The youth section had another good season. Overall numbers were healthy and teams performed well. The high performance programme went into its second year and is already bearing fruit with young players gaining representative honours and moving up the club’s adult teams. The core details are set out below.
The total number of paid up youth cricketers was 197. Thirty nine were children under 9 of which twenty one took part in at least one inter-club Blitz during the year. Over 150 youth players represented the club on teams from the U11s to the U19s. The club fielded 14 teams in all. In terms of gender, about one third of youth players are girls.
In total over 150 games were scheduled this season with 141 being part of official Cricket Leinster or Cricket Ireland youth competitions. Of the 141 games, 123 were completed with the others lost to weather, lack of ground availability towards the end of the season and / or lack of playing numbers (more so the opposition that Merrion). Of the 123 completed matches Merrion won 70, tied 2 and lost 51.
The club had most success in cup competitions with the girls winning the All Ireland U17 Cup, and the U15 and U17 girls winning the Leinster Youth Cups. The U15 girls were unfortunate to lose out in a bowl out on reaching all-Ireland Finals day. The Boys U17s were the losing finalists in their Leinster Cup Competition.
In terms of the leagues, the final tables are set out below.
| Competition | Team | Rank | Played | Won | Tied | NR | Lost | Points | Win % |
| Boys U19 League – Group B | Merrion U19 Boys | 4/5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 25.0% |
| Boys U17A League | Merrion U17A Boys | 4/9 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 90 | 62.5% |
| Open U15A League | Merrion U15A Open | 9/12 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 70 | 27.3% |
| Open U13A League | Merrion U13A Open | 5/12 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 120 | 54.5% |
| Open U11A League | Merrion U11A Open | 4/8 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 120 | 54.5% |
| Girls U17 League | Merrion U17 Girls | 2/8 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 120 | 85.7% |
| Girls U15 League | Merrion U15 Girls | 2/8 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 110 | 50.0% |
| Girls U13A League | Merrion U13A Girls | 5/8 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 50 | 50.0% |
| Girls U11 League – South Section | Merrion U11 Girls | 5/7 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 80 | 27.3% |
| All teams | 77 | 37 | 2 | 5 | 33 | 780 | 48.1%* |
An important part of any season is the progress shown by youth players as they move through the adult ranks. This year saw seven boys playing for the first time in Open Competitions and nine girls in Women’s Competitions. 11 boys and 12 girls achieved representative honours this season for Leinster or Ireland.
Finally, in 2026 Merrion organised highly successful Boys and Girls Tours to the UK and Northern Ireland.
* A quick look back five years to 2021 shows a slightly lower overall Win Ratio of 46%.
Feature photo of Merrion Girls U15s who won the Leinster U15 Cup