THE King was in Armagh yesterday and although he didn’t make it to The Mall, cricket royalty will be playing at the picturesque venue tomorrow when the Section One club host Waringstown in the second round of the  Challenge Cup.

It may be five years since Waringstown last lifted the NCU’s top knock-out trophy but their record in the competition and, more recently in the Irish Senior Cup, which they won three times in five successive final appearances from 2015 still makes them the team everyone loves to beat.

Armagh had their chance last year when they played them at The Lawn but a century from Morgan Topping, who will be in action again today, put the Villagers out of sight. Now they make their first visit to The Mall since Armagh’s one-year stay in the Premier League in 2018.

Even with home advantage, it’s long odds on a upset – probably because Armagh have yet to beat a Premier League club since their return to the competition in 2014 - but, although Waringstown will be without Ireland internationals James McCollum and Graham Hume, there remains a gulf between the top two sections in the NCU.

Templepatrick and Dundrum will also entertain Premier League opponents, in Carrickfergus and holders CIYMS respectively, while Ballymena must travel to Instonians.

One Section One side is sure to be in the last eight after unbeaten joint leaders Muckamore and Cregagh meet at Moylena while three Premiership teams are certain to exit the competition as league champions Lisburn make a second visit of the season to Cliftonville Academy, North Down host Derriaghy and Woodvale meet Civil Service North, two teams coming off the back of Irish Cup losses last week.

Meanwhile, it’s been announced that Stormont will host this year’s Cup Final on Friday August 4.

It will be the first time that the international venue has hosted the showpiece occasion since 2004 when North Down beat Belfast Harlequins (as hosts Civil North North were then called) in a two-innings decider.

North Down have hosted the final for the last 10 years, with CIYMS defeating CSN last season.

Schools Cup holders Campbell College are the first team into this year’s semi-finals after beating Grosvenor Grammar this week. The quarter-finals continue today with Sullivan Upper hosting Belfast Royal Academy and last year’s beaten finalists RBAI facing Bangor Grammar.

The remaining quarter-final is on Tuesday between Campbell College II and Strabane Grammar, the sole surviving school from the North West.