One of the oldest cup competitions in Irish club rugby kicks off this weekend with twelve ties down for decision in the first round of the Bank of Ireland Towns Cup.
First played for in 1883 with City of Derry the first winners, the Towns Cup is the first round draw is one of the most eagerly awaited dates in the local rugby calendar.
Dungannon led the roll of honour with 19 outright wins, while the Stevenson Park club also shared the trophy once after the 1886 final with Bessbrook ended all s
quare.
There’s also a full programme of fixtures in Championship 3 and the boys age-grade leagues, while there is only one game down for decision in the Women’s Premiership on Sunday.
Due to their All-Ireland Junior cup commitments, holders Dromore received a bye to the second round. Omagh, Portadown and Lurgan are others to have earned byes to the round two.
Ballynahinch 2XV were winners in 2025, and will no doubt be in the running again this season. They start this year’s campaign with a home tie against Ballyclare 2XV.
Strabane have enjoyed a tremendous start to the season. The Tyrone men sit top of Championship 2 and are no strangers to lifting silverware at Affidea Stadium. Last April they collected the Gordon West Cup at rugby headquarters, and they will be relishing testing themselves in the Towns Cup.
They travel to Gibson Park to play Malone 2XV high in confidence of adding another name to their list of scalps this season.
Championship 1 Limavady face a tricky assignment in Larne, while there is an all-Championship 2 encounter at Rugby Avenue between Coleraine and Academy.
Bank of Ireland Towns Cup 1st Round. All kick-off at 2:30pm.
- Ards v Carrickfergus
- Ballymena 2XV v Cooke
- Ballynahinch 2XV v Ballyclare 2XV
- CIYMS v Banbridge 2XV
- Clogher Valley 2XV v Ballymoney
- Coleraine v Academy
- Dungannon 2XV v Bangor
- Instonians 2XV v Belfast Harlequins
- Larne v Limavady
- Malone 2XV v Strabane
- Queens University 2XV v Rainey 2XV
- Randalstown v City of Armagh 2XV
In Championship 3, joint leaders Virginia make the long trip to the North-West coast to take on Ulster University while fellow occupiers of the top spot Grosvenor welcome Cavan to Gibson Park.
There’s an interesting tie at Greenisland where Belfast High School Former Pupils take on third place Monaghan.
Elsewhere, Donaghadee take on Newry, and PSNI tackle Civil Service.
All games kick off at 2:30pm.
There is one game in Women’s Championship B with Queens University 2XV welcoming Lurgan to The Dub at 2pm.