Before we get too far in to this update I feel it is important to set the scene as to what exactly Division 6 cricket is about and who the players are. Some may say this may have been more useful at the start of the season but what are you gonna do, life is life and pancakes are lovely.
Division 6 is for those amongst us who are at various stages in our cricketing careers; there is the young inspired player who is on the up and is more than useful, the old semi-retired sea dog who still has a trick or two left and will be more than happy to tell you about every wicket and run he has this season as he puts away his 15th pint for the night and our all time favourite “The Banger”. The Banger is a guy who “just turned up at the nets” or has dropped down the starrings from a much higher division to cause chaos on the field.
The teams that have had the pleasure of playing in this division in 2014 have varying levels of history in Leinster cricket. There are the new boys from Longford and Castleknock, the middle aged clubs of Knockharley, Sandyford and North Kildare and then the old stages of Rush, Railway Union and Phoenix.
The season started way back in April and it was Sandyford, Knockharley and Phoenix who set the early pace winning all their early games. North Kildare and rush both struggled early on but this was not to be the path their seasons took. Castleknock and Longford had slow starts and would be the first to admit that despite some good results their seasons never really got going.
Rush’s early setbacks did not stop them as they strung together some good consistent performances and now find themselves in 3rd while Sandyford have failed to keep the early season momentum and have dropped down the table. Phoenix and Knockharley make up the top 2 and are separated by less than 1% and with a meeting of the 2 set for Saturday 6th September it promises to be an absolute cracker with the winner possibly to be the one who takes the league title.
Knockharley face Railway who like Castleknock and Longford have struggled to get going this year, the big match with Phoenix follows and they round their season off with a home tie against Longford.
Rush face matches against Sandyford and Railway with both being must win matches if they are to stay in the title hunt.
Phoenix have the ever improving North Kildare who despite some early losses have moved to 4th on the table and will present tough opposition before the clash with Knockharley.
With only a few matches to go it is still too close to call so watch this space as the season draws to an end.
The bottom on the ladder sees Castleknock, Railway, Sandyford and Longford separated by only 2% which means all 4 teams face the possibility of relegation while still holding their own destiny in their hands. Some fixtures see these clubs play against the top 3 while others have them pitted against each other in a winner takes all battle royale. Having played against these teams I know that none of them will take a backward step in their fight to stay in division 6.
With only a few games left and so much to play for I wish all the teams good luck and remind everyone that we aren’t playing for sheep stations so keep it clean