Only nine of the eighteen teams in the 2013 RSA Junior Cup played in the same competition in 2012. There are a myriad of reasons behind this. New clubs continue to appear across the cricketing landscape, and Lucan and Slieve Bloom fall into this category.
Other clubs started before this year, and continue to expand the number of teams they enter in Cricket Leinster competitions, with Swords 2 playing their first competitionve games this year. Mainly, teams have been moved up from the Minor Cup in order to balance team numbers with Leinster 7, Castleknock 2, Greystones 2, Adamstown 2 and Halverstown 2 all being promoted up the cup structure.
Finally, Cabinteely have been given a task that is much more suited to their not inconsiderabel talents, after getting a tough draw in the Intermediate Cup in 2012.
So where does that leave this preview? With very little to go on to be honest. Adamstown won the Minor Cup last year, but face a trip to Division 11 side Wexford Wanderers 2. Wexford themselves are one of only two quarter finalists from the 2012 Junior Cup to be in this year's comp, so may fancy their chances as well.
The other quarter finalist from last year was Clontarf 6. It is an interesting snippet of Cricket Leinster history, that of these eighteen teams, only eight have ever won any type of cup. Clontarf 6 won the Minor Cup back in 1990, and face the 2011 Minor Cup champions, Leinster 7.
The explosion in club numbers on the last few years sees many new derbies - Malahide/Swords, North County/Ring Commons and Wicklow County/Greystones to name a few. Another one has appeared in 2013, with Castleknock 2 playing Lucan 1 in the first round. They may be separated by the Liffey, but a (very) lusty off drive from Castleknock's home in Porterstown Park could make it to the far bank of the river. Lucan will in fact be playing their matches on the north side of St Catherine's Park, (which the Liffey bisects).
Bagenalstown 2 will be taking on the role of experienced campaigners, when they host Swords 2 in the preliminary round, the winner travelling to Kilcormack to take on Slieve Bloom.
All the other ties will have a team who has lifted a cup against a team who has an empty cabinet. North County 5 (Minor Cup winners 2004) host Greystones 2, Halverstown 2 (Junior Cup winners in 2011) travel to Pembroke 6, and The Hills 4 (Junior Cup 2007 and Minor Cup 1988) host Cabinteely 1.
In the one remaining preliminary match, Phoenix 5 the 1991 Minor Cup winners take on Dundalk 2 in Louth. The winners of that match will take on the one side who has a cup pedigree far in excess of all the other teams in this draw. Clontarf 5 have lifted seven cups over the years, winning the "old" Minor Cup in 1964, 1965 and 1966 (a rare three in a row), the "new" Minor Cup in 2001 and 2005 and the Junior Cup in 1970 and 1976.
Who will left the 2013 Junior Cup in Terenure on August 17th?