The Harry Cavan Youth Cup began in earnest as the Second Round was played out over the past few days.
The 'tie of the round' paired Portadown with Dungannon Swifts at the Kernan Playing Fields.
The Swifts seized the early advantage when Tommy Taggert opened the scoring on 12 minutes, and they remained in front until ten minutes into the second half when Zak Richardson levelled for the Ports.
The home side then squandered the opportunity to move in front for the first time when Zac Creighton failed to find the net from the spot, but Damian Traczykowski struck two minutes after that to knock home what proved to be Portadown's winner.
Holders Larne kicked off their defence of the trophy with a 4-1 defeat of St. Mary's YC at Inver Park.
Two goals to the good at the break through Alex McAlister and Micheal Carson, the home side extended their advantage when Stephen Crooks netted just after the hour.
Daire Walsh pulled one back for the visitors one after but Seamus Kelly restored Larne's three-goal cushion to wrap the scoring up right at the end.
Crusaders, last season's runners-up, needed two late goals to squeeze past Ballinamallard United at Seaview.
The Mallards raced into an early lead when Jack Beatty found the net after just two minutes, a lead the visitors held until Jack Martindale levelled with just under a quarter-of-an-hour remaining. Scott Macleod then popped up with three minutes remaining to ensure safe passage for the Crues.
For sheer drama Drumgor Road was the place to be as HW Welders hit back from three goals down after an hour to send Craigavon City crashing out of the competition.
Craigavon looked to be home and dry after a couple of first half goals from Thomas Sheridan in addition to an Adam Sindler strike on 58 minutes seemed to put them into an unassailable lead.
The Welders were thrown a glimmer of hope when substitute Viorel-Augustin Teodorescu hit what looked like to be little more than a consolation on 76 minutes.
But it was well and truly game on with four minutes to go when Daniel McCaffery found the net to reduce the deficit further before, remarkably, he levelled just moments after that.
And, in a scarcely believable further twist, McCaffery then struck five minutes into added time to claim his hat-trick and send the Welders into the next round!
However, the only other hat-trick of the round came at the Whiterock Leisure Centre as Institute breezed past Newhill on Sunday afternoon.
Kyle Melly returned to the North West with the match ball after hitting three goals either side of the break, in addition to finishes later in the game from team-mates Louis Chambers, Callum Deery, Thomas McLaughlin and Oran Donnelly.
Elsewhere, no fewer than seven players - Alfie Mitchell, Joseph Sheridan, Oilibhear McCart, Shay Reid, Thomas Duffin, Caoimhin Frith and Kevin McAllister - found the net for Cliftonville as they swept past Ballyclare Comrades, while Ballymena United had six different names on the scoresheet in their defeat of Crumlin United.
AET
({{fixture.homePenaltyScore}} - {{fixture.awayPenaltyScore}}) penalties
{{fixture.compName}} {{getType(fixture)}}
{{fixture.dateFormatted2}}, {{fixture.timeFormatted}} Kick Off Time TBC at {{fixture.stadium}}
