The draw for the 2017 Whelan Cup sees twenty five teams start out on the winding path to the final, which will be held in Railway Union on July 23. The Whelan Cup stretches back to 1972, when The Hills 1 won the first Whelan Cup. Remarkably, the team, which has of course won every major title in Irish cricket is also still the joint record holder for most Whelan Cup wins - 3 (a record they share with Leinster 5, Rush 3 and YMCA 4)
The competition, for teams spread across Divisions 9 to 12 has nine preliminary round matches, so without further ado, here are the previews.
Rush 3 are the very first team in the draw and with all competitions held on week nights, guaranteed home draws can make a big difference when players are rushing home from work. They face fellow Division 11 side North Kildare, an opponent that they have not played in recent memory. Rush were runners up in the Whelan Cup in 2015, and their recent pedigree, along with the home draw shoudl ensure they advance.
The winners will play Civil Service 2, a Division 9 side who has back to back wins of the Whelan Cup back in 2003 and 2004. They are a full two divisions higher than both of their possible opponents, but depending on their opponents may be a shock first round exiter.
Phoenix 4 have only won one T20 match in the last three seasons, but that is one more than their first round opponents, Mullingar 2. Home draws are absolutely crucial in the first and preliminary rounds - once teams get to the latter stages of any cup competition, they will always make more of an effort on a Monday night. That gives Phoenix an edge.
They will play the winners of Balbriggan 3 and North County 4, in a tie that for once that should not be affected by who is drawn at home. With less than two miles between the two grounds, it should be just down to playing ability. All Balbriggan sides are rapidly improving, but this is Balbriggan 3's first season in the Whelan Cup, and the step up normally tales a couple of seasons to get used to. North County to progress.
Malahide 4 welcome Swords 2 to the Village, and should be confident of getting through to the first round. Malahide are three divisions higher than their visitors, and although they lost their last two encounters against the Newbridge House based club, those matches were against the Swords first string, and they should get past the second string.
There they will play the winners of The Hills 4 and Castleknock 2. Whilst they have the benefit of a home draw, they are facing an awful record against the Dublin 15 side, losing all four matches they gave played. Castleknock should progress.
The final match in the northern section of the draw will see Clontarf 5 play Ashbourne 1 in the first round - the first ever meeting between the two clubs. Both teams will be playing in Division 11 this year, and whilst Ashbourne (like Balbriggan 3) will be making the step up from the lower Russell Court Trophy, Clontarf 5 are no North County 4, with Tarf having won only one of their last four Whelan Cup matches. Ashbourne to walk away with the smiles on their faces.
On to the southern half of the draw, where Greystones 2 face Merrion 6 in a repeat of the 2016 semi final. Merrion won that match, but there is no reason why Greystones shouldn't level the series - after all they play in a higher league than Merrion and have a home draw.
The winners will travel to play Railway Union 4, the winners of the Whelan Cup in 1995, and the Russell Court Trophy in 2012. Railway 4 are impossible to pin down; they have been up and down the leagues in recent years, and haven't always been entered into T20 competitions due to there not being enough Cricket Leinster T20 competitions to go around. So although they have only played one match on the last three years (which they lost), they should still be a handful, and will go through to the quarter finals.
YMCA 5 host Lucan 1 in the preliminary round, and unfortunately neither side really has much of a T20 pedigree to write home about. They sides met in 2015, with YM winning, and whilst this is a difficult one to call YM may edge it. In the first round proper, they will face Wicklow County 1 - the competition's dark horse. Wicklow have been playing in the higher YMCA Salver in recent years, and although they played in that competition with little recent success, the step down should favour them, and they will be looking forward to a decent cup run.
Cabinteely 1 host Clondalkin 1 in a meeting of two ambitious clubs who are going places. The clubs have never met before, but Clondalkin have a look about them this year, and have expanded in 2017 to have a second team. Perhaps an away win, with Clondalkin going on to play a Terenure 3 side who don't have the est of records in recent years winning one of the last four. They lost their only meeting with Clondalkin and may be taking an early bow.
In the final tie, Sandyford 2 face Adamstown 3. In matches between the two clubs, Adamstown lead by ten matches to three, but none of these matches have involved Adamstown 3. Sandyford 2 have been 1-4 against various Adamstown teams over the last six years, and this has the look of an away win. The winners will play a Leinster 5 side, whose last act in this competition was lifting the cup.
Leinster won this competition in 2015, but were then not allowed to enter in 2016 due to starring irregularities. They return with intent, and should bring that winning feeling to their first round match.
Our picks for the semi finals are Rush 3, Malahide 4, Leinster 5 and Wicklow County 1, with Wicklow County beating Rush in the final.