Donemana professional Anuj Jotin was the last over hero as the Tyrone side knocked out two-times Irish Senior Cup winners Merrion by one wicket at Anglesea Road. Needing five off the last over, Jotin cleared the ropes to finish unbeaten on 77 as they chased 223. He shared a fourth wicket stand of 71 with Irish international Andy McBrine (35) and when David O’Sullivan hit three sixes in a quickfire 27, it looked as if they would win comfortably. Merrion captain Max Sorensen had other ideas and his five-wicket haul set up a tense finale that Donemana edged. Earlier, Merrion’s Australian professional Connor Blaxall-Hill top-scored with 109, adding 143 for the third wicket with John Anderson (64), but their middle and late-order has been their Achilles heel and they failed to fire in the latter stages – all out for 222. That was to prove their downfall.

Instonians bowed out at Pembroke despite the hosts missing no fewer than six Irish internationals. It was a seventh Andrew Balbirnie – surplus to requirements in T20I’s – that was to be the match winner. He survived an early lbw call to go on to make 118 (six fours, five sixes) sharing an opening stand of 102 with JJ Garth (40) as the hosts made 261 for seven. The Shaws Bridge reply was poor as they slumped to 115 for nine, given some respectability by a last wicket partnership of 50 between James Lambert (31 not out) and James Magee (20).

CIYMS produced a fine all-round display to oust Railway Union. Herman Rolfes hit eight fours and two sixes in a fine unbeaten 98 that propelled the Belmont side to 252 for six in 41 overs. There were runs too for Chris Dougherty (53), Jack Beattie (30) and Carson McCullough (28). The Dublin side looked threatening as opener Hedayat Khogiana thumped 11 fours and four sixes in a 79-ball century, adding 116 for the second wicket with Irish youth international Robert O’Brien. It was very much in the balance at 161 for one in the 27th over, but teenage spinner Alex Armstrong broke the stand, and went on to claim a five-wicket haul that included Ireland World Cup hero Kevin O’Brien in a 49-run win.

Lisburn were in early trouble in the all-NCU clash, with Sean Davey’s opening spell having them in trouble at 61 for four. Not for the first time this season Neil Whitworth and Nigel Jones got them out of a sticky situation in a fifth wicket stand worth 65. Jones top-scored with 43, while Whitworth made 34 in a total of 180. It may not have looked too many, but an hour into the CSNI reply and they had stumbled to 55 for nine. Josh Manley claimed a five-wicket haul, and there were two apiece for Ryan MacBeth and Adam Kennedy. Paddy Beverland hit three sixes in a defiant 43 but it was all in vain as Lisburn won by 77 runs.

Balbriggan pulled off one of the great escapes to dump two-time winners Leinster out of the tournament. Conor Fletcher made 34 in what appeared a woefully inadequate 102 - four wickets for Joey Carroll and three for Bilal Azhar. Not too many would have backed Balbriggan at the halfway point, but my word they stuck to their task well and Seb De Oliveria (4-34) , Andrew Darroch (2-30) and Matthew Hollard (3-19) clinched a famous win by just two runs.

David Delany and John McNally were the Clontarf heroes as they overcame a shaky start to beat Rush by 75 runs. Allan Eastwood (4-61) and Asher Abbasi (3-49) had reduced Clontarf to 89 for six, but skipper Delany's brilliant 99-ball unbeaten 101 (11 fours) helped them to 247 for 8, adding 87 for the 7th wicket with Andrew Delany (26). The chase was all about McNally's six-wicket haul that saw Rush  bowled out for 172 - three wickets also for Ethan Marshall.

Coleraine must have thought they were in with a real chance against five-times winners North County after scoring 237 for three in 44 overs. Louren Steenkamo made an even time unbeaten 134 that included nine fours and six sixes, adding 177 in 30 overs with former Irish international David Cooke. Brian Dunphy (86) and Jamie Grassi (79 not out) shared a match winning fourth wicket stand of 156 to deny the Bannsiders.

Malahide skipper James Newland was the last-ball hero as they knocked out holders Phoenix by two wickets in a real thriller. Phoenix had made 253 for 9 with a solid batting effort seeing runs from Eknoor Singh and Raghav Grover - who both made 47 - skipper Adam Chester (43), Tyrone Kane (33), and Joe Cotgreave (30). Peter Chase 3-19 was the pick of the bowling unit. Amish Sidhu's four wickets had Phoenix on top, but Malahide hung in there with Jeremy Martins and Mike Frost both making half centuries and Matt Ford a hard-hit 43. It all came down to the final ball and Newland's boundary won the day in a game that will live long in the memory.