Armagh look to upset the odds against Waringstown in Challenge Cup showdown

The King was in Armagh on Thursday and although he didn’t make it to The Mall, cricket royalty will be playing at the picturesque venue on Saturday when the Section One club host Waringstown in the second round of the Gallagher Challenge Cup.

It may be five years since Waringstown last lifted the NCU’s top knock-out trophy but their record in the competition and, more recently in the Irish Senior Cup, which they won three times in five successive Final appearances from 2015 still makes them the team everyone loves to beat.

Armagh had their chance last year when they played them at The Lawn but a century from Morgan Topping, who will be in action again on Saturday, put the Villagers out of sight. Now they make their first visit to The Mall since Armagh’s one-year stay in the Premier League in 2018.

Even with home advantage, it’s long odds on a upset — probably because Armagh have yet to beat a Premier League club since their return to the competition in 2014 — but, although Waringstown will be without Ireland internationals James McCollum and Graham Hume, there remains a gulf between the top two sections in the NCU.

Templepatrick and Dundrum will also entertain Premier League opponents, in Carrickfergus and holders CIYMS respectively, while Ballymena must travel to Instonians. But unbeaten joint leaders Muckamore and Cregagh meet at Moylena to ensure one Section One side will be in the last eight.

Meanwhile, it’s been announced that Stormont will host this year’s Cup Final on Friday, August 4. It will be the first that the international venue has hosted the showpiece occasion since 2004 when North Down beat Belfast Harlequins (as hosts Civil Service North were then called) in a two-innings decider.

Schools Cup holders Campbell College are the first team into this year’s Semi-Finals after being Grosvenor Grammar this week. The Quarter-Finals continue today with Sullivan Upper hosting Belfast Royal Academy and last year’s beaten finalists RBAI facing Bangor Grammar.

The remaining Quarter-Final is on Tuesday between Campbell College II and Strabane Grammar, the sole surviving school from the North West.

Fixtures, Today - Schools Cup quarter finals: Sullivan Upper v BRA (3.15pm), RBAI v Bangor Grammar (4.00pm)

LVS T20 Cup (6.00pm): Woodvale v Derriaghy, Civil Service North v CIYMS, Lisburn v Cliftonville Academy

LVS T20 Trophy: Laurelvale v Saintfield, Cregagh v Muckamore, Templepatrick v Dundrum

Sunday - Irish Cup first round (12.30pm): Carrickfergus v Donemana, Cork County v Ardmore.

Super 20 Trophy (2.00pm): Dragons v Typhoons (Eglinton)