Big cup weekend for North West sides

First up is the Best Western White Horse competition where, in Group A, leaders Brigade meet second-placed Fox Lodge at Beechgrove while Burndennett, right behind in third ,visit Killyclooney.

Surprise Group B table-toppers Bond’s Glen can take a massive step towards winning the group when they host previously out-of-sorts Eglinton. Strabane will consolidate second spot if they can get past currently win-less St Johnston at the Boathole.

Donemana and Newbuildings seem to meet every other week at the minute and will lock horns again at the Holm where the visitors can extend their lead at the top of Group C.

Two games in Group D complete tonight’s action, second-placed Coleraine entertaining leaders Bready while Ballyspallen host Ardmore.

On Saturday we move on to the quarter-final ties in the blue riband competition, the Sports Hub Senior Cup. Newbuildings are already through to the semi-finals having seen off ’Spallen in a cracking tie and hopefully we’ll get more of the same this weekend.

Bready, twice winners, will be many people’s favourites to go in again, but they won’t get it all their own way down the A5 a couple of miles at Burndennett.

Fox Lodge will feel they aren’t out of it either as they welcome perennial cup winners Donemana to Ballymagorry. The home side really do need a fully-fit Marco Marais if they are to threaten the team with a Senior Cup pedigree like no other.

Eglinton and St. Johnston could be interesting. Normally the villagers would be odds-on to come through but it’s a game that really could go either way.

The Sam Jeffrey competition will rarely have attracted a field of this year’s quality. The list is topped by Brigade who won four trophies last season and played in the European Cricket League finals just three months ago.

Andy Britton’s men are here on the back of a shock defeat by St. Johnston and will be taking nothing for granted at Bond’s Glen on Saturday.

Ardmore will be favourites as they go to the Rectory to take on Glendermott while Coleraine make the journey to Killyclooney. Strabane have received a bye into the last four.

While on Sunday, the Clear Speaks Irish Senior and National Cup competitions take centre stage with Donemana travelling to Lisburn and Newbuildings visit CIYMS in the Irish Senior Cup.

In the National Cup, Ballyspallen take on County Kerry; Glendermott make the trip to either Derriaghy or Ballyhaunis; Strabane entertain Railway Union, St Johnston host North County and Bond Glen have home advantage over Terenure.