Division 3 stats
Leading all time run scorer (2011-2015) - Vijay Gopal (Clontarf) - 1514 runs @ 36.93
Most runs in a Division 3 season - Barry Archer (Balbriggan) - 614 runs (2011)
Highest score - Vijay Gopal - 157 - Clontarf 2 vs Civil Service 1 - Castle Avenue - 7 Sept 2014
Leading all time wicket taker (2011-2015) - Mark Collier (Clontarf) - 89 wkts @ 13.24
Most wickets in a Division 3 season - Mark Collier (Clontarf) - 32 wkts (2015)
Best bowling - Willie Richardson - 7-40 - Malahide 2 vs Clontarf 2 - Malahide - 21 July 2013
Most matches - Mark Collier (Clontarf) - 51 - (2011-2015)
Highest team score - 393 all out - North Kildare 1 vs North County 2 - Inch - 25 May 2014
Lowest team score - 46 all out - Pembroke 2 vs YMCA 2 - Claremont Road - 30 June 2013 and North County 2 vs YMCA 2 - Claremont Road - 20 Sept 2014
It's a well worn phrase these days, and it is difficult to walk around any town in Leinster without hearing someone say, "Division 3 is always tight and this year is going to be no different". Balbriggan's last day route from relgation to champions is well known; last year Phoenix were only two runs away from finishing 4th instead of being relegated. But perhaps 2015 may be different. There is just a feeling that a few gaps have grown between the haves, the have a bits, and the haven't got muches.
By our estimations, there are three teams that have a chance of winning Division 3, three that should be mid-table but have more chance of being relegated than being promoted, and another couple who look more then likely to be relegated. And on top of that, there is also the hint of controversy in Division 3, with clubs refusing to be promoted.
There is no doubt it is easier for 2nd teams to play in Division 3 than it is with the big boys in Division 2. By right, Clontarf 2 and Merrion 2 should be taking their place in the second tier this year, but instead North Kildare 1 were promoted from 3rd place in Division 3, and Dublin University 1 were saved from relegation. Now that our commenting on articles is working again, you may want to leave your thoughts on the merits of promotion and relegation between Divisions 2 and 3 below!
It is too easy to just predict that the teams that have been promoted will be relegated straight back down again. But unless there has been a big change within a club, it can be difficult (espcially at this level) to bridge the gap between divisions. In the last five seasons, Malahide 2 have never finished high enough in Division 3 to stay up, and it would be a brave correspondant to say that this year would be the year. The team have a good record against North County, and have a better than decent chance of taking games off Laois and Leinster. But that is not likely to be good enough, and it could be a difficult few months for the 2015 Division 4 champions.
And the hundred words in the paragraph about Malahide 2, could equally be written about North County 2. It is ten years since County last lifted the Division 3 crown, and whilst they haven't become a bad team, they have dropped away from the highest rank of second team. The last time they were good enough to avoid the bottom two of Division 3 was back in 2012, and it will need a Herculean effort this year. A few of their head to heads show the problems they have - one win from eight against YMCA, one win from five against Laois, and one from four against Malahide. 7th place.
With North Kildare 1 having moved up a league, Laois 1 are now representing first teams in Division 3. Perhaps surprisingly, 2015 saw the team's highest finish in the last five years, and in a tight mid table, they are more than capable of doing the same again. The only problem with Division 3, is that a team that may finish 4th, can very easily finish 7th - it is that tight in the middle. Their excellent displays against North County give encouragement; their no shows against Pembroke and Clontarf less so. Should be good enough to stay up. Just. 6th.
de Valera was still President when Pembroke 2 last won the third tier of Leinster cricket. That is a long, long wait, and although there is enough talent to end that long drought, consistency is a major issue. This is a team that is capable of beating Clontarf in six games out of eight, but also of losing five times out of six to Leinster. But the good days are good enough that they don't have to worry about relegation, and even last year's disappointment of 6th is safe. We'll chalk off 2015 as a bad year, and there will be a small improvement to 5th.
Leinster's recent history has been classifiable in very distinct eras. 2008-2013 saw them as good as anything around in second team cricket, before the last two seasons have seen them as slightly lucky strugglers. But the corner could well have been turned, and whilst not back to the 2011 vintage, they should have moved away from a team having to scrape for every point. With Richard Forrest having gone back to Clontarf, and Jack Kerrison playing for Trinity, they could do with a keeper though. 4th.
And so to the top three. These three teams are a class apart from the rest, and will definitely (which will probably mean two of the three will be relegated) make up the medal positions. But the order they will be in is a bit harder. We'll predict that YMCA 2 will come third, but that is based not on much more than that they have won it before, and it may be someone else's turn! Merrion 2 are very much in with a shout, but we feel that the year will be Clontarf 2's. They have improved every year for the last four seasons, and the only way they can do that is by winning the league.
With Clontarf 1 being the top team in the privince, it would seem an anomaly that the 2nds have not won the league since 1993. So we will pin a tail in the bull, and say Tarf will lift the trophy. But a closer look at he rivallry between these three is worthwhile. YMCA against Merrion stands at 4-5. YMCA against Clontarf is 4-4, and Merrion against Clontarf is 3-3. We're going for Clontarf, but anyone of them could win it.
The first match is this Sunday when North County host Pembroke.