2016 Open Comps Division 2 fixtures

The Open Competitions Division 2 fixtures for the 2016 season have been announced, with the first question to be answered concerning the teams that are involved in Division 2 this coming season.

WIth Merrion 2 and Clontarf 2 requesting not to be promoted (as winners and runners-up in Division 3), and YMCA 2 wishing to be relegated (as they finished in the bottom two of Division 2 last year), the Open Competitions Committee was faced with a problem of how to fill the last two spots in Division 2. North Kildare 1 finished 3rd in Division 3 to fill one spot, and Dublin University 1, who had such a difficult season in 2015, finishing bottom of the table, were reprieved and complete the octet.

With the students needing to finish their season by early June, there have once again been large scale alterations to the fixture list. Dublin University get the season up and running when they travel to Malahide on Saturday 30th April, in what will be a tough start, with Malahide keen to bounce straight back up to Division 1.

Four other teams start their season the week after. Cork County were the other team relegated to Division 2, and they start their season with a trip to Rush. Balbriggan commence with a trip to College Park, whilst Terenure go to Malahide, who get their second home game of the season.

North Kildare play their historic first match in Division 2 at their home in The Maws on Sunday 1st May, when Dublin University travel to Kildare. Astonishingly, Leinster then finally start their league season on Saturday 14th May when they go to Balbriggan.

At the end of the year, it is always tempting to wonder which of the three league matches will be edge of the seat affairs, and which will be the dead encounters before the proverbial one man and his dog. Cork County will host Balbriggan in The Mardyke on Saturday 3rd September, and with Balbriggan tipped by many to have a good season, that match could well be instumental in deciding the top of the league. There will be a testy Division 6 derby in Rathmines when Terenure travel down Leinster Road to play Leinster, whilst the third game sees Malahide host Rush, in what could well be another crucial game.

With North Kildare and Dublin University both having finished their seasons at that point, they will be relaxing at home, hoping that they have enough points on the board.