This evening marks the beginning of the 2025/26 Men’s Premier League season as Queen’s University host Kilkeel at The Dub.
The game will be followed by three matches on Saturday afternoon before North Down host Instonians on Wednesday evening.
The 2022/23 champions have had a summer of change with Matthew Bell taking the reins at the club, and with an influx of new players set to feature.
JJ Holley, Ben Thompson and Charlie McKeown are just some of the names to have joined the university outfit, who are looking to build on a strong season last year.
The side come into the season unbeaten in their final six games of last campaign and having come fourth in the division, securing their spot in the EYHL2 this campaign.
They now face a difficult task as they host a strong Kilkeel side, who scored the fourth most goals in the division last season.
The visitors also managed to secure a win over tonight’s opponents last campaign when four goals from Neil Stevenson (2), Taylor McConnell and Jordan McCartan sealed a 4-2 victory.
Elsewhere, Portadown make the journey to Bangor Grammar School to take on the reigning Anderson Cup champions Bangor.
Last season, just four points and one spot in the table separated these two sides as they finished sixth and seventh respectively and both will be looking to break into the top half this campaign.
It was also a season to remember for Bangor who won their first-ever major trophy, beating South Antrim in the Anderson Cup Final.
However, since then the club have lost both of their top goalscorers in JJ Holley and Ryan Burgess who netted a combined 24 league goals last season.
They now face a Portadown side whom they last met on the final day of last season when it was the Edenvilla based club who came out on top with goals from Jamie Wright, James McQuitty, Josh Rowe and Ryan Bennett sealing a 4-3 win.
At Deramore Park, Belfast Harlequins host South Antrim in a clash of two sides who will be hoping to be in the EYHL2 places come the end of the season.
Of these sides three meetings last season, it was the Lisburn outfit who narrowly came out on top, with a win and a draw in their league matches, whilst also knocking their Belfast opponents out of the Anderson Cup via a shoot-out.
The visitors are also yet another club to have had a strong summer, recruiting the likes of David Arneil and Matthew Campton, whilst Max Taylor has also rejoined the club following a season at Banbridge.
Meanwhile, Harlequins will be hoping they can go one step further than last season, having narrowly missed out on the EYHL2 places by goal difference in 2024/25.
In the final game on Saturday, the league’s two newest sides go head-to-head as recently relegated CI Annadale host newly promoted Mossley.
Following their relegation, Dale have had a summer of change at the club. A new name and badge have also come alongside a change in the playing squad, with Allen Lyons, Charlie McKeown, Callum Robson and Alex McCallister all exiting.
On matchday one, they take on newly promoted Mossley who will be hoping they can cause an early upset on their return to the division.
The Intermediate League champions spent two years outside the top flight and are now led by former Ireland international Neal Glassey.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, matchday one comes to an end when North Down host title hopefuls Instonians in Comber.