Ulster Bank Section Two

As many people may have expected, Ballymena have got one foot in the door towards returning to the top flight of NCU cricket.  Currently sitting top of the pile with 12 games played, 12 wins and in most games scoring over 200 runs this well balanced team look odds on to gain promotion and maybe even champions with 100% record.  The return of David Kennedy was a huge lift for Ballymena, but the team have runs at all levels and the bowlers are doing a fine job too. 

The only team that might just beat them to the title is Woodvale.  The Ballygomartin Road side have only lost once in 11 and that was to Ballymena.  Again this team look a formidable side and they will be happy that even if they don’t win promotion as champions, they will still get promoted in second place.  You can be sure that Woodvale will still be eyeing the very top spot though. 

The next 2 placed teams currently will either be very disappointed with their season or very happy with their season to date.  With just over half the fixtures played its mixed emotions for Lurgan and Saintfield. 

Lurgan will have to play at least another season in the 2nd section it looks, losing 5 out of their 12 games to date.  It’s unlikely that Ballymena or Woodvale will lose enough to bring them back into the mix.  So focus must be on 2009 promotion. 

Champions from Section 3, Saintfield may have expected a struggle in 2008.  At the halfway stage they and Dundrum seem to find life in the higher league manageable.  Saintfield look to be safe now with 5 wins, this total was enough to keep sides out of the bottom two in the last 2 seasons.  They have 6 games left and will expect to win a few more as it looks like 6 or 7 wins will be needed for safety. 

The next 6 teams could all be fighting off relegation.  Muckamore were promotion candidates pre-season, but they didn’t get a great start and with 4 wins from 9 it may be hard to expect the top two to lose most of their remaining game to get the Moylena club promoted and they have games in hand to get them out of the relegation bracket.  However they will build on the Twenty20 shield win, they are in the final of the Ulster Shield and their youth is thriving win another Graham Cup win this week.  A top 4 finish will be a good season. 

Dundrum, Downpatrick, Laurelvale and Holywood all have 4 wins as well as Muckamore but have played 10, 11, 11 and 12 games respectively.  Dundrum have had a ball this season with the hiring of their first overseas coach and the spirit within the camp, they still have 8 games to play and will hope they have enough at the end of the season to stay up – and it they finished above Downpatrick it would be double delight.

Downpatrick have had a nightmare, with their overseas professional problems and trouble getting to grips with Section 2.  They really have to dig deep to fight, and it’s another fight in relegation.  They need the senior players to pull out a few performances and get a few wins on the board; otherwise they will have the unwanted title of ‘best ground in section 3’.  I cannot believe they will be in the bottom two come the end of the season – but they have their work cut out at Strangford Road. 

Laurelvale have plenty of experience to avoid the drop with Charles McCrum, Bruce Topping, Wayne Pearson - right, Noel Nelson to add to their professional.  They too only have 4 wins from 11 – but 2 wins in their next 2 games against Armagh and Dundrum will help the side. 

Holywood have had a mixed up season, narrowly losing their last 2 games.  They surely were favourites to win against Ballymena and Laurelvale between innings, but lost them both.  The Seapark Oval side have few weeks break until their next game at Downpatrick on August 16th.  This will give Philip McCormick’s side a chance to recharge the batteries for a vital 6 game run in to the end of the season. 

Unfortunately it looks like who will join Armagh in Section 3 next season as the Mall side have only 1 win in 10 and that was on May 10th against Muckamore.  Armagh have managed to avoid the drop in the last few season and maybe this season they will not have the fight in them.  Its still possible and they have done it before, so don’t consider them relegated just yet.  

So in brief it looks like Ballymena and Woodvale will replace 2 of CIYMS, Cliftonville and Derriaghy in the Premier League in 2009.  As for relegation, well at halfway, it could be anyone of 6 or 7 even.  The next few weeks will make it a little clearer to see but it could go to the last games of the season.