This weekend sees the start of the second half of the RSA OCD1/ OCD2 season. The first cycle of matches has been completed and from now on the roads towards the championship, promotion or to avoid relegation become that little bit harder.
There are five key questions, who will be overall league champions, who will be relegated from D1, who will be promoted from D2, who will be relegated from D2 and will I get any of my money back from the bookmakers. With the exception of the promotion from D2 [which looks about as nailed down as one can get at this stage of the year] the last couple of rounds of league matches opened up the competition in both leagues.
In D2, Balbriggan’s important win against Rush in R7 has given them a lifeline to chase down Merrion IIs and avoid the second relegation spot. Leinster IIs are destined for the other spot. Clontarf and Terenure look very secure in the first two promotion places with Clontarf the ‘odd on’ winners of D2.
In D1, Leinster’s return to form with wins in R6 [against Phoenix] and R7 [against Railway] means that they are now back in the shake up. Phoenix are also not out of it but with only one win have the harder task ahead. Railway look the most likely of the remaining sides to be dragged into a relegation battle. Although Pembroke [with three wins, the same as Railway] cannot afford to be complacent, they are playing better cricket than the other three teams and will be hopeful of avoiding end of season scares.
The battle for the championship is as close as it has ever been with three teams on five wins each [YMCA, Merrion and The Hills] and North County by no means out of the running with four wins. After good early season form The Hills have faltered somewhat in recent weeks. Although they secured a narrow one wicket win over Phoenix in R8, losses in the previous two rounds means that they probably need to do most to restore form.
YMCA lead the table at the half way stage on the back of three straight wins in the league and a place in the RSA Irish Senior Cup Semi-Final and the RSA Leinster Senior Final are the team to beat in D1 at present. Merrion have also been in good form of late as they recover from the ravages of injury that hit them earlier in the year. The match up between the two sides [Merrion won the first encounter in Anglesea Road] on 17th August may well prove decisive.
Although they are a win behind the other teams, North County cannot be written off. They have key Home fixtures against rivals YMCA and The Hills and if they can win these two matches then they will be very much in with a shout at the end of the season. But they have to avoid upsets against the weaker sides.
So with seven rounds to go there is everything to play for. On the betting front I need a few wins and no more losses if I am to get back my initial €50 investment.