There will be six teams from Leinster and two from the NCU in the last eight of the Irish Cup after a day of drama.

Holders Pembroke are through by the skin of their teeth, by virtue of losing fewer wickets. YMCA rallied from 38 for 4 to post 189 thanks to a half century from Curtis Campher who added 68 for the fifth wicket with Tim Tector (35).

Barry McCarthy took three wickets and was at the crease sooner than expected as Pembroke collapsed to 27 for 4. He and skipper Theo Lawson both made half centuries in a stand of 99 to get the innings back on track.

Ireland youth international Reuben Wilson took five wickets but it wasn’t enough as Paul Lawson got the single needed to tie the scores from the penultimate ball of the match, and Piyush Sharma survived the final ball, denying YM the chance to force the super over in a game that was worthy of the final.

CIYMS are searching their first win in the competition and were ruthlessly efficient in their 140-run demolition of Newbuildings.

A solid batting effort saw double figures contributions from all ten batsmen, with Ross Adair and Jacob Mulder both making 41 in their total of 326 for 8.

Newbuildings were without their talisman JT, and were soon in trouble as Keith Dudgeon took 4 for 32 including Ryan Hunter first ball. Skipper Jared Wilson added respectability with a brilliant 124 that included 12 sixes and 9 fours, but that and Gareth McKeegan’s 36 were all of note as they were bowled out for 186.

NW involvement in the competition ended as Donemana lost by 84 runs against Lisburn at Wallace Park.

The home side lost professional Faiz Fazal in the first over, and looked in serious trouble at 79 for 6. However Matthew Humphreys (58) added 81 for the 7th wicket with Robert Rankin (32) and 75 for the 8th wicket with Mark Berry (39*) to get them to the dizzy heights of 243.

Humphreys then took three wickets, and skipper Callum Atkinson 4-36 as Donemana were bowled out for 159 despite a battling half century from William McClintock.

The competition’s most successful side Waringstown bowed out after being well beaten by Leinster at Rathmines.

Gareth Delany hit 12 fours and a six in his top score of 97 in 93 balls, sharing stands of 76 with Saqib Bahadur (27) and 72 with Chris Janik (41) as they posted 252. Jamie Gibson (4-24) was the pick of the visitors’ attack, while there were also wickets for Ross Allen (3-38) and Kyle McCallan (2-52).

Waringstown captain Lee Nelson was scathing of Cricket Ireland’s decision to arrange a Development XI friendly which robbed them of three high profile players for the game, and his mood won’t have improved as he fell first ball of the chase – one of five wickets for Ben Mitchell (5-15), Gibson hit a defiant half century, while James Mitchell hit a few late blows in his unbeaten 38, but the result was a foregone conclusion – Waringstown losing by 88 runs.

It looked as if it would be a one-sided contest at Anglesea Road after Clontarf slipped to 8 for 3 batting first against Merrion.

However they rallied to make 226 thanks primarily to skipper Eoghan Delany who hit 11 boundaries in his unbeaten 109. He shared vital partnerships with John McNally (36), David Vincent (20) and Paul Ryan (31).

Mick Granger (3-18) had the Merrion reply in trouble at 50 for 5, but they were given hope by a century stand between Franco Marais (48) and Sean Stanton (46). However once the partnership was broken by Ruan Cronje (3-32), Merrion were bowled out for 180.

The Hills’ quest for a third title is very much alive after a comprehensive 205-run win at home to Cork County. Mark Donegan hit 12 fours and 4 sixes in a hard hit 127 not out from just 91 balls as the Milverton side scored 293 for 6 – Cormac McLoughlin-Gavin also getting 68.

Cork could only manage 88 in the chase, with five wickets for Ashad Farooqi, and a first senior scalp for his younger brother Athar, on a day when everything went right for The Hills.

Phoenix accounted for North Down in brutal fashion as they thumped the Comber side by 202 runs in another one-sided game. Their total of 355 for 6 was led by George Dockrell’s 91 (6 fours, 4 sixes), with further half centuries from Theo Dempsey (9 fours, 4 sixes), Nic Pretorius and Adam Chester.

North Down in reply could only manage 153, with Tom Mayes top-scoring with 60. Theo Dempsey took three wickets, while there were two apiece for Oliver Hald, Ben White and Tyrone Kane.

Balbriggan showed their battling qualities as they fought back twice to oust 2011 finalists Instonians at Jack Harper Park. Chris De Freitas hit 11 fours in his 74 as they recovered from 75 for 6 to make 157.

Overseas professional Daniel Rose took four wickets, while there were two apiece for Andrew White, James Magee, and Shane Getkate.

The Shaws Bridge side looked well set at 95 for 3 in the chase, with Getkate scoring a powerful 57. However, they collapsed under the pressure, with Ryan Hadley taking three wickets, and Farooq Nasr and Lewis two apiece in a famous win which was well received by the sizeable home support.

The draw for the quarter-finals will take place on Wednesday.