On paper this was a banker for the away side who have already defeated the NCU "Big Two" Waringstown and North Down this season.
At 143 for 7 chasing the Cliftonville total of 232 a massive upset was on the cards, but for the second week running the "Old Boys" were indebted to a one-man virtuoso performance to pull it out of the fire. Last week it was Irish international Andrew White this time it was skipper Jon Stevenson who stood up to be counted.
Stevenson carried his bat for 163 not out one of the highest individual scores ever recorded in the Challenge Cup; next best score was 34 from Regan West and no other batsman managed to get beyond 6!
Stevenson having just run out Billy Dale and then watched Campbell falling without scoring leaving Instonians 174 for 9 waited as number 11 Phil Clark made his way to the middle with the fat lady clearing her throat. The pair added a remarkable unbroken 59 for the last wicket with Clark's contribution 2 to leave Cliftonville shell-shocked.
Earlier Neil Cahill top scored with 55 for Cliftonville and Conor McCully weighed in with 45. Evergreen Dale took 3 for 44.
Cup holders Waringstown survived an early wobble against Section Two Dunmurry as they slipped to 79 for 4. However a top scoring 75 in 91 balls from youngster Lee Nelson and a swashbuckling 55 not out from 44 balls with 2 sixes and 4 fours from Simon Harrison provided the backbone for a total of 258.
It was to prove more than 200 too many as Dunmurry crashed to 41 all out. Not many of the batsmen will want to remember this one as seven of them recorded ducks. Waringstown opening bowler Keith Morrison was in inspired form taking 7 for 18 including a hat trick.
Last year's beaten finalists CIYMS took their exit at the hands of neighbours CSNI. 170 always looked below par and only Michael Hingston shone with the bat making 56. CSNI opening bowler Coulter took 3 for 25.
Johnny Hewitt and Derek Heasley bowled tidy spells in the CSNI reply but 69 not out from Stephen Dyer was the difference between the sides as CSNI ran out winners by 6 wickets.
Lurgan's dismal form with the bat continues to hold them back. At Wallace Park Lisburn batted first and Uel Graham top scored with 74 and put on 109 for the 4th wicket with David Simpson who made 45 in 66 balls with 2 fours.
Craig Irwin made 47 for Lurgan and Greg Thompson took 4 for 44, but it was Simpson who won the Down Democrat Man of the Match following his batting display by taking the first three Lurgan wickets to fall at the cost of 10 runs.
North Down had a relatively comfortable victory over Woodvale, dismissing them for 130 with Gavin McKenna taking 4 for 20. Ralph Coetzee backed this up with 3 for 23.
Neil Russell 54 not out, David Kennedy 36 not out and Ryan Haire with 34 ensured this innings lasted only until the 17th over.
