DISTRICT CUP 2026 – OPENING GAME SQUADS! (13.05.2026)

This Wednesday sees the opening T20 fixture of the 2026 U23 District Series, with the winner set to claim the Siggins Cup.

2025 Holders, North Leinster, however must wait to take the field, as they get their campaign underway next week, with the opening fixture seeing Dublin University playing host to South Leinster in College Park at 5pm.

The Students are led by left-arm seamer Mikey O’Reilly, and feature plenty of in-form players in their batting line-up, Pembroke opener Macdara Cosgrave made an Irish Cup half-century at the weekend, whilst wicket-keeper Oliver Mollins was unbeaten in a fine run chase for Merrion in Sunday’s Senior 2 Cup.

Dublin University’s side features plenty of players who have experience in this competition before, as alongside Cosgrave and O’Reilly, each of Rory Betley, Yash Bala, Ryan Smith and Donncha Tucker have all played for the team in previous years.

South Leinster meanwhile have named an extremely strong XI for this opening tie, with no fewer than 4 members of Ireland’s recent U19 World Cup squad set to feature in the shape of Railway duo Rob O’Brien and Bruce Whaley, as well as the Merrion pair of Tom Ford and Seb Dijkstra.

Leinster all-rounder Mark Tonge skippers the side, and he’s joined by three club-mates in Tom Johnson, Tristen de Beer & Luke Horgan.

Three more spin bowling options feature in their all-rounders, with Railway’s Abhay Tipnis coming into this game off the back of a match-winning knock in Saturday's All-Ireland, with his club-mate Srihan Karpe also getting the nod, whilst Peter Forkin is the off-spinning option from Merrion.

SIGGINS CUP

WEDNESDAY, 13^TH MAY, 17:00

DUBLIN UNIVERSITY
Mikey O’Reilly (Capt)
Oliver Mollins (WK)
Yash Bala
Rory Betley
Macdara Cosgrave
John Gibbons
Ahijah Hill
Joe McCarthy
Don Retty
Ryan Smith
Donncha Tucker

SOUTH LEINSTER
Mark Tonge (Capt) (Leinster)
Bruce Whaley (WK) (Railway Union)
Tristen de Beer (Leinster)
Seb Dijkstra (Merrion)
Tom Ford (Merrion)
Peter Forkin (Merrion)
Luke Horgan (Leinster)
Tom Johnson (Leinster)
Srihan Karpe (Railway Union)
Rob O’Brien (Railway Union)
Abhay Tipnis (Railway Union)

Coach; Nicky Kenny
Manager; Kenny Carroll