The seven NCU clubs left in the Irish Cup were the big winners in the second round draw with five drawn at home and the other two facing provincial rivals.
There was no such luck for new competition favourites Pembroke who, having seen off NCU Cup holders Waringstown, were drawn away to defending league champions Instonians so, again, will feature in the tie of the round.
The game is a repeat of last year’s match at the same stage, although that game was in Sydney Parade when a century from Andrew Balbirnie and five wickets for Mark Berry gave the hosts a huge 103 runs (DLS) victory.
Holders Balbriggan, who received a bye in the first round, will also head north to begin their defence at Woodvale, while Railway Union are also back in Belfast to face CI for the second year in a row; last time CIYMS, as they were known then, won by 49 runs in another rain-interrupted match.
In the all-NCU ties, North Down will host Lisburn and although CSN were first out of the hat against Muckamore, they have conceded home advantage as the game takes place three days out from the Test match at Stormont.
Donemana, not for the first time the only surviving North West club left in the competition, had no luck; they were drawn away to Malahide.
The other two all-Dublin ties are south against north with Leinster hosting last year’s beaten finalists Clontarf, who join the competition at this stage, and Merrion at home to Rush.
In the National Cup, holders Co Galway were the penultimate side out of the hat and, after easing past debutants Letterkenny in their opening defence, will face University of Galway.
The luck of the draw here also favoured the NCU clubs, with Bangor at home to Co Kerry, Templepatrick hosting Ballyspallen and Lurgan facing Donaghcloney Mill in what is the antithesis of the competition’s title – the grounds are five miles apart.
Saintfield are the only NCU team who has to travel outside their union in either competition – they were drawn away to The Hills.
Two games will be staged in the North West with Glendermott facing North Kildare in a repeat of last year’s first round game which the Londonderry side won by eight wickets and Ardmore hosting Limerick – an even longer journey than their exit at Bangor in the first round last year. The draw is completed by Sandyford v Terenure.
IRISH SENIOR CUP (Round Two, May 24)
North Down v Lisburn; Leinster v Clontarf; Malahide v Donemana; Merrion v Rush; Instonians v Pembroke, CI v Railway Union, Muckamore v CSNI*, Woodvale v Balbriggan
NATIONAL CUP
Glendermott v North Kildare, Sandyford v Terenure, Bangor v County Kerry, Lurgan v Donacloney Mill, Templepatrick v Ballyspallen, Ardmore v Limerick, The Hills v Saintfield, County Galway v University of Galway.
