Neil Rock scored his maiden List A century as Northern Knights returned to the top of the inter-provincial Cup table with a 52 runs victory over Munster Reds in Cork.

It was almost as if he had a point to prove after being dropped from the Ireland squad to face India as Rock scored 102 from 73 balls, with nine fours and seven sixes to lead a Knights recovery after they had lost their top four for 86.

Captain Mark Adair then hit five sixes in his 38-ball 61 to get Knights up to 302 for nine and when Theo Van Woerkom then took a wicket in each of his first four overs to reduce the Reds to 106 for seven, it looked to be game over.

However, Liam McCarthy and Josh Manley refused to accept the inevitable, both posting their own highest List A scores and even after McCarthy was caught at mid-off off Matthew Humphreys for 74, Manley and Ben White added another 51 for the final wicket.

Humphreys had the last say, however, trapping his Lisburn team-mate leg before just six runs short of his half-century.

Paul Stirling missed the game because of a family matter and he was replaced by Carrickfergus debutant Jake Egan, who was one of Knights’ early casualties.