Two times Irish Cup winners The Hills are into the National Cup second round after a relatively straightforward six-wickets victory over Donacloney Mill in Skerries. Judd Markham thumped 5 fours and 3 sixes in a 23-ball 42, but only Aaron Kennedy's more serene unbeaten 40 offered support as they were dismissed for 148 - three wickets apiece for Oliver Horlock and Febin Manoj. Horlock then hit 51 not out (8 fours) sharing a third wicket stand of 65 with Andrew Kavanagh (31) - Tim McClure taking two of the four wickets to fall late on.
Burndennett found the going very tough in County Galway, losing by 208 runs at The Lydican. Shariq Nasim made an unbeaten 143 and Swarrop Burra a 36-ball 83 not out as the westerners posted 318-3 while there were four wickets apiece for Sukhal Singh and Jayesh Juneja as the North West side were bowled out for 110 - Marty Mehaffey and Ramay Rahmantulah each making 24.
County Kerry romped to victory at the picturesque Oyster Oval with Alam Morshed taking five wickets to dismiss Ballyhaunis for just 75. That modest total was knocked off with little fuss in 7.2 overs as Khurram Iqbal hit a 17-ball 48 (5 fours, 4 sixes) to take his team safely into the next round.
Fox Lodge are through after they recorded a 77-run win at Cregagh. Gayan Maneeshan was in superb form for the Ballymagorry side as the Sri Lankan hit 15 fours and 7 sixes in his 155 with Brian Allen (25) and Jonny Robinson (24) offering crucial support. Alistair Watt (3-47) and Adam McCormick (3-49) were best with the ball for the home side and while Jonny Moore (50) and Daniel Henry (27*) battled well, Adam Walker (4-25) and two wickets apiece for Gayan and Jason Milligan sealed a fully deserved win.
Terenure began their request to reach the final again with a seven wickets win at home to East Cork side Midleton. Raj Muhammad (41) and Fayaz Khan (31) were best with the bat in the Munster side's 199 - three wickets apiece for Dylan Cleary and Darshit Shetty. Openers Mick Cotter (50) and Gareth Morgan (40) each hit 7 fours and a six in a fine opening stand, while South African Hancke Von Rauenstein made an unbeaten 61 (8 fours, 1 six) as the Dublin side won with ten overs in the tank.
Ben Mills played a starring role as Glendermott easily brushed aside North Kildare at The Rectory. Mills took 5-40 as Kildare were dismissed for 165 in the 30th over - Josh Uddin top scoring with 48 and two wickets for Ryan Nolan. Big Ben then clubbed 9 sixes and 7 fours in a brilliant unbeaten 105 from just 62 balls, sharing an opening stand of 129 in 16 overs with Jason Lynch (32) in a deserved win just after the midway point of the innings.
Killyclooney went down by one wicket in a thriller to Laois - the hosts chasing down 184 with just two balls to spare. Aron Visser made 37 and Timmy Dougherty 34 for the visitors, but despite three wickets apiece for Kenzie Hall and Matthew Campbell, Laois just about had enough to get through, with Rashid Mehraj (37) and Jahangar Noor (30) the best of their batters.
There was a real close encounter at Eaton Park, where Ballymena nearly chased down 227, but ultimately fell five runs adrift of University of Galway. The visitors posted 227 for 8 with Srajesh Mishra hitting ten boundaries in a top score of 66, while Mohammad Danish made 41. The Ballymena reply saw Scott Willoughby fly out of the traps with a whirlwind 18-ball 52 (9 fours, 2 sixes) before he became the first wicket to fall at 55 in just the fourth over! It was all a bit less frenetic after that, with Curtley Deelman (31) and William Montgomery (27) in the runs, but the latter got bogged down eating up 67 deliveries, leaving just too much to do in the end.
Carrickfergus, National Cup winners back in 2012, had a relatively smooth passage into the last 16 with a seven wickets win at home to Sandyford. The visitors Andey Pandey hit a 101-ball111 (14 fours, 2 sixes) in a total of 217 for 8 - three wickets for home skipper CJ van der Walt. Carrock were always in control of the chase, thanks to initially 41 from Iain Parkhill, then a fine unbeaten century from overseas professional Atish Varape. The veritable run machine hit 13 boundaries in his 100 not out from just 94 balls.
Bangor won an entertaining last over clash with Limerick, chasing down 228 to win with four balls to spare at Upritchard Park. Limerick's Anvesh Bogavelly hit 15 fours and a six in an even-time 111, adding 149 for the fifth wicket with Shozab Ali Taj (58*). The Bangor reply was a good one, as Sam McMillan top-scored with a 69-ball 80 (9 fours) sharing an opening stand of 141 with former Irish international Mark Hutchinson (67). Gareth McCullough (31*) and Andrew Kirkpatrick (20*) guided the seasiders home with an unbeaten fourth wicket stand of 59 in 9 overs.
An opening stand of 180 between Aditya Gupta and Prabanshu Kamal propelled Adamstown to a total of 285 for 4, and a 132-run win over Laurelvale. Gupta top-scored with 122 from 106 balls (17 fours), while Kamal made 65. Dinesh David piled on the agony with a 30-ball unbeaten 51. The NCU side managed 153 in reply with Jack Burns and Adam Speers making 22.
Drumaness Superkings were given the bird at Ballyspallen as they were on the end of an awful thumping. The County Down side were bowled out for just 77, with four wickets apiece for Isaac Bird and Kasigo Rapulana. Bird then made his intentions clear as 31 came off the first over of the reply, and he went on to make a 23-ball unbeaten 73 that included 9 fours and 6 sixes as they passed their target in five overs. At least DSK could console themselves that they would be back before the Cup final started..
Bonds Glen produced a fine batting effort to beat Civil Service Dublin in a high scoring match at Kildoag Road. They produced four partnerships of over 50 to post 272 for 5. Sam Haslett top-scored with an unbeaten 70 (6 fours, 2 sixes), while Heinrich Roberts rattled out a 29-ball half century (4 sixes, 4 fours). South African replacement pro Lesiba Ngoepe made 43 on debut, while there were runs too for Stephen McGowan (40) and teenager Adam Thompson (30*). The Dubliners looked to be on course to chase it down as openers Karan Narang and Jeyachandran both passed 50 in an opening stand of 148 that was only broken by Dharm Singh just before drinks. He went on to claim a five wickets haul in a deserved win - two wickets also for Ngoepe and Sam Kincaid.
St Johnston were through first after the Donegal side were informed on Friday that Downpatrick were unable to travel to The Boathole.
Sion made the long trek to UCC and were on on the end of a severe beating. Simon Galloway made 22 in a modest 73 - the hosts knocking off the runs with a minum of fuss. The consolation for Sion was that they were able to visit The Mardyke, where Cork County were the most welcoming of hosts, providing the hungry North Westers with refreshments after UCC for whatever reason opted not to.
Mohammed Islam took five wickets as Wexford Wanderers bowled out Nenagh for 152. Sean Graham then clubbed 17 fours and a six to help WW chase it down, winning by seven wickets in the 22nd over.