The RSA Middle Cup draw for 2014 throws up the usual mix of renewed rivalries, new versus old, and underdog against favourite. The competition contains clubs from Divisions 4, 5 and 6, and as such it's tempting to look at those higher clubs as the ones to beat.
Last year's final saw Malahide 3 beat Castleknock, Hamish Manks' stunning 5-19 finishing off the Castleknock resistance. Their defence will get off to the hardest possible start, with a trip to play Merrion 3, now in Division 4. History favours a win for the Division 5 side though, with three Malahide victories in the last five meetings between the two, including crucially last year's Middle Cup semi final.
Of the other two Division 4 sides, Pembroke 3 (the 2011 Champions) will be happier than YMCA 3 (the 2012 Champions). Pembroke host North County 3, and despite North County winning their previous meeting in 2011, much has changed since then, and Pembroke will be confident. YMCA 3 have the tricky task of playing Clontarf 3 in Castle Avenue. The sides met in the 2012 Middle Cup, with Padraig Flanagan's 69 proving vital as YM won by 2 runs.
The only all Division 5 tie is an intriguing one, and an impossible one to predict. Greystones' rise up the competitive ladder of Leinster Cricket has been well documented, After one season each in the Junior and Middle 2 Cups ,they now go up to the Middle Cup to take on Merrion 4.
The five Division 6 sides in the draw will face a long struggle to get final, but at least two of them will be playing each other. Phoenix 3 will go to Rush, and with the head-to-head at 1-1 over the last three seasons, a close one is anticipated. Longford 1 will welcome Railway Union 3 to Newtownforbes, and have the added bonus of being at the top of the draw, meaning they could be at home all the way to the final. However, they lost twice to Railway Union 4 in 2013, and will need an improvement to advance to the second round.
In the remaining ties, Castleknock 1 go to Terenure, to whom they have lost the last four times they have played them. Finally Leinster 3 go to Park Avenue to play Railway Union 4, a team that was largely comprised of ex-Leinster players in 2013!
Full draw as below.