The Intermediate cup is the oldest Leinster trophy and quite possibly the oldest Irish trophy. It was first competed for in 1895. The rosebowl trophy is engraved as Irish Cricket Union – Leinster Branch - The Intermediate Cup, an interesting one for the cricket historians. The first winners were Athy, a club who competed in Leinster again for a short while in the 1990’s but no longer do so. The first winners of modern clubs were Clontarf in 1897 (same year as Custer’s last stand – any significance ?). Since then the names on the cup are an interesting list of clubs that flourished but are no longer with us – Land Commission (possibly a forerunner of Merrion), Richmond Asylum ( who claims them ?), Beaumont, Bellshire, Deanhill, Cremore and others. Prior to the introduction of the Senior 2 Cup in the 1940’s, this was where lower teams played, as witnessed by Leinster 2nds win in 1931. Later on the Fingal area makes its mark – Rush 1945 and 1950, Balrothery 1951, ‘53 and ‘54.
Of this year’s finalists, Greystones, having only come into existence in the past few years are seeking their first cup. YMCA, despite being around longer , did not win it until 1975 but have been successful several times since then, most recently in 2002. Phoenix, the holders in three of the past for years but never before then, host this year’s final. YMCA, being in a higher league division than Greystones, might be seen as favourites, but in the cup this means little.