Pembroke powered into the semi-finals of the Irish Cup with another devastatingly impressive performance against Lisburn at Wallace Park. Having already won at The Lawn and Shaw’s Bridge in the competition this season they completed the hat-trick of wins against the top three NCU clubs with a thumping 228 runs victory. Andrew Balbirnie led the way with 97 (five fours three sixes), given out lbw to Neil Whitworth and he was backed up 59 from JJ Garth, 36 from captain Jack Tector and significantly by professional A Sheriff He hit 77 from 47 balls with 10 fours and a six as the Lisburn bowlers were put to the sword. Neil Whitworth did end up with four wickets, but at a cost of 75 runs and Ewan Wilson had three for 48 from his eight overs. Lisburn needed all their top batters to fire but Ross Adair was caught at mid-off in the first over to Sheriff, who also had Whitworth caught behind for 16 and when Gavin Hoey joined the attack he had Ben Calitz caught at slip for 11. That left Lisburn 55 for five and Hoey did the rest, wrapping up the tail to finish with five for 23 in just 6.5 overs. What odds an away draw in the semi-final to an NCU club in the semi-final? They will have no fears.

An astonishing innings of 126 not out by Woodvale captain Ruhan Pretorius could not prevent Leinster from reaching the semi-final of the Irish Cup. Pretorius rescued Woodvale from the perils of 76 for seven to a total of 176 for seven with his partner in the eighth wicket century stand, James Martin, having to face only 12 of the 62 balls; Martin scored a solitary single. After a delayed start, the game was reduced to 35 overs and Leinster, after winning the toss controlled the first 24.4 overs. None of the other batters made double figures as Jay Moondra and Thomas O’Connor took the first four wickets, including Ludwig Keastner for an 11-ball duck. But Pretorius took control for last 10 overs, hitting 12 sixes and five fours in his 112-ball innings. When Younas Ahmadzai and Gareth Delany were sharing a third wicket stand of 95, Leinster seemed to be strolling to victory but James Martin broke the partnership and when Pretorius forced Delany to play on for 73 (six fours, four sixes), the visitors still needed 28 at a run a ball. Tight bowling from Pretorius and Evan Carlisle left them requiring 18 off the last two overs, but Saqib Bahadur and Joey Carroll took 16 off the penultimate over and they got over the line with three balls and four wickets to spare.

CSNI booked their place in the semi-final with a convincing 148-run victory over Rush at Kenure. The visitors posted an imposing 311, built around half-centuries from New Zealand international Michael Rae (64) and Ryan Hunter (61), while Stuart Thompson added 47 and Finn Lutton 33. Abi Taniwal claimed 3-42 for Rush. The reply never gained momentum as CSNI's bowlers shared the wickets. Jack McGee top-scored with 35, while Abidullah Taniwal made 27 before Rush were dismissed for 163. Finn Lutton, Jake Collingwood and Harry Dyer each took two wickets. Notably, six members of the CSNI side have progressed through the club's youth system since Under-11 level.

Malahide held their nerve to edge Railway Union by six runs in a thrilling contest at The Village. Adam Doyle led the way with an excellent 71, while Robbie Foulkes added 55 as Malahide posted 226-9. Srihan Karpe (4-31) and Digamber Mishra (3-37) were the pick of the Railway attack. Railway Union pushed the chase all the way, with Bruce Whaley making 63 and Ash Prakash contributing 47. Hayden Hamilton (36) and Rob Carr (34) also kept hopes alive, but Timcy Khanduja’s 3-27 and Jeremy Martins’ 3-50 proved decisive as Malahide secured a narrow victory.

Rush pulled off the shock of the round as they chased 287 to beat fancied Merrion, Half centuries from Corne Botha and Daniel Forkin took the hosts to 286 for 7 - four wickets for Isaac Bird. The chase was exemplary with half centuries for Abidullah Taniwal and skipper Nathan McGuire, while there were supporting knocks from Isaac Bird (41) and Jack McGee (34) in a victory that must be right up in their history. Could they add an Irish Senior Cup title to their four National Cup triumphs?

What looked on paper to be an evenly-matched clash at The Village turned into a one-sided rout as Malahide romped to a 10-wicket victory over visitors Donemana with 37.1 overs to spare. The Co Tyrone side’s top order struggled against the home attack with only Jamie Huey and Gary McClintock reaching double figures and it took a fighting 31 not out from Joe Robinson at number nine to lift Donemana to 127 all out. Malahide captain Jeremy Martins proved particularly difficult to get away as he took 3-17 with his pace while Robbie Foulkes claimed 4-31 and James Newland returned 3-44. Any faint hopes Donemana had of defending their meagre total were quickly blown away by a flurry of boundaries from opener Alan Reynolds who went to 41-ball century with his ninth six — which also was the final shot of the match. Donemana’s defeat ends the North West Cricket Union’s participation in the Irish Senior Cup after only two rounds.

Tom O’Connor scored an unbeaten century at Rathmines as Leinster beat Clontarf for the second time in two days to progress to the quarter-finals of the Irish Senior Cup. After winning their league clash at Castle Avenue on Saturday, Leinster again dominated, posting 277 and dismissing the visitors for 85 to win by 192 runs. O’Connor was unbeaten on 102 when the innings ended in the 46th over. He faced only 81 balls, hitting eight sixes and four fours. Tom Johnson (39), Reuben Newton (24) and Jai Moondra (29) contributed useful cameos but Leinster will be disappointed to have been bowled out 4.3 overs short of their 50. The Clontarf chase suffered an early blow when Seamus Lynch fell to Moondra’s third ball and the paceman proved almost impossible to get away as he took 2-4 from six overs. The other wickets were shared between Bilal Azhar (3-32) Mark Tonge (2-14) and man-of-the-match O’Connor (3-32).

Premier League leaders Muckamore were shocked by Civil Service North as the Stormont side won the all-NCU tie by four wickets in the last over. Muckamore professional Neil Brand proved he was human, dismissed for 17 by the in-form Adam Leckey and only Jason van der Merwe stepped up in his place, to top score with 76. Indeed it needed an unbeaten ninth wicket stand of 38 between Allen Coulter and Luka Bates to get them up to 230. All the CSN batters contributed in an impressive chase. No partnership was longer than 10 overs and the highest was 53 - only Jake Collingwood reached 50 - but captain Stuart Thompson and Finn Lutton saw them home with five balls to spare.

Railway Union reached the second round of the Irish Cup with a 36 runs victory over CI in a competitive clash at Belmont. Irish youth internationals Rob O’Brien and Bruce Whaley put on 89 for the second wicket in just 18 overs to give the visitors a solid platform and 30s from Abhay Tipnis and Hayden Hamilton got them up to 245 for eight. CI were immediately on the back foot, reduced to 28 for three at the start of the 10th over but Chris Dougherty and Charles Swart put on 94 for the next wicket to keep the game interesting. At 181 for six, with 10 overs to go and CI captain John Matchett still in the middle, the game was up for grabs but Railway wrapped up the match in the 46th over.

Ben Calitz failed to make the Ireland Test squad but that proved a winning bonus for Lisburn who knocked out NCU rivals North Down. Chasing the home side’s 245, Calitz joined his captain Neil Whitworth in the middle with Lisburn on 61 for three. They didn’t lose another wicket with Calitz finishing 120 not out, from 95 balls (six fours, nine sixes) and Whitworth 62 not out (four fours, two sixes). Earlier, Steven Saul dominated the North Down innings, scoring 107, with 11 fours and three sixes but when he was caught behind off Whitworth in the 41st over, the Comber side lost their last six wickets for 32 runs and failed to bat out the overs. Professional Jon Hinrichsen claimed the last four wickets, all lbw, for figures of six for 34.

A superb opening spell of 8-3-20-6 by captain Ruhan Pretorius set Woodvale up for a stunning victory at Ballgomartin Road and end Balbriggan’s reign as Irish Cup holders at the first hurdle. Pretorius single-handedly reduced Balbriggan to 46 for six and only a rearguard 43, from 98 balls by Aaron McGeehan allowed the north Dubliners to bat 40 overs. He was last man out with the total on 138. It proved no problem for the NCU side, who had beaten Premier League champions Instonians the previous day. Ludwig Kaestner also took three wickets and added 84 with Pretorius, who finished the job with the bat as well; he was 51 not out when Woodvale won in the 43rd over.

NCU Premier League champions Instonians crashed to their third defeat in four days, in three different competitions, as Pembroke showed their strength in depth in the Irish Cup. Without their Ireland Test players plus the injured Barry McCarthy and JJ Garth, Pembroke bowled out Instonians for just 93 to win by 121 runs. Sunil Gupta top scored for the visitors with 60 not out from 52 balls, while Bryon McDonough hit two sixes in an unbeaten 17 in the last wicket partnership. McDonough then made the breakthrough, having Neil Rock caught for 10 with only Robert McKinley in his first match of the season providing any resistance as Instonians crashed to 60 for eight. Paul Lawson, McDonough and Addison Sheriff shared the wickets.

North Down got the better of North County in a high scoring thriller. Mike Erlank (178) and Mo Aahil (135) almost batted the entirety of the innings in a third wicket stand of 321 after they had been in early trouble at 6 for 2. Erlank's 146-ball stay included 16 fours and 9 sixes, while in-form Aahil made his second hundred of the week, his even time knock including 20 fours and one maximum. The hosts made a brace fist of their 356 target with Sulieman Safi and Jamie Grassi making rapid half centuries. However, scoreboard pressure told with two wickets each for Craig Young, Harry Zimmermann and Jacob McClure-Dalzell.

Two-times winners Leinster are safely through but were given a scare by Laurelvale. Adnan Malik made 34 for the NCU side but six wickets for Saqib Bahadur and two for Mark Tonge saw them bowled out for 135. What might have appeared an easy target suddenly wasn't at 19 for 3 and 81 for 5, and it needed the nous of Joey Carroll (31*) and Thomas O'Connor (26*) to guide them home, after earlier runs for Monil Patel (42).

Malahide easily accounted for Coleraine as home skipper Jeremy Martins claimed a five-wicket haul to dismiss the Bannsiders for just 105. The reply only lasted into the 12th over with Robbie Foulkes (45*) and Alan Reynolds (40) not delaying the anguish for the totally outplayed NW side.

Rush were the third side of the day to pass 400 with Isaac Bird hitting 169 from 102 balls, including 15 fours and 11 of the 26 sixes the Kenure side managed. He shared a fourth wicket stand of 210 with Abid Taniwal, who missed out on a century, making 93 from just 51 balls. It could have been even worse as Rush reached 435 for 8 with three overs left, but were bowled out with 15 balls unused - four wickets for Seneth Sumasinghe. The chase was a forlorn one as they were bowled out for 114, of which Callum Stevenson made 43 (9 fours). Asher Abbasi and Jay Oryakhil claimed three wickets each.

Instonians' long trek to Munster was worth it as they scored a record 442 for eight. Shane Dadswell did most of the damage, hitting 17 sixes out of the Mardyke ground, many of them landing in the adjacent tennis courts. Cork were dismissed for 174, with three wickets apiece for Matthew Humphreys and Cian Robertson.

Merrion flexed their muscles as they easily brushed aside the challenge of St Johnston. Skipper Sean Stanton led the way with a five-wicket haul, while there were two wickets each for Tom Ford and Peter Forkin as the Saints were bowled out for 101 - Subhan Shirzad making 30. Swapnil Modgill made 23 in the reply, but two wickets each for Nathan Cole and Ryan McAuley would have seen a few nerves at 54 for 4. There were soon settled as Corne Botha thumped 6 fours and a six as he dominated a fifth wicket stand of 50 with Andrew Doheny to seal the six-wicket win in the 17th over.

Railway Union showed their depth and quality with a three-wicket win at Newbuildings in a contest that could have went either way, The home side were in trouble at 53 for 5, but Jared Wilson led the fightback with a high-octane 79 (10 fours, 2 sixes) sharing half century stands with Gregory McFaul (20) and Gareth McKeegan (48). At 190 fpr 6 with almost ten overs left they would have been hoping for 250 plus, but five wickets for Liam McCarthy saw them bowled out for 229. The chase started like a train with Irish youth international Bruce Whaley hitting a 16-ball 31 as he and Ash Prakash put on 54 in five overs. Josh Wilson and McFaul took three wickets in quick succession and when Liam McCarthy went later the home side were scenting blood at 127 for 6. However, Abhay Tipnis - reprieved early on when caught off a no-ball- went on to make an unbeaten 78, adding a match winning 88 for the seventh wicket with Srihan Karpe (44).

An opening stand of 162 between Gavin Roulston and David Barr looked to have put hosts Brigade in a strong position against Lisburn. Roulston hit 5 fours and 4 sixes in his maiden century for his new club, while Barr's 63 laid the perfect platform. However, Brigade failed to accelerate sufficiently to get over 300, with three wickets for spinners Ben Walsh and Neil Whitworth keeping them to 288 for 7. Any thoughts the home side's total would be enough were soon blown away by Ross Adair with the Irish international powerhouse hitting 12 fours and 6 sixes in a 58-ball 110, adding 137 in 14 overs with David Miller (30) that all but broke the chase. Brigade took three wickets but any thoughts of a late rally were dismissed by an unbroken stand of 99 between Ben Calitz, who clubbed 10 fours and 4 sixes in a 56-ball 73, while skipper Whitworth made 43 not out. Lisburn sealed the seven-wicket win with almost ten overs to spare.

Donemana are the only NW side through after they brutally accounted for a weak Cliftonville Academy side at The Holm. Two wickets fell in the first few overs including overseas professional CP Klinijhans, and from there it was a procession despite the best efforts of Adil Maini who made a defiant 28 in their 79 all out. Melvin Deveraj took four wickets and showed he will be a real asset for the Tyrone side, while skipper Gary McClintock took three, Mark Averill one and Andy McBrine the other. Jamie Huey went early in the chase, but Gary McClintock (26) and debutant Awais Zafar added 59 for the second wicket, with the Pakistani hitting 5 fours and 4 sixes in his 27-ball unbeaten 47 as the 8-wicket win was sealed in the 13th over. There will be tougher challenges ahead if they are to break the region's 22-year drought for the Bob Kerr trophy.

A chanceless 152 not out by Tim Tector won the match of the round against six-times winners Waringstown as they chased down the home side’s 300 with more than six overs to spare. Tector hit just 17 fours and shared stands of 115 with Macdara Cosgrave, 90 with Addison Sheriff and 98 with brother Harry in a dominant batting display. And they did it without regular opening batter JJ Garth who dislocated a finger and Barry McCarthy who injured his left knee when bowling his seventh over. Waringstown also lost Graham Hume after bowling just 11 balls, with a back injury but it was the loss of their last six wickets for 13 runs which proved fatal for the Villagers. Gavin Hoey was the Pembroke bowling star with five wickets after Steve Stolk and Adam Dennison had put on 119 for the first wicket.

Centuries from Neil Brand and Mark Gleghorne steered Muckamore to a comfortable eight wickets victory over Fox Lodge at Moylena. Brand hit 128 from 83 balls with 13 fours and five sixes and Gleghorne, with whom he shared a second wicket stand of exactly 200, was 109 not out (10 fours, three sixes) from 109 balls when the hosts reached their target with almost nine overs to spare. Former North Down professional Gayan Maneeshan scored almost half of Fox Lodge's 297 for five, making 133 with eight fours and eight sixes.

Chris Dougherty’s 112 balls of defiance took CI to a superb two wickets victory over Phoenix at Belmont. Set 221 for victory, Dougherty came to the middle in the 11th over at 38 for two and when CI won the match with four balls to spare, he was 82 not out, having hit eight fours and two sixes..Jacob Mulder hit a valuable 17 in the the eighth wicket stand of 45 and Alex Armstrong stayed with him to the finish, as he ended the match with successive fours. Four Phoenix batters reached 36 but he highest score was 43 when they finished on 220 for nine.

Ashwin Hebbar became only the third batter to score a double century in the Irish Cup as Civil Service North hammered Bready by 248 runs at Stormont. The indian professional hit 207 not out and shared a record stand (for any wicket) of 391 with Marc Ellison who was out three balls before the end of the innings for 173. Hebbar hit 12 fours and 15 sixes, Ellison 19 fours and six sixes in the second wicket partnership. Aaron Gillespie passed 50 in the reply but when he was out, the last six wickets fell for 23 runs, Matthew Kennedy finishing with seven for 31 the fourth best figures in the competition’s history,.

Woodvale posted the highest ever Irish Cup total – until it was beaten twice inside half an hour! – when they scored 428 for five against a hapless Bready attack. The top three batters all hit centuries, Harry Warke the first to the landmark from 71 balls. He was first out with the total on 228, having hit 14 fours and six sixes in a stand with Francis Collins who made a run-ball-106. Ludwig Kastner then finished the job with 125 not out from just 76 balls with eight fours and 10 sixes. Respect to Davy Scanlon who took three for 58 amid the carnage. A last wicket stand of 31, the second hight of the innings, delayed the inevitable with Bready all out in the 34th over for 190.