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Holders Waringstown are safely through to the second round of the Irish Senior Cup after an emphatic eight wicket win against Bready in a rain-affected contest.
Three wickets for South African professional Cobus Pienaar, and two apiece for Kyle McCallan, Gary Kidd and James McCollum saw Bready dismissed for just 70. Craig Young – prevented from bolwing due to a finger injury – top scored with 33, which included three sixes. James McCollum hit an unbeaten 28 as Waringstown eased into the last 16.

The closest game of the day was at Shaw’s Bridge where Instonians knocked out 2013 winners Clontarf with a last ball boundary from Nathan Smith in another reduced overs contest.

Andrew Poynter’s half century saw Clontarf make 135/9 in their rain interrupted 25 overs, which saw Instonians requiring a DLS adjusted target of 152. Nikolai Smith (56) and Andrew White (39) looked to have made the contest safe, but three quick wickets from Sameer Dutt (3-26) – including James Shannon first ball – gave the Castle Avenue side renewed hope.

With only two required from the final over by Joe Morrissey Instonians suffered a panic attack, with three wickets falling from the first three balls. Two dots followed before Smith scored the winning runs much to the relief of the Shaw’s Bridge faithful.

There wasn’t such good news for the other NCU sides. Four wickets from Yaqoob Ali (4-24) restricted three times winners North Down to 110 for 9, with Peter Eakin top scoring with 35 and Pieter Malan making 32.

DLS actually adjusted the YM target downwards to 108 which they reached without loss as Tom Fisher (50*) and Jack Tector (46*) ensured a routine win.

Muckamore lost by 72 runs despite an unbeaten 100 from their professional Avadhoot Dandekar. Eglinton opener Andy Millar’s quickfire 72 and 65 from Irish international Stuart Thompson helped the NW side to 235 for 4 before rain ended their innings.

DLS adjusted the target to an imposing 272 in 38 overs, and despite Dandekar’s resistance, Muckamore never seriosuly challenged it.

Pembroke were comfortable six winners at home to Lisburn thanks to a solid all-round display. Spinner Paul Lawson claimed 3 for 19 as Lisburn were dismissed for 167 – Steve Lazars top scoring with 79. Pembroke eased to the win with professional Daniel Solway top scoring with 46, and useful contributions from Lorcan Tucker (32*) and Theo Lawson (30*).

The Hills – winners in 2012 and 2014 – began their quest for a third title with a routine six wicket win at home to CSNI. The ever dependable veteran Nazeer Shaukat took 4 for 22 as the NCU were dismissed for 148. Mike Baumgart (68) and Hamid Shah (35) ensured a safe passage into the second round.

Fox Lodge pulled off the surprise result of the day with an excellent 55 run win at Rathmines against Leinster. Brian Allen’s 94 (9 fours, 2 sixes) helped the Ballymagorry side knock out the 2009 winners by 55 runs.

Reinhardt Strydom was the second centurion of the day as he helped Phoenix demolish St Johnston. The ex Irish international bludgeoned 18 fours and two maximums to reach his hundred from just 48 balls as Phoenix passed their modest 140 target in just 12.4 overs. Earlier Cayman Island international Alessandro Morris took 4 for 22 as St Johnston lost their last five wickets for just one run to finish 139 all out.

Five times winners North County had little trouble beating Ardmore. The NW side were in deep trouble at 88 for 9, and it took an Irish Senior Cup record last stand of 71 between Stevie Dunn (42*) and Conor Brolly (16) to take them to a respectable 159 all out. Half centuries from Conor Armstrong and Tomas Sheil led the Balrothery side to the eight wicket win.

The five ties scheduled for the NW region all fell victm to the weather, as did the scheduled game in Cork between the hosts and Railway Union. All those games will be replayed on Sunday May 22.

IRISH SENIOR CUP ROUND ONE

Muckamore lost to Eglinton by 72 runs.
Eglinton 235-4 (38.1 overs, A Millar 72, S Thompson 65, J Millar 27*, A Adey 2-23)
Muckamore 199-8 (38.0 overs, A Dandekar 104*, O Williams 3-35, J Millar 2-27, A Millar 2-43)
DLS Method: par score 271 in 38 overs.

Leinster lost to Fox Lodge by 55 runs.
Fox Lodge 233-9 (50.0 overs, B Allen 94, J Milligan 43, A McGinnis 35, J Carroll 3-37, T Law 3-46)
Leinster 178 (45.4 overs, D Coad 64, J Carroll 39, A McGinnis 3-39, A Heywood 2-33, J Milligan 2-39)

Phoenix beat St Johnston by 7 wickets.
St Johnston 139 (40.2 overs, A MacBeth 44*, D Lapsley 27, A Morris 4-23, B White 2-31)
Phoenix 143-3 (12.4 overs, R Strydom 100, D Anthony 2-38)

North County beat Ardmore by 8 wickets.
Ardmore 159 (36.4 overs, S Dunn 42*, C Curley 28, K Ali 3-20, E Richardson 3-37, T Richardson 3-41)
North County 163-2 (31.0 overs, C Armstrong 74, T Sheil 55*)

Waringstown beat Bready by 8 wickets.
Bready 70 (19.5 overs, C Young 33, C Pienaar 3-7, G Kidd 2-11, K McCallan 2-20)
Waringstown 73-2 (15.3 overs, J McCollum 28*)

Instonians beat Clontarf by 2 wickets.
Clontarf 135-9 (25.0 overs, A Poynter 51, Nathan Smith 3-27, S Bunting 2-18)
Instonians 154-8 (25.0 overs, Nikolai Smith 56, A White 39, S Dutt 3-26, J Morrissey 3-38)
DLS Method: par score 151 in 25 overs.

Pembroke beat Lisburn by 6 wickets.
Lisburn 167 (37.3 overs, S Lazars 79, C Chetty 31, P Lawson 3-19)
Pembroke 168-4 (31.0 overs, D Solway 46, L Tucker 32*, T Lawson 30, R McConkey 3-47)

The Hills beat CSNI by 6 wickets.
CSNI 148 (34.4 overs, G McCarter 33, P Beverland 29, N Shaukat 4-22)
The Hills 150-4 (30.3 overs, M Baumgart 68, H Shah 35)

North Down lost to YMCA by 10 wickets.
North Down 110-9 (24.0 overs, P Eakin 35, P Malan 32, Y Ali 4-24, S Singh 2-18, T Fisher 2-22)
YMCA 108-0 (17.4 overs, T Fisher 50*, J Tector 46*)
DLS Method: par score 108 in 24 overs.

All other ties postponed and will be replayed Sunday May 22.

National Cup

Rain badly affected the first round of the National Cup but there was no shortage of drama in the games that did manage to get on the park.

Nowhere more so than in the clash between Cliftonville and Sion Mills where Cliftonville would have been the strongest of favourites after scoring an imposing 206 for 5 in 26 overs. Johnny Terrett scoring a 100, Neil Cahill hitting 65 and Mark McNulty taking a hat-trick.

The real drama came however when Cliftonville were unable to produce a DLS sheet, which left the umpires no option but to award the game to Sion Mills.

Balbriggan have a good track record in the National Cup and they progressed with a five wicket win at home against Killyclooney – who reached the final themselves in 2014.

Roger Kear took 3 for 17 as Killyclooney were dismissed for 199 – Derek Lynch top scoring with 41 and new professional Andre Henry making 35.

Ehtesham Ahmed’s 69 and James Warsop’s 40 set Balbriggan on their way to the win – all the more impressive given the absence of John Mooney.

Holders Rush began the defence of their title with a comprehensive seven wickets home win against Downpatrick. Amit Patil top scored with 84 as the NCU side posted 200/7 in the 35 over contest. It was nowhere near enough as half centuries from Shahid Iqbal (61*) and Stephen Doheny (52) ensured their name goes into the hat for the second round draw.

North Kildare edged through against Bonds Glen by two wickets in a tense affair at The Maws while Laois progressed after Saintfield were unable to field a side and forfeited the contest.

Academy had reached 61 for 2 against Newbuildings when rain forced an abandonment. That match will be played at Foyle next Sunday May 15.

All the other matches were abandoned without a ball bowled and will be replayed next Sunday May 22.

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Connaught