The 2026 edition of the Anderson Cup kicks off the new year as the hockey season recommences with the first round of the competition.
Three ties take place on Saturday afternoon, with last season’s beaten finalists, South Antrim, amongst those looking to book their spot in the next round as they host Portadown at Friends’ School Lisburn.
South ended 2025 in sensational form, winning each of their last seven games in all competitions and sitting second in the Premier League.
Star man Max Taylor will also be looking to continue his personal form into the new year, with the summer recruit scoring 11 goals this season, including 9 in his last 9 outings for the club.
They now face a strong Portadown side, who sit five points behind them in league action and who they couldn’t beat in their most recent outing.
Back in October, the points were shared when the teams played out a 2-2 draw with Jamie Wright netting twice for the Ports alongside goals from Chris Henry and Oliver Patterson.
At Camlin Park, Cookstown are looking to get 2026 off to a winning start as they host Premier League side Belfast Harlequins.
Nine years on from their last Anderson Cup success, the Mid-Ulster side will be hoping they can go one step further than they did in the Kirk Cup last season when they were beaten finalists.
The Reds are five-time winners of the competition and are now amongst the favourites to win it for a sixth time, and now face a Harlequins side who they did the league double over last season.
Winning each of the last two meetings between the sides by an aggregate score of 10-1, they come into the tie as heavy favourites. Meanwhile, Greg Allen could score against the Belfast club for a third consecutive meeting.
The final game of the afternoon sees Mossley make the trip to Kilkeel in an all-Premier League affair.
The visitors have defied expectations this season, sitting third in the league and amongst the highest scoring sides in the province.
They will now be hoping to pick up where they left off in 2025, as they ended the year with a 4-2 win over Bangor with goals from Raymond Miller (2), Philip Kane and Ross McIvor.
To secure cup progression, they will have to get past Kilkeel, who last won the competition in 2018 when they beat Mossley on run-ins.
This evening, reigning champions Bangor get their title defence started with a home tie against Instonians.
Last season the side lifted their first-ever major trophy with a final win over South Antrim and will now be hoping to avoid a first-round exit.
Opponents, Instonians are looking to win the competition for the first time since the 1994/95 season.
They come into the game fourth in the Premier League and on a run of form which has seen them lose just once in their last five outings.