Here's a thought that whilst may not have you spluttering over your elevenses ,will at least make you think - however briefly.
In the draw for this year's 2014 RSA Intermediate Cup, there are five teams who played in cup finals in 2013. Civil Service 2 lost the Middle 2 Cup final, Swords 1 and Phoenix 4 battled in the Inter cup final, and Greystones 2 and Slieve Bloom 1 played out the Junior Cup final. They can't all do the same this year, so someone will be disappointed!
How have those five fared in the draw? Let's start with the defending champions Phoenix 4. There are teams from Divisions 8, 9 and 10 in the draw, so as a Division 9 team, Phoenix must be thought of as amongst the favourites. They travel to Park Avenue to play Railway Union 5 of Division 10. You may have though that that would point towards a Phoenix win? The teams played twice last year, with Railway winning both encounters (by 7 runs and 11 runs), so it should be close.
The 2014 runners up, Swords 1 have drawn the plum tie of being at the top of the draw, ensuring home matches all the way to the final. They will welcome Knockharley 2 to Newbridge House, a none too easy proposition, as Knockharley are another of the Division 8 teams. In their only previous meeting, Knockharley won by over 100 runs, and Swords may be struggling to replicate their 2013 cup run.
Only Clontarf 4 and Dundrum 2 have a better Middle 2 Cup record than Civil Service 2 in the last three years, which means they have to be the strong favourites for the Inter Cup. The task of stopping them in the first round falls to Ringcommons 1 in a match that will be the first meeting between the clubs.
Famously, the 2013 Junior Cup went to Kilcormac, with Slieve Bloom winning the trophy in their first season in Leinster. In 2014 they will step a level, and will play Division 9 side Sandyford 2. Greystones 2 also step up a level, and will be dark horses in the Inter Cup. They will host Mullingar 2 in an all Division 9 tie that could be a close one, with no previous meeting between the two to give us a guide.
That leaves three more matches, There is a Dublin 6 derby, as Terenure 3 travel down Leinster Road to play Leinster 5. The home side won both the league encounters between these two, and will be favourites to advance to the next round. At least one Division 8 side will be knocked out on the first round, as Malahide 4 travel to Sandymount to play YMCA 4, whilst in the last tie, North County 4 of Division 9 host Merrion 6 of Divison 10, with Merrion 6 not having played a North County team in the last three years.