Leinster sides looking good in 2018 National Cup draw

The eight Leinster clubs will be by and large happy with the ties that they received when the 2018 National Cup draw was made by Cricket Ireland yesterday.

The six previous editions of the cup have seen only four winners, and with Malahide, Muckamore and Carrickfergus all being entered in the Irish Senior Cup this year, Rush (winners in 2015 and 2016) are the only tesm in the draw with the experience of lifting the trophy.

Rush (ranked 28 in our All Ireland rankings) have been drawn at home to Cliftonville Academy, a new NCU coub formed by a merger of Clifonville (ranked 40th and Irish Senior Cup runners up in 2001) and Academy (ranked 52nd). Rush have a formidable record in the competition, and have only lost Leinster clubs on the pitch (Balbriggan, Malahide and Terenure) along with a bowl out loss to Killyclooney.

The other pre-tournament favourites will be Railway Union, who at 20th are the highest ranked team in the draw (and higher than eleven of the teams in the Irish Senior Cup draw). They have a home draw, playing North West Championship side Burndennett (53rd) who finished 6th in their league last year.

Laois (unranked) have an excellent record in this competition, reaching the final in 2016, and only losing at home twice in five matches. One of those losses was against Killyclooney (46th) in 2013, their opponents this year. Killyclooney came third in the Championship, and will be a tough proposition for Division 4 side Laois.

North Kildare (42nd) look to be playing their cricket in Division 3 this year, and face a trip to Donegal to take on St Johnston (49th). Both clubs struggled in their respective second tier last season, and it should be a good contest, with both teams wanting to make up for their first round exits in this competition in 2017.

Terenure (38) will have a spring in their step after narrowly failing to lift the National Cup in 2017, losing the final to fellow Division 2 side, Malahide. They will travel to Antrim to play NCU Section 2 side Templepatrick (48), whose last appearance in the National Cup saw a narrow 9 run loss at home to Rush in 2015.

DLR County (unranked, formed by a merger of Dundrum and Cabinteely) face a tough trip to Laurelvale (45th) who were runners up in Section 2 last year. Laurelvale reached the 2013 semi finals, whilst Dundrum's best was also a semi final - in 2015.

Knockharley (unranked) entered the National Cup for the first time last season, beating Cork Harlequins and Newbuildings before losing in the quarter finals to Derriaghy. The Division 4 side will face Munster side Midleton (unranked), who famously got to the quarter finals themselves last year, after beating County Sligo and Burndennett.

The final tie sees the reigning Division 5 champions, Longford (unranked) play their first match in the National Cup, travelling to Munster to take on the side that finished third in the Munster Premier league last season, Limerick (also unranked).

The first round matches will be held on Saturday 9th May, with the reserve date at the opposite venue on Sunday 27th May. DLR County and Longford have been marked in the draw as having to play all matches away, whilst their new facilities are developed.