Cookstown are looking to make it back-to-back wins in the EYHL2 as they travel to Cork Harlequins today.
The Mid-Ulster side got their campaign in the competition underway last weekend and beat Cork Church of Ireland 4-2 at home.
Goals from Callum Anderson (2), Ryan Millar and Michael Kerr sealed the perfect start for Cookstown, but they now face another tough task today.
Harlequins are currently second in the Munster Men’s Division One, only behind Cork C.of.I and also beat Ulster Men’s Premier League side South Antrim 5-2 last month.
Meanwhile last week the Cork side made it two wins from as many games in the competition when they beat Railway Union.
Elsewhere in the competition, Queen’s University are still searching for their first win as they travel to play Avoca.
Last Saturday the students narrowly lost to Pembroke Wanderers whilst they also suffered a defeat to fellow Ulster side Bangor on matchday one.
Despite back-to-back losses in the competition the side still come into today’s game in good form with Cody Large’s strike earning them a 1-1 draw against Belfast Harlequins midweek and two recent wins against North Down in league and Kirk Cup action.
Meanwhile, their opponents come into today’s game having lost their only game in the competition so far to Pembroke Wanderers two weeks ago.
In the Men’s Premier League, the bottom four sides all face off in a massive weekend at the foot of the table.
The first game sees North Down travel to NICS as eighth meets ninth with just four points separating the two sides.
Despite those recent defeats to Queen’s University, the visitors come into today off the back of a win against Ashton in the Irish Hockey Trophy last week.
That day a hat-trick from Josh Gilmore played a key role in the win as he added to the eight goals he had already scored in the Men’s Premier League this campaign.
Opponents NICS come into the game occupying a relegation playoff spot, however, depending on the performance of Ulster sides in the EYHL competitions that could become an automatic drop spot.
That makes today a must win for the side as it would put their fate in their own hands due to having a game in hand over today’s opponents.
The final game of the day sees Bangor host bottom of the table Raphoe with the visitors in search of their first win of the season.
However, they face an uphill battle as they take on a youthful Bangor side who have a win and a draw in two recent EYHL2 fixtures.
PHOTO: FRONT ROW UNION
