Templepatrick, and Academy from Hydepark will be contesting the semi-finals on Saturday afternoon, and being in opposite sides of the draw they could clash in the final in August in Comber.

The prestigious trophy sponsored by Goldblatt McGuigan, has already been won by Academy, when skipper Brian Boyd led his side to victory against Woodvale II in 2005, but Templepatrick have never managed to get beyond the penultimate stage.

The odds favour progress by Academy. They have already accounted for their opponents, Millpark, this season in Gilford, and even though they will be on the road again they must fancy their chances.

Secretary Jack Quinn said, "In our recent visit to Banford Green we ran out easy winners by 92 runs against Millpark. On that occasion David Menaul's brilliant knock of 118 laid the foundation for a match-winning total of 247, and then Neal Hermon and Lee Thompson took seven wickets to restrict the home side to 155 with fifty-seven deliveries to spare.

"I suppose that as a result we will be dubbed favourites, but form often goes out of the window in a knockout confrontation, so skipper Gerry Sloan will obviously be guarding against complacency in the ranks," ended Jack.

Academy are likely to select from: Gerry Sloan (Capt.), Mark Shields, Brian Kelso, David Menaul, David Greenlees, Danny Morgan, James Wix (wicket-keeper), Peter Riddell, Neal Hermon, Lee Thompson, David Spence, Johnny Irons, Brian Boyd.

UNKNOWN QUANTITY

Templepatrick face an unknown quantity when they take on Lisburn II at The Cloughan, with the strength of the opposition depending largely upon the demands of their senior side.

However the Lisburn lads will be wary of a return to Ballyclare, having suffered a humiliating defeat at the same venue last season.

On that occasion the teams clashed in the quarter-final of the same competition, when Artie Campbell's lads won by the whopping margin of 215 runs, against a young inexperienced side.