The YMCA Salver follows the route of all other T20 competitions in Leinster for the 2016 season, changing to a group phase instead of a knock out. As a result the competition increased from 18 matches to 28 matches, offering more T20 cricket to players.
Merrion 4 lifted the Salver for the first time in 2015, beating Mullingar 1 in the final thanks to a brilliant century by Vikas Dhiman. Their defence is strengthened by the winner of Group G being given a bye straight to the semi finals. Merrion of Division 5, face North Kildare 2 and Laois 2, both of Division 7, and as such must be the favourites to advance. North Kildare haven't beaten Merrion 4 in three meetings over the last five years, but Laois have a good record against their opponents, and look the best bet for an upset. They have beaten Merrion 4 in three of their last four matches, but there is a rider - the last of those matches was back in 2012. It's hard to see anything other than Merrion winning the group.
In the semi final, they will be away to either the winners of Group E or Group F. Group F is an intriguing group, with Phoenix 3 (the highest ranked team in the competition) playing Terenure 2 and Wicklow County 1. If cup competitions were decided purely on league position, there would be no point playing them, and Terenure will fancy an upset. Between 2011 and 2014 they beat Phoenix 3 in six straight matches, but 2015's two league matches have to be taken into account, with Phoenix recording big wins in both matches. A Terenure upset is possible, but Phoenix should come out on top, with both sides beating Division 8 Wicklow County.
Group E has two Division 6 sides (North County 3 and Castleknock 1) come up against Division 5 side Knockharley 1. Knockharley and Castleknock both have pretty awful records in the competition, and whilst it is best not to dwell too much on past performance, it is difficult to see either side beating a North County 3 side who are something of a T20 specialist. They have never won this trophy, but were runners up in 2013, and lost in last year's semi final. They have also beaten Knockharley in each of their last two meetings, and should progress again.
Another fascinating trio of clubs are drawn together at the top of the draw. On paper, Division 5 Pembroke 3, should be too strong for Division 6 Rush 2, who should in term be too strong for Division 7 Sandyford 1. But there are all sorts of sub plots. Rush 2 have proved to be an excellent team in this competition, and although they last lifted the Salver in 1994, they did get to the semi final in 2014. They have only played Pembroke once, and lost, but an upset is possible. And Sandyford shouldn't be written off - they have played Rush 2 nine times, beating them on five occasions. And to top it all, Pembroke have a hopeless recent record in the Salver. They may have won the YM Salver four times between 1990 and 2001, but have been knocked out in the first round in their two most recent attempts. However, even when considering all that, we think Pembroke should still sneak through.
Whether Pembroke, Rush or Sandyford advance, they will be at home to the winners of Group B, who will be either be 2014 winners, Railway Union 3; 2015 runners up, Mullingar 1; or 2009 winners Leinster 3. Leinster have a frankly not very good record against Railway - losing nine of their last eleven meetings, but a decent 2-0 record against Mullingar, and Railway have a 2-1 record against Mullingar. It looks as if it could all come down to the Railway/Mullingar match, and with it being rumoured that the match is to be held in Westmeath, we'll make Mullingar favourites to win a tight group.
Balbriggan 2 have drawn a short straw, the Division 8 side being put into a group with two Division 5 sides, Clontarf 3 and Malahide 3, and it is difficult to see any result apart from the group being topped by the winner of the clash between the two Division 5 sides. Malahide were runners up in 2014, but don't have a great record against Clontarf (2-4) and we think Tarf may just nick it.
That leaves us with Group D, the group that we think the overall winners may come out of. The wait for a YMCA winner of the YMCA Salver stretches into its 27th year, and it doesn't look like that run will come to an end in 2016. YMCA 4 have never played Dundrum 2, and the all Division 7 clash could go either way. Adamstown 1 look to strong for either side though, and Adamstown should top the group easily. That will give them a quarter final against Clontarf 3, a semi final against Pembroke 3, before they meet Merrion 4 in the final. And we think that could go Adamstown's way.