IT MIGHT be a little early to say Derriaghy are doing a Leicester but if they win their Irish Senior Cup tie at Donemana, the rest of the country might have to sit up and take notice.

There has been precious little time for clubs to find their feet after last week’s first round of league matches but we’re already into one of the most pivotal days of the season this Saturday with the start of the Irish Senior Cup

Traditionally the first couple of rounds of the Irish Senior Cup end in carnage from an NCU perspective. Last year six fell at the first hurdle and the previous year, even worse it was seven.

News from the nine Irish Senior Cup ties that beat the elements, including a last over win for Instonians over Clontarf and wins for Waringstown, YMCA, Eglinton, Fox Lodge, The Hills, Pembroke, Phoenix and North County.

HOLDERS Waringstown are safely through to the second round of the Irish Senior Cup after an emphatic eight wicket win against Bready in a rain-affected contest.

Performance of the day was split between Eglinton and Fox Lodge; the former recovering from last weekend’s mauling by Donemana as they proved too strong for Muckamore while the Foxies continued to hold the Indian sign over Leinster.

Six wins out of eight with three more home ties to come, should ensure another dominant first round for Leinster teams in the Irish Senior Cup.

EGLINTON and Fox Lodge did the North West proud in the first round of the Irish Senior Cup, one with an emphatic win, the other with a surprise victory.

While there was plenty of rain up and down the country however, the teams drawn away from home enjoyed better fortunes and that was certainly true for one team in particular.

All five NW sides in replay action crash out of Irish Senior Cup, while 2006 winners Railway Union are beaten in a bowl-out by Cork County.

Derriaghy win again while the Carrickfergus road show continues, and CIYMS ease to victory over Brigade.

The draws have been made for the second rounds of both the Irish Senior and National Cups.

Rain ruined yesterday’s Irish Senior Cup action but Cork County and Merrion aren't complaining.

Local cricket and it was certainly a case of black Sunday for NW clubs as all five who were in action crashed out of the Irish Senior Cup.

They have had to wait three weeks to follow-up their success against CIYMS, but proved that win was no fluke by knocking Donemana out of the Irish Cup on another woeful day for NW teams in their bogey competition.

Eglinton’s John Pierce labelled this one the villagers v the villagers as soon as the draw was made and while the North West side was delighted with the prospect of such a high profile game, they are in no doubt at all about the size of the test in front of them.

Holders Waringstown are one of four NCU sides through the last 8 of the Irish Senior Cup after they trounced Eglinton by 10 wickets.

When was the last time four clubs from the Northern Cricket Union, for too long bit-part players in Ireland’s premier knockout competition, reached the quarter-finals of the Irish Cup?

HOLDERS Waringstown led the NCU’s charge into the quarter-finals of the Irish Senior Cup where, for the first time since 2000, they will provide half of the last eight.

The tournament director of cricket’s Irish Cup has defended the scheduling of the quarter-final draw almost two-and-a-half weeks after Sunday’s second round ties were completed.

Cricket Ireland have undoubtedly missed a trick over their handling of the Irish Cup quarter-final draw.

HOLDERS Waringstown face five times winners North County in the quarter-finals of the Irish Senior Cup in the draw made at Malahide.

THREE of the Leinster sides left in the Irish Senior Cup will be hoping the poor weather forecast for tomorrow proves accurate as it will give them home advantage in any rearrangement next Sunday.

Merrion were convincing 10 wicket winners against Derriaghy to reach the semi-finals of the Irish Senior Cup.

Holders Waringstown, YMCA, and Instonians join Merrion in the semi-final draw.

Holders Waringstown have been handed a home draw against fellow NCU side Instonians in the semi-finals of the Irish Senior Cup.

Merrion and Waringstown will meet again in the final of the Irish Senior Cup in a repeat of the 2015 final.

Lee Nelson and Greg Thompson produced one of the great Irish Cup partnerships at The Lawn as holders Waringstown beat Instonians to book a repeat of last year’s final with Merrion.

Waringstown will attempt to become only the second team in the 35-year history of the Irish Cup to retain the trophy tomorrow when they face Merrion in this year's final at Castle Avenue.

The highlight of the Irish club season takes place at Clontarf on Saturday when Irish Cup holders Waringstown defend their title against Merrion – in a repeat of the 2015 decider.

Waringstown and Merrion will meet in the “Battle of Clontarf” in a repeat of the 2015 Irish Senior Cup final in what promises to be an occasion to saviour, while Laois and Rush meet in all-Leinster National Cup final.

Despite a concussion which put him out for three weeks, he has scored well over 1,000 runs and yesterday crowned the summer with a match-winning century as Merrion put their battle against relegation aside to regain the Bob Kerr Irish Senior Cup.

JOHN ANDERSON'S superb century led Merrion to their second Irish Senior Cup title as they beat holders Waringstown by 56 runs at a sun-drenched Castle Avenue.