Instonians and Waringstown set to meet in Gallagher Challenge Cup final

While Waringstown have won the Northern Cricket Union’s most prestigious cup competition 27 times – a tally only North Down (32) can better – including celebrating success in 2023, Instonians will be looking to end their 13-year wait for glory.

Since last lifting the famous trophy, Inst have reached four finals without getting over the line, but they’ll certainly fancy their chances at Stormont on August 8 given the talent at their disposal.

They booked their spot on the biggest stage by beating Lisburn, who are also their rivals for the Premier League title, by three wickets with Rob McKinley (62*) showing his cool to guide the Shaw’s Bridge outfit to victory.

Electing to bowl after winning the toss, Instonians enjoyed early success as Shane Dadswell (2/37) picked up the wicket of Ireland international Ross Adair in the first over before James Magee (3/12) collected the prize scalp of Lisburn talisman Faiz Fazal.

The visitors fell to 53/5 and looked in a precarious position, but important contributions from former Instonians star Josh Manley (47*), Nigel Jones (44) and David Miller (44) helped drag them up to 187.

Just like the opposition, Lisburn picked up an early wicket as Ireland international Cade Carmichael was caught off the bowling of Manley (2/55) third ball, but McKinley and captain Nikolai Smith (37) steadied the ship, sharing a second-wicket partnership worth 57.

Neil Rock (28) continued to build with McKinley and he found another partner in Dadswell (41) as Instonians kept pushing towards the winning total.

The hosts fell from 167/4 to 184/7 as Adam Kennedy (2/34) and Matthew Humphreys (2/38) combined, but it was McKinley that remained to see his side into the showpiece decider.

It was a fine bowling effort from Waringstown that laid the platform for their eight-wicket triumph over Woodvale at Ballygomartin Road as overseas professional Daniel van der Merwe (4/19) starred.

Van der Merwe dismissed four of Woodvale’s top five batsmen, including picking up the prize scalp of Ruhan Pretorius, as the hosts fell to 46/5 – a position they were never able to recover from.

Carl Robinson (25) and Harry Warke (22) provided some resistance, but Ross Allen and James Cameron-Dow, who both picked up two wickets apiece, carried Waringstown’s momentum throughout the innings.

Woodvale were ultimately bowled out for 121 and would have held some hope of causing a shock when Pretorius bowled Adam Dennison with just the second ball of the innings, but James McCollum (71*) showed his class in ensuring there’d be no unneccessary drama.

In Saturday’s shortened Premier League schedule, a stunning 132 from Jake Egan helped CIYMS successfully chase their winning target of 225 against Templepatrick.

Egan has enjoyed a fine start to life at Belmont since arriving from Carrickfergus and he struck 15 fours alongside six maximums during his 80-ball stay at the crease.

He shared a match-defining partnership of 144 with Hermann Rolfes (52*) as CI won by seven wickets, but Templepatrick will potentially be left to rue a missed opportunity having fallen from 189/3 to 224 all out.

Elsewhere, Neil Brand’s 131 helped set Muckamore up for their 101-run win over CSNI – a result which means the Stormont side will likely finish in the Premier League’s bottom-four this term.