8 hours ago
Lower-League pair's Challenge Cup Semi-Final dreams are dashed as top-tier foes reign supreme
Judd Markham hit seven fours and two sixes in a 51-ball 58 but received little support from the rest of the Donacloney Mill batters as they were bowled out for 126.
The Lisburn bowling quintet of Neil Whitworth, Adam Kennedy, Ryan Macbeth, Josh Manley and Matthew Humphreys all took two wickets apiece.
Ross Adair (12) went cheaply, but that was to be the sole success for the visitors as, conscious of the showery weather, Humphreys was promoted up the order. The move paid off as the Irish international added 88 in eight overs with overseas professional Faiz Fazal.
Fazal top-scored with an unbeaten 53, while Player of the Match Humphreys made 44 not out, both hitting six fours and three maximums as the nine-wicket win was sealed in just the 11th over.
It was a similar story at Middle Road where, batting first, Carrick would have been pleased to have reached 101 for one against Waringstown, with Atish Varape (54) and Iain Parkhill (34) sharing a century stand.
The wheels came off in spectacular fashion, though, as they lost nine wickets for just 44 runs to be all out for 145.
Waringstown captain Greg Thompson (four for 24) was the destroyer-in-chief, while there were two wickets apiece for Adam Dennison and James Mitchell.
The game was all but over in the powerplay of the chase as Sam Topping and Dennison took the home side attack apart in an opening stand of 128.
Topping bludgeoned eight fours and five sixes in a whirlwind 72 from only 29 deliveries, while Dennison's undefeated 61 saw him hit eight fours and two sixes as the nine-wicket win was sealed in the 15th over.
Cade Carmichael made it back-to-back hundreds as he and Nikolai Smith made sure Instonians made short work of what looked like a challenging target of 212 in 38 against North Down.
Carmichael has enjoyed a prolific 2025 campaign with his form bringing him Irish international recognition, and he was soon into his stride at Shaw's Bridge, hitting 15 fours and three sixes in a rapid 87-ball unbeaten 124.
His stand with Smith was 215 in just 29 overs, with the skipper no slouch himself in an even-time 85 not out (nine fours).
Mickey Copeland (88) and Tyron Koen (66) both made half-centuries for the Comber side, but their bowling unit had no answer to the blitzkrieg of boundaries that the Inst openers unleashed.
If the first three ties were one-sided affairs, then the fourth certainly made amends as Woodvale beat Cliftonville Academy in a last-ball thriller.
Varun Chopra's unbeaten 104 and 56 from Hayden Melly took CA to 253 for eight, with three wickets for Ludwig Kaestner.
A shower meant an adjusted target of 242 in 43 overs, and the chase always seemed to be lagging a little behind as the required rate climbed.
Harry Warke (45) and Stephen Bunting (28) got starts, but when the visitors lost Ruhan Pretorius for just five, the odds were heavily stacked against the Ballygomartin Road side.
However, Kaestner proved the man for the big occasion as he and Finn Restieaux (37 not out) set about chasing down the score.
With eight needed from the last three balls, Restieaux slashed a boundary, followed by a single to leave Kaestner needing three from the final ball. His powerful cut raced to the boundary amidst great scenes.
He finished unbeaten on 112 (nine fours, six sixes), making the Man of the Match award a formality.
The Semi-Final draw will be made on Tuesday during the T20 inter-pro series at Stormont.
