Cricket Leinster's All Ireland rankings are now bang up to date, after last weekend's round of matches. The standings may not be quite what you'd think, so we'll attempt to explain!
By common consensus, there is very little between the top four clubs. Merrion have had something of a bad run; Waringstown continue to dominate in the NCU - but aren't playing against top quality opposition every week; YMCA keep failing to lift silverware; and Clontarf can't lose a cup match, but could be doing better in the league.
All that means that Waringstown's two wins last weekend (over Muckamore and CIYMS) are enough to move them back above YMCA and Clontarf. Clontarf's Leinster Senior Cup win over Malahide was not enough to keep their 3rd place from last week, whilst YM and Merrion didn't play. With the four teams so close together, the smallest change in their score could see the clubs change position.
Next week will see Waringstown travel to North Down, whilst the Leinster teams have the weekend off. A Waringstown win should see them retake number one spot. A loss will see them drop to fourth.
Further down, Brigade's North West Senior Cup loss to Domemana, coupled with Coleraine's win over Bready sees Coleraine regain the number one spot in the North West. Pembroke also move up on the back of Brigade's loss.
Leinster and Railway Union continue to slip, as their older matches drop off the rankings. Leinster are now begining to lose their 2012 wins (when they won Division 1), whilst Railway's slip is due to their July 2012 win over YMCA, and July 2013 win over Phoenix now getting less points. More recent matches are obviously more important!
The big surprise in the NCU last week, was Bangor's win over Lurgan. Lurgan dropeed two places to 24th on the back of it, whilst Bangor went up a place to 47th.
Finally, Balbriggan have moved up to 12th place in the Leinster rankings, swapping places with Rush.