YMCA

Last year saw YMCA lift it's first piece of silverware for a decade when the T20 Alan Murray cup came back to Claremont Road.

The club has been building steadily over the last five years and their investment in youth structures are starting to bear fruit with a whole host of teenagers pushing for senior places.

18 year old Lee Cole won the Hopkins Cup as leading wicketkeeper last season in Leinster Senior Cricket and forced his way into the Irish under 19's training squad.

16 year old Jack Tector was voted MVP at the Under 15 European Championships and after a stint in South Africa earlier this year, the young all rounder is looking to build on his good start to Senior cricket.

The club are also expecting big things from 21 year old opening bowler and middle order batsmen Robert Garth, who us an undoubted talent and if consistent could be a key player this season.

Jeremy Bray has joined after a successful stint at CIYMS, and the leading batsmen in Leinster Senior Cricket history brings with him a wealth of experience to bolster very settled squad.

Simmi Singh, overseas professional of 2012, is now resident and along side the older statesmen Trent Johnston, Reinhardt Strydom, Albert an der Merwe and the evergreen Alan Lewis, the squad has a great blend of youth and experience.

Skipper Van Der Merwe outlined the club's trophy aspirations for the forthcoming season saying: "Having a good run in the cups once again will be good for the club and creates its own excitement but we are hoping to go one better in the league this year."

There's no doubt that YM will benefit from breaking the trophy barren spell last year, and it would be no surprise if another cup or two winged its way to Claremont Road by the end of the season.