There is a familiar line-up in the quarter-finals of the NCU Challenge Cup on Sunday. Seven of the eight clubs left in the competition have all played in the Cup final at least once in the last five years, with Waringstown, the holders, and CI winning on both their appearances.

The other recent winners looking to win back the Cup are Muckamore, in 2024, while the infiltrators this year are Lurgan, bidding to reach their first Challenge Cup semi-final since 2004, two years after they lifted the Cup.

Lurgan are one of two Section One teams left in the competition and like 2023 finalists Carrickfergus will start big underdogs on Sunday. Stephen Johnston’s side are leading the way in the league table with five wins out of six but relishing the chance to play the holders at The Lawn.

“Sunday is a massive day for us, just to prove a little bit to ourselves that we are on the right trajectory. Hopefully we can at least cope with the occasion and try our best to get a good run.

“It’s been a long, long time since we played at The Lawn, I have been captain now for 10 years on and off and I know we have had limited opportunities and not sure if I’ve ever come out on top.

“So, looking forward to the challenge again, and it’s a big day for the club in terms of family history even that we can all relate to, going back to the days watching the likes of my uncle Alan and people like that running in at The Lawn.”

Impressive victories over Armagh and Cregagh have earned Lurgan their place in their first quarter-final since 2014 but Johnston knows this is a huge step up.

“Obviously those were two teams in our own league and every time we go into a league game we have the ambition to try and win. So now it will be fantastic to test ourselves against ultimately one of the top, top teams in the Premier League who are top quality from one to 11. Let’s see how it goes. If we can be competitive and give them a run for their money you just never know.“

One player in particular who will be looking forward to testing himself against the cream of the NCU is Aussie professional Liam Doddrell who announced himself on the scene in the first round of the Cup, with 153 against Armagh; the victory margin was 112 runs.

“It’s been so far so good for Liam,” says his captain. “We bought him as a bowler with the intention that he could bat higher up but he proved he can hold a bat! He’s made two 150s for us and got a couple of 30s and 40, so absolutely looking forward to see how he gets on against that higher quality.

“He was in the Sydney Thunder Big Bash squad but didn’t get the chance, a few injuries hampered him so he’s trying to get himself on the way back up again.”

The other new face this year is Jaydee Oliver, who top scored with 62 in the win against Cregagh.

“He’s a South African who is here doing a degree in Lisburn and he’s ingrained himself in the Northern Ireland way of life and really fitted in around the club. He’s doing a lot to help the club and we are doing a lot to help him, so it’s a good balance.”

“Also, John Guy has been good with bat and ball, he’s got a couple of critical 30s and is now one of the elder statesmen, along with myself and Stephen Chambers. We have Ivan (Sinovich) returning from holiday this weekend, he’s also been very consistent, and in Darwish (Nazari) it’s also good to have a spinner. He did brilliantly for us at the weekend and again on Wednesday night (he conceded just 20 runs in nine overs in the two games).

Lurgan, though, have more than the Cup on their mind this weekend, with Saturday’s game at Carrickfergus actually the more important for the future of the club, which has ambitions to return to the top flight for the first time since 2013. Wednesday’s night victory over Saintfield put them ahead of Bangor and Carrick but they have played one game more, so it is still all to play for with only two promotion places up for grabs.

“I think our primary focus has to be trying to get another four points in the league and cementing ourselves as one of the three teams, along with Bangor and Carrickfergus, who it looks like will be up there at the end of the season. So that has to be the ultimate focus but we are all looking forward to the derby as well.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Carrickfergus must go to Shaw’s Bridge to face Shane Dadswell and defending Premier League champions Instonians, while Laurelvale, in their first quarter-final since 2007, host CI, who won the Cup five times between 2015 and 2022.

The closest match of the round could be at Moylena where Muckamore and Neil Brand are now at home to Civil Service North, the game having been switched because Stormont is out of bounds this weekend ahead of the two T20 internationals against India on Friday and Sunday week.

CSN, by the way, were beaten finalists in 2022 and 2018 but haven’t won the Cup since 2014. Finalists every four years, will 2026 continue the sequence?