The details of the competition structures for Merrion’s Open teams have been released by Cricket Leinster, see https://www.cricketleinster.ie/news/open-competitions-league-structure-confirmed
There has been another significant expansion in the overall size of the Open Competitions with the number of Divisions going up to 20 [the last being a Development League]. The position of the various Merrion teams is as follows.
1st XI The 1st XI will have a busy season with the possibility of more matches than ever across four competitions. The minimum and maximum number of matches [depending on level of success] are as follows: League [14], League Cup [7 – 9], T20 [6 – 10], ISC [1-5]. Counting all matches this means the 1st XI will play a 28 scheduled matches this season and could in theory be called upon to play up to 38. And that does not take into account players involved in representative cricket at different levels. A large squad will be required. This is the most games in a season that, as far as I can tell, have ever been provided for the 1st XI.
2nd – 6th XI The remainder of the teams will play 14 league games and 6 – 8 T20s depending on whether they get through to the knock-out stages.
Our opponents this season are:
1st XI League Clontarf, Balbriggan, Malahide, Pembroke, Phoenix, The Hills, YMCA
1st XI T20 Balbriggan, Civil Service, North County
1st XI League Cup Balbriggan, Clontarf, Cork County, Leinster, N Kildare, Rush, YMCA
2nd XI League Clontarf II, Leinster II, Malahide II, N County II, Pembroke II, Railway U II, YMCA II
2nd XI T20 Malahide II, North County II, YMCA III.
3rd XI League Civil Service, Clontarf III, Co Galway, Knockharley, Phoenix II, Rush II, YMCA III
3rd XI T20 Clontarf II, Leinster II, Pembroke II
4th XI League Bagenalstown, Carlow, Castleknock, Clontarf IV, Greystones, Railway U III, Swords
4th XI T20 Clondalkin, Kilkenny, Tyrrelstown
5th XI League Adamstown IV, Balbriggan III, Castleknock II, Laois II, Longford II, Rush III, Slieve B
5th XI T20 Adamstown IV, AIB, Bagenalstown II, Lucan II, Naas, Rush III
6th XI League Gorey, Greystones II, Halverstown, Leinster V, Phoenix V, Swords II, Terenure III
6th Xi T20 Clontarf VI, Dundalk, Gorey, N County IV, N Kildare IV