Perhaps it could have been a different story as Downpatrick won the toss and inserted North Down. With 13 overs gone the home side were struggling on 59 for 4, one more wicket and the North Down tail would be exposed.
The one more wicket was the problem; Ryan Haire had stood tall amidst the chaos around him. Jo Montgomery with two centuries to his name gloved his first ball from Paul Tate and keeper Stephen Ferguson completed the job.
In the next over it was Tate again this time swooping from backward point to run out Sutherland for four. In the 12th over it was North Down captain Peter Shields who was back in the pavilion, slipping in midwicket as he answered a call from Haire.
Next over it was Ralph Coetzee making his first appearance of the season at Comber who slashed Andy Bassett to gully and James Cunningham held on to the shell.
From there on it was the Haire show as father Robin joined Ryan and the pair showed no mercy on the Downpatrick bowlers adding 176 in the next 31 overs.
Ireland coach Phil Simmons was there to watch squad members Peter Connell and Gavin McKenna but surely it was the name of Ryan Haire that went into his notebook. Haire has missed the start to the season being in the West Indies with the Ireland Under 15 squad but he made up for lost time.
In the 33rd over he took a single that not only took him to a century but also brought up the 100 partnership. In all he faced 141 balls making 147. When he was out in the 44th over he had struck 19 fours and cleared the ropes four times. His was an exhibition of both timing and placement.
Robin’s innings of 59 was a more sedate affair with 5 fours but if Downpatrick thought the punishment was over think again. Marty Moreland came in and in 26 balls smashed 49 not out with 3 sixes and 5 fours.
Of the Downpatrick bowlers only Bassett with 1 for 37 from 10 and Paul Tate with 4 for 45 from his 10 emerged with credit and 297 was way beyond their capabilities in reply.
Neil Gelston and Dale Mullan seemed to weather the opening storm of Connell and McKenna and it was a run out which saw the end for Gelston.
Downpatrick never managed to get any sort of partnership going and it was the introduction of Moreland that effectively closed the game down for the home side. He struck with a wicket in four of his first five overs and picked up another in his 9th to finish with 5 for 35. On any other day 49 not out and 5 wickets would be good enough to win the Man of the Match but not today.
Dale Mullan made 27 but at the end of the day you could not help but feel it was a just a case of going through the motions and that North Down could turn up a gear if they really needed to.
NCU, Chairman Wylie McKinty admitted that Moreland’s heroics with the ball had turned what he thought was a simple decision into a more challenging one but there really was no argument when Ryan Haire stepped up to receive the TCH Down Democrat award from the CEO of TCH Democrat Media, Kieran Moloney.
CIYMS once again proved to be the downfall of Lisburn. In 2006 it was as underdogs at the semi-final stage but this time really CI were the favourites to win as Lisburn seem to be totally reliant on professional Gerhardt Strydom.
As professionals are ineligible to play in the cup that barrier was out of the way. Lisburn had an absolutely horrendous start slumping to 54 for 6. The man who ensured they at least passed the100 mark was David Graham.
Graham came in at 17 for 2 and was 9th out for 40 with the score on 103. Simon Flanagan took 3 for 29, CI skipper Stephen Hughes 3 for 36 and there were two wickets for Ross Boultwood. Paul McCrum only conceded 12 runs from his 10 overs.
Derek Heasley dominated with the bat in the CI reply and despite losing three wickets his 70 not out not only won him the Down Democrat Man of the Match award but ensured that CI wrapped up a 7 wicket victory with 23 0vers to spare.
AtMiddle Road the home team Carrickfergus batted first and wracked up an impressive 259 for the loss of only one wicket. The only wicket that fell came with 173 already on the board.
Barry Copper who specialises in making big scores in the Challenge Cup won the TCH award with an unbeaten 113. Andrew Cowden also made 68 and Ryan Eagleson 49 not out.
Muckamore made a decent attempt in reply and got within 49 runs, which was coincidently the number of extras conceded by the Carrickfergus attack. Jason van der Merwe top scored with 37 and Brian Baguley 35.There were three wickets for Eagleson and two for Campbell.
In the days other match CSNI were too strong for Laurelvale even with home advantage. The visitor’s score of 271 was built mainly around 75 from captain Nigel Jones and a quick fire 80 from Wayne Horwood. Incidentally former Saintfield player Maurice Clegg made his debut for CSNI, scoring 28.
Wayne Pearson took 2 for 38 including the prize wicket of Regan West who again failed with the bat, however he did redeem himself with figures of 3 for 10 as Laurelvale were dismissed for 155.
Charlie McCrum another man who seems to thrive in the cup made 52 for Laurelvale and Horwood won the TCH award for his 80 backed up with a tidy 5 overs for only 10 runs.
