In the Men’s Premier League Cookstown are looking to continue their perfect start to the season as they take on Queen’s University.
The reigning champions have been in blistering form at the start of the 2024/25 campaign winning both their opening games by an aggregate score of 13-0.
Within their ranks the Mid-Ulster side have defender Mark Cuddy and midfielder Paul Watt who are amongst the leading goalscorers in the division with three goals each and are likely to cause issues for the students this weekend.
Meanwhile, Queen’s University are looking to bounce back from their first league defeat of the season having lost 3-0 to South Antrim last weekend.
Strikes from Tim Curragh, Peter Milligan and Callum Patterson sealed the defeat and have the side in sixth place going into the weekend.
Elsewhere, North Down take on Bangor with both sides still looking for their first points of the season.
Last weekend, North Down suffered their second defeat of the campaign as they lost 3-2 away to Belfast Harlequins despite early goals from Gareth McKeown and Phillip Wilson.
Opponents Bangor have also had a tough start to the campaign having lost against both Harlequins and South Antrim before last weekend’s heavy defeat against the reigning champions.
Today’s game in Comber will see any potential winner get their first three points of the season, whilst any loser will finish the weekend bottom of the table.
In Lisburn, both South Antrim and Instonians are looking to continue their good starts to the season.
The hosts have won both their opening games, scoring six goals in the process, but today they take on an Instonians side that are top of the table with seven points from their three games.
With 12 goals in their three games so far the visitors have plenty of attacking threat with Matthew McAreavey, Stephen Kelso and Josh Kidd all amongst the leading goalscorers in the division this campaign.
A win for either side could see them end the weekend in top spot with both sides looking to be in the EYHL2 spots come the end of the season.
Portadown host Kilkeel at Edenvilla with the hosts looking to get their first league win of the season.
Having lost 5-2 to Queen’s University on the opening day of the season, Portadown picked up an impressive point at Shawsbridge last week with two goals from Ryan Bennett.
They now face a Kilkeel side who squeezed past PSNI with a 4-3 win last weekend and sit fifth in the table.
There is plenty of goal threat in the travelling side with David and John Finlay have scored in both their opening games, whilst Luke Russell was last season’s joint top scorer in the division.
PHOTO: Front Row Union
