Before Christmas, the draw for the 2016 Leinster Senior Cup was made live on NEAR 90.3fm, and here we look at that draw in detail.
The current Leinster Senior Cup holders will host Rush in the first round in 2016. The last time the two met in this competition was back in the 2004 final, when a master class from Trent Johnston (102* and 4-38) saw Tarf win by 97 runs. That was Clontarf's seventh Cup title, and since then they have added an astonishing six more. Rush had the best of two more recent Irish Senior Cup meetings, with Ireland's William Porterfield scoring 56 for Rush when they won the 2006 quarter final. The two most recent matches have been in during the 2013 season which Clontarf spent in Division 2 - with Rush losing heavily on both occasions. With the final being held in CLontarf this year (marking the clubs 140th anniversary), there will be added incentive for a 14th Senior Cup title.
One of the Leinster Senior Cup's best records comes up against a club who has yet to win a Senior Cup final. Phoenix may have won 15 Leinster Senior Cups, but with the gap back to that last win in 1982 growing, another triumph is needed by those in the Phoenix part of the Park. Terenure's history in the competition is less successful, and they will go into this as underdogs - a Division 2 team playing against Phoenix who were promoted from the second tier last year. Phoenix's home record in the competition has been awful in recent seasons, losing each of their last three cup games at home. However, that looks positively rosy next to Terenure, who have failed to win a Cup match in the last five seasons. Despite all that, the teams have met relatively rarely recently, with two league matches in 2015 being shared - the game in Phoenix Park being won by Terenure thanks to 66 from Ben Speake.
A first ever meeting between these two teams at first team level - Pembroke vs Balbriggan. It's another Division 1 versus Division 2 match, and as such Pembroke must be favourites. Since being entered for the Senior Cup, Balbriggan have yet to win a match, but have been getting closer and closer to that first victory, with North County sneaking home by two wickets last year. Pembroke's record has been excellent - both historically and in more recent matches. They may not have won the competition since 1999 (the 12th of their Senior Cup wins), but they have been knocking on the door in recent seasons, losing in the final in 2012 and 2013, and losing to YMCA in last year's semi final. Theo Lawson has been instrumental in that success, being the leading run scorer in the competition since 2011, with 579 runs at 57.90, although the Pembroke bowlers have been equally dominant - Barry McCarthy is the competition's leading wicket taker in those last five years, with 23 wickets at 15.48.
Another clash between a Division 1 and Division 2 club, but this one has more cup history than most rivalries in Leinster cricket. The last time they met was in 2013, when a Ryan Gallagher (68 and 3-23) inspired Malahide beat Merrion in Anglesea Road by 41 runs. It was a similar story in 2010, with Malahide running out winners by 63 runs thanks to 3-27 from Glenn Kirwan. There was a thriller in 2008 in an exact repeat of this match. Merrion scored 230-7 with Rory Allwright top scoring with 56*, and Malahide were always in the hunt, as nearly all of the top order got starts. In the end, Sam Cassidy was the last man out, as Merrion won by 2 runs. The sides also met the previous year in the semi final, in a Merrion dominated match. Thinus Fourie dominated for Merrion, taking 4-29 as Malahide made only 151 - Dom Joyce then finished things off quickly with 68* as Merrion won by 9 wickets. In 2004, Joe Morrissey took 5-35 in a second round match, before 50s for Rob Stanton and Damien Poder won the game for Merrion. Going further back in time, Malahide had to give a walkover to Merrion in the 1963 semi final in slightly odd circumstances. Malahide's second round match stretched to 13 days due to a poor summer, with the match eventually being completed only two days before the semi final was due to take place. Malahide requested a postponement, but it was not forthcoming, leaving Malahide no option but to withdraw from the competition. Hopefully something similar will not happen this year!
The last eight meetings between The Hills and Leinster have finished four wins apiece. Whilst that may flatter Leinster a bit (three of those were in 2011 and 2012), movements in and out of the two clubs this winter mean it is too early to call. Their last meeting in the cup was two seasons ago. Cormac McLoughlin scored 128, and Max Sorensen a typically brisk 87 as The Hills ran up 335-7 from their 60 overs. Craig Mallon hit 118* in reply, and Hugh McDonnell52, but The Hills were always on top, winning by 66 runs. Very few would have any complaints if we see a repeat of the 2010 first round match. George Dockrell hit 97, and Anton Scholtz 50 as Leinster made a useful 261. With Will Lennon (3-43) and Carlos Brathwaite (3-45) making early inroads, The Hills were in all sorts of trouble at 170-8. But Peter O'Donnell (later to play for Leinster) made a masterful 42*, as The Hills grabbed victory by 1 wicket.
Only one of the six ties matches two teams from the same division, as Division 1 sides YMCA and North County meet in Claremont Road The one relevant statistic here is that YMCA have won the last nine league and cup matches between the two sides, stretching back to 2012. That doesn't bode too well as North County try and correct the one blot on their copybook over the last 30 years - only one Leinster Senior Cup title in 2003. The three most recent cup meetings between have all been one sided. Robbie Garth took 5-10 in the 2013 second round match (the year that YMCA went on to win the cup), as North County were bowled out for 124. YM won that one by 8 wickets thanks to 76* from Alan Lewis. In 2008, the boot was on the other foot, as Eddie Richardson took 4-42, helping to dismiss YMCA for 99 - a Reinhardt Strydom 50 hastened the premature end of that match in North County's favour. The year before, the roles were reversed one more. Paul Beacroft took 4-32 as North County were bowled out for 150. Wayne Murray then hit a quick 63, as YMCA one with 34 overs to spare. This is one match that could really go either way.
The draw is completed with byes for North Kildare and Railway Union. North Kildare are in the Senior Cup draw for the first time (although County Kildare were a Senior Club back in 1924), whilst Railway Union will be looking to win their quarter final for the first time since 2012