With the 2015 winners of the Russell Court Trophy, Dundrum 3 being promoted to the Whelan Cup, the fourth tier T20 compeittion in Leinster is wide open.
The competition retains its group format this year, with twenty four teams entering, spread between teams from Division 13, 14, 15, 16 and three non league teams. There is only one team amongst that twenty four that has previously lifted a T20 trophy, and as such Laois 3 must be the early favourites.
Not only are Laois the only team to have lifted this trophy, they have also been the one of the top teams in years where they didn't win the title, and were runners up last season. They do however have a tough group, and face fellow Division 13 team, North Kildare 3. North Kildare have won two of their last five encounteres over Laois, and that game will decide the group, with Division 15 side Phoenix making up the group.
Group B sees three sides who have never played each other before. Balbriggan 3, Rush 4 and Swords 2 face off, with Swords, the Division 13 team being favourites over lower division opposition.
The winner of Group C will be drawn at home in the second quarter final. There is a local derby feel, with Knockharley 3 playing Ashbourne 3, with Mullingar 3 making up the group. Knockharley have won their last four matches against Mullingar, whilst Mullingar beat Ashbourne last year, which points towards Knockharley progressing.
Two Dublin 15 teams meet in Group D, as Castleknock 3 and Tyrrelstown 1 meet for the first time. They are joined by Adamstown 4 who have beaten Castleknock in each of their last two encounters. The latter two are both Division 14 sides, and they are likely to tussle for the top of the group.
Yet another local tie will see Wicklow County 2 play Greystones 3in Group E. Wicklow got to the semi finals in 2014, and have shared the four encounters with Greystones 3 in recent years. Sandyford 3 have dropped out of the league structure this year - this outing will either see them play out of their skins in one of the few opportunities for competitive cricket this year, or perhaps see them struggle to compete with league opposition. Wicklow County should progress.
Three teams from three divisions meet in Group F, with Division 13 team Dublin University 3 being the highest ranked in the league. This looks like being a tight one though, and Civil Service 4 and Clontarf 6 could spring surprises in the tightest of groups.
A YMCA 6 makes its debut in this competition, and they have a trickly match against the competition's dar horse. AIB 1 play in Division 16, but hey tend to do well in cups, and reached the semi final in both 2013 and 2015. The third team is Pembroke 6m who are the highest league ranked team in the group, but could be involved in a real scrap.
The final group sees Merrion 8, Leinster 7 and Railway Union 5 meet, in a group that should be won by Leinster. None of the three sides has a particularly good record in this comp, and it looks unlikely that the 2016 Russell Court Trophy will come from this group. For that, look no further than Group A, where we are tipping whoever wins the match between Laois and North Kildare to lift the silverware in July.