RSA Division 5
2012 Champion - Dundrum 1
2011-12 Top run scorer: B McDermott (Clontarf) 689 runs at 45.93
2011-12 Top wicket taker: Rex Walsh (Merrion) 38 wkts at 18.26
Division 5 contains the remnants of the old Senior 3, and to this day is comprosed mainly of third teams. The very strongest third teams (Clontarf and Pembroke this year), play in Division 4, but the next level all play in Division 5, with six such teams doing it this year.
It always makes for a tight league, so we'll try and pick through the noise, and come up with a Nate Silver-ish type prediction.
The teams from 3rd to 8th last year (Merrion 3, Laois 2, North County 3, Malahide 3, Leinster 3, Railway Union 3) only had 23% between them, and to compound matters, YMCA 3 and Sandyford 1 - the two promoted teams only had 0.462% between them.
Changes in the personnel in clubs sometimes help to pinpoint the relative strengths - but this is much more relevant at a higher level.
Sandyford have attracted several good players, and I fully expect them to be challenging in the midst of everyone else (ie somewhere between 1st and 8th). YMCA have added a couple more to their extended first team squad, and Kamal Merchant's guiding hand will be once again be there to help the team through stormy waters.
Of the rest, to be honest I haven't the foggiest. All of those six clubs have gained a couple of members, and lost a couple of member. Railway have maybe done better than the rest, but not by much.
It doesn't make for electrifying prose, it won't create any headlines and no one's hackles will be raised. Buy I really haven't the foggiest who will do what in Division 5 this year. It is the tightest group of all fourteen