Merrion and Waringstown will meet again in the final of the Irish Senior Cup in a repeat of the 2015 final after wins over YMCA and Instonians on Saturday.

When you're hot, you're hot and Greg Thompson passed 1000 runs for the season in all competitions as Waringstown chased down a potentially tricky target of 221.

At 75 for 3, with this week's double centurion Adam Dennison retired hurt, the semi-final clash was very much in the balance.

However that was as good as it got for Instonians as Thompson and skipper Lee Nelson guided their team home in a seven wicket win.

Whereas Friday night's T20 victory had been a one-man show from Thompson, this was definitely a partnership of equals, with both players sharing the glory in a match-winning stand.

The pair were watchful at first before growing in confidence as the finishing line came into sight.

The stats will show that they added 149 in 27.4 overs, with Thompson top scoring with 74 from 85 balls (9 fours, 1 six), and Nelson 70 from 82 (7 fours, 1 six).

Earlier, Instonians were indebted to Andrew White (70) and Rusty Theron (48) as they recovered from 54 for 4 to post what looked like a competitive 220 for 8.

The win sees Waringstown through to another final and they will start slight favourites to make it a record equalling fifth win in the blue riband competition of Irish domestic cricket.

They will face familiar rivals in Merrion - themselves something of cup specialists having reached their 4th showpiece decider in 5 years with victory against South Dublin rivals YMCA.

It was the competition's most successful player who guided the Angelsea Road to the final - John Anderson has overtaken Conor Armstrong and Decker Curry this season to become the highest run scorer in the 35-year history of the event.

Anderson's undefeated 74 saw Merrion overhaul YMCA's 251 - hitting his only six to seal the win with two balls remaining.

The run chase was set up by an opening stand of 117 with Patrick Tice (63) and Dom Joyce (62) also scoring half centuries.

Yaqoob Ali's three wickets merely delayed the inevitable as Merrion wobbled but thanks to Anderson' cool head got over the line.

Earlier veteran Alan Lewis (48) shared stands of 60 with both top scorer Sean Terry (51) and Harry Tector (38) to give YMCA hope of reaching their first final - but it was not to be.

The ferret dance was in full force in the post-match celebrations as Dave Langford-Smith had extra cause to celebrate - his 4 for 8 preventing YMCA from posting what could well have been a match winning total.

The final will take place at Clontarf on Saturday August 27 (11:30am).