STATE OF PLAY – OPEN COMPETITIONS AS IT STANDS! (SEPT 3RD)

As we enter the final weeks of the Open Competitions Cricket season, there’s still plenty to play for in a number of leagues, as it stands with the information available to Cricket Leinster, this is the current state of play across the leagues.

There is of course, a lot of action still to come at the bottom of these leagues too, however we take a look at the top end in each instance and where teams have secured titles already, whilst there are a number of leagues where it will be coming right down to the last fixture of the season between the top two in their division!

IBI CORPORATE FINANCE PREMIER LEAGUE

Two games remain in the league at the top of the Open Competitions tree, and Merrion currently sit best placed, knowing they cannot be overtaken if they win their last two games, both of which are at home. Balbriggan and Pembroke lie 15 and 18 points behind respectively, and face off this weekend with a three horse race almost certain to be down to two going into the last round of fixtures.

IBI CORPORATE FINANCE CHAMPIONSHIP

Phoenix sit 31 points clear in the Championship, knowing that a victory this weekend against Rush in Kenure will see them crowned league Champions. If they slip up, a win in their last game would also be enough, however with both North County and Clontarf at home this weekend, they would be under serious pressure going into the final round.

IBI CORPORATE FINANCE FIRST TEAM LEAGUE

The Hills have already secured the First Team League title and with it Premier League cricket for 2027, they are well clear of Knockharley and have lost just one league game all season.

SECOND XI PREMIER LEAGUE

Leinster 2 have secured the title with a week to spare, however a spate of No Results in the last few weeks has undoubtedly stolen an exciting finale away from this league. They lie 41 points clear of Pembroke 2 with a game to spare, the top two both go into the final weekend knowing their league position cannot change.

DIVISION 4

Railway Union 2 sealed the Division 4 title and immediate promotion back to the Second XI Premier League at the first time of asking, going into the final game of the campaign this weekend, they lie 91 points clear of their nearest rivals Sandyford, who are set to fight out second spot with Laois.

DIVISION 5

Railway Union 3 and Longford face off this weekend, with Railway hoping to defeat Longford and give them a ‘clubhouse lead’ greater than two wins. Longford however will know that wins in three of their last four games will be enough to hand them the title, as they currently sit 31 points behind this weekend’s opposition.

DIVISION 6

Civil Service 3 currently top the table in Division 6, 21 points clear of Tyrrelstown, however both teams still have two games left to play, including what could well be a deciding match on September 19^th! Should the pair both win this weekend, it will all come down to the fixture between them on that day.

DIVISION 7

Mullingar currently head up Division 7, and know that a win against Clondalkin this weekend will take them out of reach of each of the four teams below them in the league. Carlow currently sit in 6^th, however with 5 games still to play, if they can manage to win the majority of what remains, it again could all come down to the fixture between them and Mullingar in St Finian’s College on Sept 20^th.

DIVISION 8

Pole position in Division 8 currently sits with Castleknock 2, who need 7 more points to secure the title. They are confirmed to finish clear of second placed Pembroke 3, however with two games remaining the danger are Swords, who could capitalise on any slip ups from the league leaders.

DIVISION 9

Finglas 1 are confirmed as Champions, ultimately finishing 10 points clear of their nearest rivals, Adamstown 3, as the pair shared what was a two-horse race for most of the season, finishing well clear of third placed North Kildare 3.

DIVISION 10

Clubhouse lead in Division 10 belongs to Adamstown 4, however they’re sitting ducks to no fewer than 3 teams who could potentially overtake them going into their last game of the season. Lucan are the first side who get to have a go at claiming the title, and should they beat Finglas this weekend, they will do so.

DIVISION 11

Swords 2 have four games still outstanding on the league table, however they know that 223 is the magic number they must reach to confirm themselves as Champions for the 2026 season. North County 4 will hope they slip up, however are also aware that they have secured 2^nd place at a minimum this term.

DIVISION 12

Athlone face off against third placed Leinster this weekend, and will do so knowing that a haul of 22 points will see them crowned Champions, as they would be out of reach of Halverstown no matter the result in their game against Naas on Sunday.

DIVISION 13

DLR County sit 69 points clear of their nearest rivals, Adamstown 5, going into this weekend’s fixture between the two. Four points or more for the current leaders would push them out of reach of the current second-placed side, Ongar could yet make a late push for the top two as they still have three games remaining.

DIVISION 14

Swords 3 have wrapped up Division 14 with a game to spare, they are 62 points clear of second placed Castleknock 3, and whilst Wexford Wanderers 2 and Lucan 3 both have two games remaining each, the best they could do is leapfrog their way into second on the table.

DIVISION 15

This league actually currently lies in the hands of the third placed side, Wicklow County 2, as with three games to go they are just three points behind leaders Laois 3, who have two left to play, and level with second placed Sandyford, who have one game left. Wicklow know that 54 points in their final three games will secure them the title.

DIVISION 16A

Swords 4 sit 25 points clear of Knockharley 3 currently, with the pair having two and three games left to play respectively. The pair could conceivably finish level on points at the top of the table, however with Swords having claimed victory in both games between the sides, that would see them crowned champions!

DIVISION 16B

County Cavan 2 currently sit 18 points clear at the top of Division 16B, with Adamstown 7 their nearest pursuers, they need 33 points from their final two fixtures to ensure the league goes their way, and have fixtures against two of the bottom three to come, whilst Adamstown must face off against third placed Terenure 4.

DIVISION 16C

Adamstown 6 and Naas 2 have been embroiled in a battle at the top of the Division 16C table, however with just one game remaining each, the leaders need just two points to confirm the title. They face Halverstown 2 in Corkagh Park on Sunday in pursuit of those league-confirming points.

DIVISION 17A

Adamstown 10 have romped to Division 17A glory, currently sitting 81 points clear of County Cavan, and going through the season having lost just one game, making them comfortably the strongest of the Adamstown teams in the Division 17 stream.

DIVISION 17B

Division 17B sees Naas 3 needing just 7 points from their last game to secure the title, however should Lucan defeat their nearest rivals, DLR County 2, this weekend, it will hand them the league with a game to spare.

DIVISION 17C

This is league is currently under OCC review therefore details cannot be confirmed.

DIVISION 22

Phoenix 6 have secured the Division 22 title with three games to spare, as they currently sit 48 points clear of their nearest rivals Finglas 4, whilst both Bagenalstown 2 and Malahide 7 are well out of reach in spite of both having three games left to play.