RSA Division 7
2013 Champion - Greystones 1
Predicted 2013 Champion - Balbriggan 2 (6th)
2011-13 Top run scorer: Anthony Bellew (Knockharley) 830 runs at 27.67
2011-13 Top wicket taker: Mark Ingamells (Knockharley) 51 wickets at 16.24
There is a frequently a sub plot to league cricket in Leinster, that oftens goes unnoticed, but gives an added touch of excitement all the same. The number that appears after club names is often said, but may not be thought about very often. First team cricket is the pinacle in any club, whether you are playing for Irish Senior Cup glory, or battling for promotion to Division 13. Those playing second team cricket are always striving to take that blinder, or knuckle down for that crucial 50 that may see them selected to the 1sts.
And further down, there is the pride involved in knowing that your team could be the best 6ths in the province - an acheivement not to be sniffed at. Division 7 contains a number of these intriguing encounters, so let's have a look at them as we preview 2014.
There are two 1st teams in the league this year fighting over who can call themselves the 26th best 1st team in the province. For Wexford Wanderers 1 though, it could be a tough fight. They have had two decent years in Division 7, but the feeling is that their 7th place in 2012 may be more likely than their 3rd place last year. A worrying sign is that against Dundrum 2 - one of the sides that has come up from Division 8, they have lost the last two games.
Adamstown 1 are the other 1st team, and their sight is firmly on the distant horizons if Division 4 and beyond. Successive promotions have meant they are relatively untested at this level, but there are a few clues they will do well again. Where Wexford have a 0-2 record against Dundrum 2, Adamstown are 2-2. They have also won their most recent encounters with Leinster 5 and Dublin University 2. The crunch games will be against Merrion 5, Clontarf 4 and Pembroke 4, and victories there could see yet another promotion. We'll hedge our best a bit and say Adamstown will finish third.
The battle for 2nd team supremacy is a much more crowded affair. There are four second teams - Dublin University, Balbriggan, Dundrum and Laois, and they are currently ranked between 14th and 17th in terms of second teams. Dublin University 2 present a bit of a quandary for the amateur analyst. They were odds on to win Division 9 last year, as the creation/removal of a level playing field (depending on your view of whether the playing field should be flat or not) came about - Trinity 2's penalty for only playing 7 games a season was withdrawn. Trent Johnston came on board in a coaching capacity, and there was no stopping the students. Their success has come at a price though - being promoted two divisions, and we're not sure whether they can be compeititive with a two division jump. As with all student teams, a couple of decent new undergraduates, and they could be promotion contenders again. We're predicting 8th though.
Balbriggan 2 were our pick for the title last year, and it has to be said, they succeeded to disappoint. 6th place was an ok season for a team that had just been promoted, but more was expected of a club with a Division 2 first team. The most worrying thing is their record against Pembroke 4 (0-5) and Clontarf 4 (2-5) which suggests a big gap between them and the leading contenders. Perhaps another 6th place, but 7th is more likely.
Dundrum 2 have been steadily climbing the leagues, and after a few seasons in Division 8, are now up to the dizzy heights of Division 7. They won't topple off, but whether they get to the top to admire the view is another matter. Results make them look better than Wexford (2-0) but worse than Clontarf (1-3), which looks like classic mid-table material of ever you saw it. Fifth from nine.
The final 2nd team is Laois 2. I've left them to last for a reason, in that they could end up anywhere. Fourth in Division 5 only two years ago, club management has asked to be moved down. Assuming that the powers that be are correct, Division 7 may well be about right. The struggled in Division 5 last year, and definitely won't do this year. They should easily manage a top half finish.
No 3rd teams in Division 7, so we can move straight on to an intriguing battle as to which is the province best 4th team in the province - Clontarf or Pembroke. Perhaps the recent head to head between the two can help us? Not a chance, with it being 2-2. How about last year's finish? Well a sliver of light between them - Pembroke were 4th, to Clontarf's 5th. They are both Division 1 clubs, and to be honest are pretty well matched all the way down the sides. They will both be in the top four, and the matches between these two, Adamstown 1, and our last team will all be massive.
Merrion 5 have no need to wonder how they will be ranked come the season's end. They are already the best 5th team in the province. Chandra Aramalla's recruitment machine has meant Merrion 5 have had some great years, and after a blip in 2013 (they finished 7th), they will be back again this year. They have a winning record against both Pembroke 4 and Clonatrf 4, and will just be a very hard team to beat. They are our tip for the top.
It all starts on Easter Saturday, when Adamstown 1 entertain Dundrum 2, and Laois 2 travel to College Park to play Trinity 2. The first Big 4 clash is when Clontarf 4 travel to Merrion 5 on May 18th. Of course, as we have seen with the ICC, when you start talking about a Big 4, you end up with egg on your face. So perhaps it will be a Wexford, Balbriggan 1-2?