Two teams surprised themselves in reaching the quarter-finals of the Irish Senior Cup. Cork Harlequins were relatively apprehensive about their fourth-round assignment at Banbridge on Saturday but they gained a 2-1 lead and survived a tense finish. In Dublin, Avoca - after several woeful results - went three up by half-time against Corinthians and held on to win 4-3.

Harlequins were relieved that Ireland centre-forward David McAnulty was missing from the Banbridge line-up at Havelock Park. The home side, though, were first to score through Rory Madeley from a crash ball before Richie Gash replied in a similar manner to make it 1-1 at the interval.

The Cork side deserved to edge ahead when Dave Lombard got a touch to a right-wing cross from Dave Eakins and subsequently Jason Black played a strong captain's role in closing down the hatches.

The return of Colin Hade was a factor in Avoca's success as Jonathan Cole mustered a team of sufficient strength to prevail at Whitechurch Park. After Cliff Bailey had forced home his side's third first-half goal, Corinthians managed to make it 3-2 before Enda Gallanagh gave the tiring ex-champions a sufficient cushion.

North Down also relished an away win as they recovered from a tentative start to outshoot Trinity, 5-4, at Santry. Christian Judd fired the under-graduates into the lead and they should have made more of their early dominance before the visitors settled down and attacked with verve.

It was largely due to the agility of Crawford Deane between the posts that the score was no more than level (1-1) at half-time before Aaron Mills and Andy McGimpsey increased the Down tally to five, leaving Trinity with two much leeway to make up.

Of the more powerful sides left in contention, probably the holders, Cork C of I (6-2 winners against Mossley) and Instonians (who outplayed Annadale 4-0) can rank as joint favourites.

Lisnagarvey, too, with a 1-0 defeat of Cookstown, are hanging in there while Pembroke Wanderers generated their most effective performance of the season in eliminating Railway Union, 3-1, at Serpentine Avenue.

Brendan Parsons poached a first-half goal from a Railway breakaway but Pembroke increased the pressure inexorably in the second period as Conor O'Brien and Dave Staniforth finally could do no more against the combined aggression of Justin Sherriff and Gordon Elliott.

The only game to finish scoreless was at Olympia Leisure Centre where Kilkeel gained a place in elite circles by ousting Cliftonville in a shoot-out.