The Second Round of the RSA [Bob Kerr] Irish Senior Cup [RISC] is due to take place tomorrow, 8th June. There are eight Leinster clubs still in contention. Over the past ten years seven Leinster clubs have figured in the top ten most successful clubs in the competition with North County, Railway Union and Merrion holding the top three positions [See earlier article – Irish Senior Cup: Leading Clubs 2003 – 2012 by Gerry Byrne]
Traditionally in the ‘last 16’ round of the RISC clubs are pitted against teams from other unions. So how teams fare in this round is a reasonably indicator of the strength of club cricket in the different regions. This year Leinster achieved eight wins out of nine on the cricket pitch. [Terenure lost to Donemana through disqualification]. So how did Leinster clubs do in recent years.
Allowing that the rules have changed a little over the years – the key statistic is the match up between Leinster clubs and those of other unions in the first full round of matches. The figures are as follows:
Year Wins Matches
2012 9 10
2011 7 10
2010 8 11
2009 10 13
2008 8 11
2007 8 10
2006 7 11
2005 9 11
2004 6 10
2003 10 13
The eight R2 matches this year sees only two contests between Leinster and Ulster sides, both home ties, The Hills against CIYMS and Merrion v North Down. At least three Leinster teams will make it through to the quarter-final as Clontarf take on Phoenix [again], YMCA are home to Pembroke and Railway Union host North County.
Clontarf must be strong favourites to beat Phoenix after their convincing, 168 run win in R1 of the RSA Leinster Senior Cup [RLSC] against the same opponents. Phoenix had a morale boosting first win in the league last weekend but it should not be enough to carry them through against an in-form Clontarf side.
Both YMCA and Pembroke lost narrowly in the league last weekend but it is YMCA that go into the match in the better form this season and with home advantage. Much, however, depends on Reinhardt Strydom who is scoring heavily this year and Pembroke will be hoping to get him early and spring an upset.
Railway have secured a couple of important wins in the league recently against their Sandymount neighbours and also against Rush in the RLSC. North County won their first match of the season against Pembroke but since then have only a couple of victories against Leinster in Open Competitions. Home win the more likely but with both teams having players capable of individual match winning performances it is a difficult one to call.
The match-ups between The Hills and Merrion and the two Northern sides are more difficult to assess. On the face of it The Hills would seem to have the easier draw against CIYMS who have only one win in the Ulster Bank Premier League [UBPL]. But that includes a defeat against current leaders Instonians and a narrow one wicket loss against Lurgan. But The Hills are difficult to beat at home and would be expected to go through.
Merrion face a strong North Down side that are second in the UBPL with three wins out of four. With all rounder Tim Ley in great form [7th in national MVP rankings] and strong batting support from Larkin and Tarrett and in the bowling department from Ryan Haire, they are a formidable outfit. But Merrion also have two players in the MVP top ten, John Anderson and Tyrone Kane, and will be hoping that the added home advantage will give them the edge.
The teams for the weekend as far as they are known are as follows:
The Hills [v CIYMS] leave one place vacant [presumably awaiting word on availability of Max Sorensen] but still field a strong team.
N Shaukat, L Clinton, M baumgart, T Murphy, N Pretorius, J Andrews, C McLoughlin, D Calder, M Dwyer, O Khan, A N Other.
Merrion [v North Down] bring in quick bowlers Stewart McDonald and Hugh Kennedy following their performances [four and five wickets respectively] against Rush last weekend.
D Joyce, B Ackland, J Anderson, T Kane, S Thompson, D Poder, D Watkins, A O’Brien, S McDonald, H Kennedy, P Blakeney and N Peters [12th Man].
Phoenix [v Clontarf] Corie Dickeson captains the side in the absence of Conor Kelly.
C Dickeson, M Ahmed, T Anders, R Jeggels, S Davis, S Raza, A Leonard, A Battan, A Chester, V Vaidayanathan, E Cleere.
Clontarf E Delany, B Coghlan, R Forrest, A Cusack, A Poynter, A Botha, Z van der Merwe, A Anwar, J Morrissey, A Nazir, P Ryan.
If anyone else sends me in teams I will put them up.