RSA Division 12
2013 Champion - Adamstown 2
Predicted 2013 Champion - Adamstown 2
2011-13 Top run scorer: Samuel Ritchie (Clontarf) 513 runs at 22.30
2011-13 Top wicket taker: John Anders (Phoenix) 34 wkts at 12.38
Division 12 looks like being a league of two halves this season, with the nine teams nicely dividing up in to a perceived bottom four, and a top five based on a bit of guesswork. However, I predicted the winner of this league last year, so lets try again!
Adamstown CC's rapidly increasing strength across the club, could be their lower teams downfall this year. As I pointed out in the Division 13 preview, Adamstown 4 will this year be playing where their 3rd team were last year. Similarly, the Corkagh Park's 3rd team will be in Division 12, leaping up from Division 14 last year. Although they came 2nd last year, two divisions may be too big a leap, and it could be a tough year.
Merrion 7 struggled somewhat in Division 14 last year, but the tides ebb and flow at an alarming quick rate in some clubs, and Merrion feel themselves to be stronger at this level for 2014. They finished in 3rd place in Division 12 in 2012, so have pedigree, but it may be too much to ask of them to compete in Division 12.
Bagenalstown 2 have a tough old couple of years in Division 11, and should find Division 12 a bit more to their liking. There won't be any fireworks, but they should just about manage to stay outside of the drop zone.
The final team in our group of four at the bottom is Pembroke 6. This may be a bit harsh - they have a winning record in recent years over Halverstown 1 (2-1), Swords 2 (1-0) and Dublin University 3 (1-0) - all teams which I have ranked ahead of them! But their last two seasons have been pretty solidly mid to lower table with a 6th place in 2013 and 8th in 2012. They will have something similar again.
So who will be the teams challenging for top spot? Railway Union's strengthening in 2013 has been well documented, and their 6th team benefited from that, coming 2nd in Division 13. They were'nt dominant at that level, so I don't see them earning another promotion, but a top half finish should be coming their way.
The reason Railway only came 2nd in Division 13 last year was down to a fine performance from Dublin University 3. They sneaked home ahead of Railway and Dundrum 3 , competing a fine year for the Trinity based team (I was going to say students, but with the 3rds comprised of some staff and postgrads, a more general term suits best!). As with Railway 6, Dublin University 3 won't find the Division 12 easy, but they should be goood enough for a 4th place spot.
That leaves three teams, who in my opinion are neck and neck for the Division 12 title. Swords 2 had their first ever season in 2013, and finished a very creditable 5th. There should be an improvement this year, and after beating Halverstown twice in 2013 (as well as sharing the matches with Phoenix 5), they have a real chance.
Halverstown 1 had their first season in Division 12 after downsizing at the end of 2012. They finished 4th, and will be somewhere around the same region again this year, perhaps moving up a spot to 3rd.
That just leaves Phoenix 5. They were 5th in 2012 and 3rd in 2013. They have a good crop of young players to mix with the older generation, and may well finally push on to move up to Division 11. It will be close though, and their games with Swords and Halverstown will be crucial.
Pembroke 6 play Swords 2 in the first match on Easter Sunday