The super-sized Minor Cup 2013 is before us. With numbers at this level of the game mushrooming, a record 27 teams have been entered into the Minor Cup - plans are afoot for a new competition to take the strain in 2014.
Seven teams from Division 13, all nine from Division 14 and eleven from outside the league structure take their place in the draw. Those eleven non-leaguers are unlikley to lift the trophy come late August (YMCA 5 being the only one to have won cups before, winning the Minor Cup in 1986 and 1995. They don't currently play in the league), but it's not possible to discount them entirely.
AIB Taverners lost last year's final, and will be desparate to go one better, facing Merrion 7 in the prelim round. Merrion 7 themselves lifted the Junior Cup last year, and will be strong contenders, dropping down a cup competition due to Merrion fielding one less team.
The winner of that match will play the winner of the match between two previous winners - Balbriggan 3 (1997) and Civil Service 4 (2003).
Walnut Taverners, a team based in Terenure College in Dublin, reached the semi finals last year, before falling to AIB Taverners. This year, they will play the winners of the prelim match between Pembroke 7 and Evening Herald Taverners.
The other successful non-league team in the 2012 Minor Cup was Garda. Currently experiencing a resurgence, they have been absent from league cricket for the last few seasons, but progressed to the quarter finals last year. With the newest ground in the province, St Catherine's Park in Diblin 15, Garda will travel to Aravon School, to play Wicklow County 2, who won the Junior Cup in 2006 (albeit in a different reincarnation). The winners of this match will face the winners of the Knockharley 3/Rush 4 match. Rush 4 are the most successful team in the draw, winning the trophy in 2004 and 2010, the latter time taking advantage of Rush's kind offer to host the final more often than not.
The club with the proudest cup record in the province is arguably Clontarf. At the other end of the scale is Dublin Fire Brigade, who will travel to Clontarf 7. The winners will then face another new team, Tyrellstown.
Cricket Leinster new boys, Greystones 3 will play Sandyford 3, with the winners travelling to the international complex in Malahide, to take on the Villagers 6ths.
Bell's Academy had a successful 2011 in the Minor Cup beating Pembroke 6 in the first round. Absence in 2012 (due to players travelling to Poland for the football!), will hopefully leave them refreshed as they travel to Wesley College to take on Dundrum 3. The winners of that game will travel to yet another new team, Laois 4, a sign that the sport is flourishing across the province.
That just leaves the games at the top and the bottom of the draw. North Kildare 3 have the theoretical advantage of playing every match at home until the final, playing Adamstown 3 in the prelim, before the winners play YMCA 5, winners of the Minor Cup in 1986 and 1995. Are any of those who lifted the trophies in those years still playing for YM?
At the bottom of the draw, Mullingar 3 pulled the short straw, and could end up playing matches in Dublin 6, Dublin 15, Fingal and County Wicklow before heading back to Fingal for the final. They play Leinster 8, before playing the winners of Castleknock 3 and Railway Union 5.
It all kicks off in just under four months, on June 1st.