FIRST TEAM LEAGUE PREVIEW - AUGUST 16TH

This Saturday sees Round 12 of the First Team League take place with it all still to play for at the top of the table. This week marks the start of the run in and the action is mouth-watering in a league that has proven to be hugely competitive thus far. Terenure will travel to Airlie Park to take on Adamstown, no doubt raring to go having had the week off last time around.

Last week saw Civil Service sensationally turn over North Kildare to set up an incredible finish to the season, they now sit just two pints short of the coveted first place spot, however are on a bye this weekend. Elsewhere Adamstown beat Cork Harlequins comprehensively to catapult themselves ahead of Terenure albeit with an extra game played.

The other game this weekend will see North Kildare making the long trip to Farmers Cross to take on Cork Harlequins, and they will travel there under a degree of pressure from the chasing pack that they have not yet experienced. Whatever the outcome of these games they are likely to have a huge impact on who will walk away with the trophy come September.

As mentioned the league table is a tight one with all but Cork still in the mix to take home the title for 2025. North Kildare still sit top but have let their cushion slip after a disappointing loss last week at the hands of Civil Service. Civil Service are in the strongest position they have been all season after an excellent performance last week and will no doubt be ruing a bye week as they look to build momentum. Adamstown and Terenure are a little further back but ‘the Clee’ in particular will know that a win for them along with Cork doing them a little favour will have them right back into a prime position heading into the last rounds of fixtures.

Adamstown vs Terenure

This week sees the hosts who currently sit in 3^rd take on Terenure who are currently in 4^th, the visitors however hold a game in hand having had the bye last week. So far this season they tally is 1-1 between these sides as Terenure made a tricky chase look easy on week 1 while in mid-July Adamstown travelled to Terenure and took home 25 points off the back of a scintillating batting display.

They are expected to line up similarly this week to how they have all season as they hunt for another win. Mick Cotter will have a new partner at the top this weekend, with Gareth Morgan unavailable this time around after the pair shared a magnificent 200 run partnership at the last time of asking, and will likely be joined in the top by Tom Shand who is in good form. Overseas Hancke Von Rauenstein will lead the middle order with support from skipper Donal Lynch, in-form left-hander Zeeshan Mumtaz and the returning Sid Nair, who bounced back against Cork Harlequins after ongoing fitness battles in 2025.

The bowlers will be led by Dylan Cleary, he will likely share the new ball with Shand who has proven something of a golden arm for his side this season. Terenure have further seam reinforcements in Benjamin Dillon and Kripesh Shetty. The spinners will be led by Jinal Khatri’s quick wrist spin, with the final utility option coming from Mumtaz’s left-arm medium pace.

Adamstown are also expected line up similarly to how they have all season with Sidharth Biju, Aditya Gupta and the returning Niranjan Shankar taking spots in the top 3.  Shankar in particular was in good form at the last time of asking and their side will hope for more of the same this week. The middle order is led by Dinesh Antony Kidagan David, alongside him they have Rohit Gulati, Kunal Nagare who is off the back of a 50 last week against Cork and the utility of Prabhanshu Kamal in a strong batting unit.

Their bowlers led by a duo of quicks in Pomin Ponselvan and Nithin Padmaprabhu who have both found great success this season with the ball. Dinesh Antony Kidagan David provides more than able support in the seam department. Prabhanshu Kamal will be the main threat in the side and he has been in fine from already picking up 15 wickets in this competition, Shankar will provide a second spin option with his off breaks should they be required.  

Mick Cotter is the man in form for his side, if he can weather a fiery opening spell from Pomin Ponselvan it will go along way to putting his side on top.

Key Battle – Mick Cotter vs Pomin Ponselvan

Cork Harlequins vs North Kildare

This is a battle of two teams with differing fortunes to this point in 2025, on paper you would expect North Kildare to be heading to Munster with a great deal of confidence however you would forgive them for feeling the heat as the gap at the top of the table as small as it has been since week one, they will know that a slip up will lead to the title race being blown wide open.

Cork’s batting is led by Tharun Kavitha who is off the back of two fine efforts in losing causes, firstly being the only resistance with a fine 66* as Terenure romped to victory 2 weeks ago and last week he again proved the mainstay with 58 in another losing cause against Adamstown. He will have the support of Adam Hickey, Matt Brewster, Sumatu Powale and Seanan Jones in a batting unit that is capable of being as strong as any on paper.

Seanan Jones leads the seamers with Matt Brewster, Christian Laubscher and Kieran O’Reilly the other seamers in the side, they will also have the spin offering of Adam Hickey along with Sidharth Pushp and Jack Buss to call on if required.

North Kildare’s batting is led by Yash Kalasannavar, he has already amassed 383 runs at 54.71. Husnain Maroof and Moise Haider will likely join him in the top 3. From there the Kilcock side have a litany of big hitters to call on the most notable of whom are Josh Uddin and Assadullah Ahmadzai who are both capable of taking the game away from their opponents off the back of a strong foundation, the former being the second top run scorer for his side to date with 178 runs at 26.

Anees Ahmad will likely take the new ball alongside Husnain Maroof forming a pairing that would have any top order in the league under the pump early on, North Kildare also have the Ahmadzai brothers, with seam from Adnan and spin from Asadullah along with Nuralain Boda who is his side’s frontline spinner he will have support from Ali Elahi’s medium pace, along with the exploits of Haider and Josh Uddin in an attack not lacking options.

Yash Kalasannavar is his side’s most important batting cog, his side will be heading to Cork under pressure and will want him to settle their nerves with a solid foundation. Seanan Jones will be charged with ensuring this doesn’t happen, if he can remove him early the North Kildare camp might experience some nervy moments.

Key Battle – Yash Kalasannavar vs Seanan Jones