2018 Intermediate Cup Preview - Who will emerge from wide open draw?

Sixteen Division 9 and 10 teams will start out in the first round of the 2018 Intermediate Cup, but very few of them present a convincing case for being the champions come the final in Corkagh Park on September 8. 

Four of the teams (Slieve Bloom 1, Phoenix 4, Mullingar 2 and Adamstown 3) have lifted the trophy in recent seasons, but even this quartet provide more doubts that positivity. 

The top tie in the draw sees the 2016 champions, Slieve Bloom 1 host Dundalk 1 (pictured above) in Kilcormac. Both teams are in Division 9, but as you will have guessed from the flavour of the introduction, both have their issues. Slieve Bloom had a tough 2017, just about maintaining their place in Division 9. Unbelievably Dundalk 1 haven't won a single cup game in seven years of trying. There probably isn't much between the pair, but with Dundalk's cup record, and home advantage, Bloom should prevail.

Two more Division 9 teams play in the next tie but with contrasting histories. Leinster 4 have taken a step down in 2018, and have a comparable cup record to Dundalk, Leinster also losing all their matches in the previous seven seasons. The difference with Leinster is that all of these matches have been in the higher Middle 2 Cup, and they should find the lower Intermediate Cup easier. Clondalkin 1 have been coming the other way, and don't have too bad a cup record, being runners-up in the 2016 Junior Cup. The last two times Clondalkin 1 played Leinster, resulted in two wins for Leinster 6, and despite Leinster's frailties, they should advance.

Phoenix 4 (the Intermediate Cup champions of 2011 and 2013) face an unknown quantity in facing Division 10 side DLR County 3. The result of a merger between Cabinteely and Dundrum, this team is essentially the Cabinteely 1 team that has played at this level in recent seasons. However there are bound to be changes, with some of Cabinteely's better players moving up to the higher sides in the club to be replaced by players who were playing at a higher level for Dundrum 2. How that effects the chances of this team in the Inter Cup remains to be seen, but based on that, we'll plump for Phoenix 4.

The final tie in the top half of the draw sees the 2015 Inter Cup champions, Mullingar 2 travel to play Malahide 4. Mullingar haven't actually won a cup game since that 2015 triumph, and with Malahide 4 reaching last year's semi finals, along with the home draw, and a Division 9 over Divisio 10 advantage, they have to be favourites.

The first "upset" could be on the cards in our next tie, with Longford 2 of Division 9 travelling to St Catherine's Park to play Lucan 1 of Division 10. Longford are improving quickly, but haven't won a cup game in three attempts. Lucan 1 are playing at this level for the first time, but got to last year's Junior Cup final, and this one looks like being another home win.

Adamstown 3 are the reigning Intermediate Cup champions, and should they retain the trophy, will only have to pay one match (the quarter final) away from home. They have a potentially tricky first round match at home to the 2015 Minor 2 Cup winners, Carlow 1. Most of Carlow's cup victories have been at lower levels, and they are yet to present a persuasive argument that they are worthy of the tag of being one of the leading teams at this level. Adamstown should be strong enough.

Tyrrelstown 1 make the short trek from the north of Dublin 15 to the south of the "county" as they play Castleknock 2 in the Greater Blanchardstown derby. Both have experienced cup runs in the last few years, Castleknock getting to this final in 2016, and the semis last year, whilst Tyrrelstown were semi finalists in the Minor 2 Cup in 2015 and 2016. The Intermediate Cup is several rungs higher than the level of Tyrrelstown's success, and Castleknock must be favourites.

The final match is an all Division 10 affair, between Balbriggan 3 and Civil Service 2. Neither has been particularly successful in cups, and the sides haven't played each other before. But having tipped the previous seven matches to go the way of the home side, we're make it a clean sweep of home wins by predicting Balbriggan 3 to advance.

With no clear favourites, any prediction is liable to look ridiculous come September, but we'll predict semi finalists of Slieve Bloom 1, Phoenix 4, Adamstown 3 and Balbriggan 3, with home advantage all the way to the final meaning Slieve Bloom will lift the trophy