Div 7 O'Sullivan Cup 2014/15

cdeb

May as well start up a thread for this.

Fixtures released yesterday. 15 teams, split into two groups. Curiously, all three B teams (Bray, Skerries and Blanch) are in the same group.

No info as yet on promotion - will it be group winners only, or top two from each group into a play-off. Recent history suggests the former, though the latter has been arranged in the past (and may be a better option here with the relative lack of games)

But sure let the games begin!

Chessrookie

It's a very positive development to see 15 teams in the new division 7. It will be hard to predict who will do well, but I will take a flyer anyhow.
In The A group I will go for a shoot out between some of John Delaneys next group of prodigies from Blanchardstown, or some of the large batch of youngsters that seem to be playing out in Malahide.
Group B should be Enniscorthy, or possibly Naomh Barrog as they have a years Bodley seasoning for their squad, although Benildus will be dark horses depending on how many new players they still have available having filled in their two Bodley teams.
Kind of surprised that Gonzaga didn't enter a team given the list of strong players that they have not yet declared on their BEA squad. Interesting as well to see a club such as Dublin suddenly having a team in the "novices" division given the age profile of their club. Definitely a good sign if they has some new younger blood coming through.

cdeb

14 now; Trinity have pulled out.

It's a shame in a way that there's 14 teams - it's about the worst possible numbers in terms of splitting the division up. Do you go with a bumper 13-match season (didn't work too well last time) or a tiny six-match season?

Obviously this means 8 new teams compared to last season (with a 18-team Bodley), which is great.

Gonzaga's problem is team captains, afaik. They'd have the players to cruise the O'Sullivan, I'm sure.

I think we've got a great chance in this; our O'Sullivan team may be stronger than our Bodley B actually. Though Enniscorthy are the obvious targets. I think we'll both benefit by being in with three B teams; from playing the likes of Skerries' and Blanch's sub-Bodley teams in the cups in recent seasons, they could be quite weak. (Though I've no doubt that they'll be improving very quickly!)

No new club in the bottom division, which is unusual. May make it a fairly level playing field (no team of 1800s walking to the title)

Great to see Dublin in there too; a break from the usual junior clubs.

Chessrookie

Thanks Cdeb,
I hadn't factored in that you might have a couple of strong players still available to supplement your Bodley A squads promotion push - although they are doing very very well so far.
Any new names to watch out for? Agustin P.L. Should do well for Enniscorthy and I think the two Bolgers could have a good year for NB. any new Alex Byrne's in Benildus this year?

Also definitely it would be better for everybody to have a 14 team division where all squads got 13 games each rather than a shortened 6 game campaign. What is needed for a board prize?
Shame about Trinity, particularly after losing their O Hanlon team last year. Both Jacob Miller and Shane Sheedy were very handy players from that squad and both did very well in the city of Dublin

cdeb

Board prize is 4½/6.

Got to keep my cards close to my chest on exact details about our squad.

But most wouldn't have played leagues before; just a new batch of players who are probably all about 1000 strength.

Collegiate teams always struggle. It's good in a way - means there's a strong junior scene which means club loyalties are decided early on for a player.

There used to be a UCD team (I played on their second team in the Ennis years ago), but they haven't been in the league in years.

cdeb

League tables and fixtures up on the LeinsterChess site now -

Group A
Group B

I see Trinity actually moved to Group A, so it's someone from that group who's actually dropped out. That would have left groups of 6 and 8, so a team from Group B was moved across to compensate.

Edit - it's Phibsboro who withdrew

mikhail

cdeb wrote: »

There used to be a UCD team (I played on their second team in the Ennis years ago), but they haven't been in the league in years.

They collapsed over ten years ago - lack of organisers more than players. Even the 'big' clubs in this country are generally built on the efforts of very few people. It's tougher again when those guys disappear every four years.

cdeb

Bray/Greystones B gone now. Leaves six teams in the B group - a five game season to be finished by January.

Hopefully the league see sense and get some sort of championship group to extend the season to a reasonable length. Top three from each group play off for promotion - carrying forward your results against teams in the same group as you means an extra three games. You can do the same thing for the bottom three/four teams as well.

There's going to be a lot of new players in this division, and it seems a bit much to expect them to pay full fees for half a season. Hardly going to encourage them to continue playing.

cdeb

Underway!

Skerries A 1-4 Trinity

cdeb

Enniscorthy 4.5-0.5 St Benildus

We were a bit unlucky - missing four players and only travelling with four for starters. And we had one game completely won only to hang back rank! But Enniscorthy have a strong team with a lot of experience for this level; I still think they'll do very well in the division

cdeb

Blanch B 3½-1½ Ballinasloe

Razzen

Sorry, I"m very new to this chess thing Whats a board prize?

cdeb

You get a small plaque if you score 75% or more in the leagues.

So in Group B, there's five games, and you need to score 4/5. In Group A, there's six games, so you need to score 4½/6.

If you miss a game, that counts as a defeat - so you need to score 4/4 (or 4½/5 in Group A). The target is 75% from all the games in the season, not just the ones you play.

Enniscorthy Chess

Ballinasloe 0 -5 Enniscorthy

Razzen

Naomh Barróg 1 - 4 Blanchardstown B

cdeb

St Benildus 5 - 0 Skerries B

Enniscorthy Chess

Skerries B 0-5 Enniscorthy

Razzen

Blanch 2 -3 St Benildus

Debornie

Enniscorthy 3 - 2 Blanchardstown

cdeb

Enniscorthy into the promotion play-offs so; well done!

Was afraid Blanch would take a couple of points off ye though. Means we now probably need 8 from the last two games to come second. Big ask.

cdeb

St Benildus 2½-2½ Naomh Barróg.

All in Blanch's hands now.

Debornie

Naomh Barrog 1 - 4 Enniscorthy

Razzen

Any results for St. Benildus and Ballinasloe??

cdeb

Was postponed last week at Ballinasloe's request (weather concerns a couple of days in advance)

Due to be tomorrow, but we're struggling for a team! May have to postpone again. Only alternative is to forfeit really.

Academic really as I expect Blanch to get 5 off Skerries and make the play-offs.

Debornie

Blanchardstown 1.5 - 3.5 Enniscorthy

Razzen

League tables seem to have changed a little on leinsterchess.com for 7A.. Can anyone confirm the top two teams from 7A for the playoffs?

cdeb

I think Skerries and Dublin qualified.

Debornie

Enniscorthy 3 - 2 Dublin University

Razzen

Blanchardstown 3 - 2 Skerries (every single game could have gone either way!)

I also think from the other week..
Dublin University 4 - 1 Skerries

Debornie

Enniscorthy 3.5 - 1.5 Skerries

Razzen

Dublin University 3.5 - 1.5 Blanchardstown