CLONTARF

  • Captain: Eoghan Delany
  • Overseas player: Zander van der Merwe (SA)
  • Players in: Zander van der Merwe (Terenure), Andre Botha (Terenure), Asim Nazir (Phoenix), Amir Anwar (post-Trinity) Dom Rigby (returns after three years in Guernsey).
  • Players out: Mitch Watterson, Matt Mangan.
  • Young player to watch: Adam Craig

2012 was a "curate's egg" season as far as the Castle Avenue side were concerned. They experienced the high of winning their fourth senior cup in six years only for it to end on the low of relegation from the top flight on the last day of the season.

Skipper Eoghan Delany though is hopeful of the prospects for 2013 saying: "We have openly accepted we were the architects of our own downfall last year - crucial games and crucial 50/50 moments were lost because we had prepared poorly off the pitch.

"The players have already demonstrated a huge change in their commitment and attitude in light of this. The club as a whole haven't looked forward to a season this much in quite a few years, and that's because there is definitely several points to be proved and rectified over the course of the season.

"Our batting line-up presents our strongest suit, the order consisting of Forrest, Coghlan, Cusack, Poynter and myself, with the further addition of Andre Botha who returns as a player/coach to where it all began 19 years ago. He brings with him opening bowler Zander van der Merwe to strengthen the attack.

"16 year old left-arm seamer Adam Craig will be a young player to watch and he stands to gain a huge amount bowling alongside the likes of Cusack, Morrissey and Botha. We've identified that we must slowly introduce our youngster on to the scene, so the chance of one or other of the Delany twins featuring at some point is reasonable.

"The season presents us with the obvious opportunity to gain promotion. But in our minds we have far far more to play for - cup and ISC fixtures present us with the opportunity to prove to ourselves and Division 1 sides that through our slip-up last season, we are learning the hard lessons and have returned the better for it."

Clontarf will be the strongest of favourites to secure promotion and I wouldn't be surprised by another cup run in at least one competition.