes as he raced out of the traps with a 34-ball 46. Faiz Fazal made 63 and there was also a half century for Ben Calitz, who top-scored with 72 (six fours, three sixes).

David Miller chipped in with 26, but the other seven batters had single figure scores in a real curate’s egg display that would ultimately come back to haunt them.

There were three wickets apiece for Andy Darroch and Sebastian D’Oliveria, while pacer Matthew Hollard picked up two.

Balbriggan seemed on course for a routine win as top-scorer Cameron Rowe with 73 (six fours, two sixes) and Dylan Lues (45) shared a second wicket stand of 100 to leave them 142 for two.

Ryan Macbeth roars: Pic by Jayne Barker

However, Lisburn rallied with three wickets each for Ryan Macbeth and skipper Neil Whitworth reducing the hosts to 197 for seven. 

Jordan Hollard though was still there, and he timed the chase to perfection, with his unbeaten half century breaking Lisburn’s hearts. 

Balbriggan side that reached the final: Pic By Jayne Barker

The Irish final is scheduled to be at Bready on August 16th, but the governing body may now well switch to a Leinster venue, given the two finalists are from the same region, and with teams from Munster and Connacht playing in the National final the day after.

Common sense would suggest a switch, with Bready retaining the hosting rights for next year, when hopefully one of the four teams will be from Northern Ireland.