The Energia All-Ireland Junior Cup takes centre stage with three Ulster teams involved in this weekend’s quarterfinals with Dromore, Omagh and Portadown all hoping to secure a place in the draw for the semi-finals.
Championship 1 leaders Dromore face the long journey to take on Clonakilty.
Dromore made it all the way to last year’s final, while this season marks the Cork club’s debut in the all-island junior cup competition.
After a 29-6 win over Bandon in round one, Portadown are on the road to take on Wicklow at Ashtown Lane.
Omagh’s reward for seeing off Dunmore is a home tie against Tullamore. The Offlay side accounted for Lurgan in round one and will travel north confident of bagging another Ulster scalp.
The remaining tie is a Leinster v Munster affair with 2020 winners Kilfeacle & District travelling to Drogheda to take on Boyne.
Energia All-Ireland Junior Cup Quarterfinals. Kick-off 2:30pm
- Omagh RFC v Tullamore RFC
- Wicklow RFC v Portadown RFC
- Clonakilty RFC v Dromore RFC
- Boyne RFC v Kilfeacle & District RFC
With the top three in Championship 1 playing elsewhere, Saturday represents a great opportunity for the chasing pack to close the gap.
Fourt placed Limavady will be hoping to build on last Saturday’s second half showing against Lurgan when they travel to Deramore park for a first ever meeting between themselves and Belfast Harlequins.
Bangor will be feeling energised after their first league win of the season last week against Harlequins. They travel to Kilraughts Road to take on a Ballymoney side that will no doubt be eager to bounce back from last week’s defeat to Ards.
At Shaw’s Bridge, Cooke hosts an Ards team that is starting to show glimpses of the form that gained them promotion last season. Please note that this game has an earlier kick-off time of 2:00pm/
After ending Strabane’s unbeaten start to the season last weekend, Coleraine will be hoping to upset the applecart again this weekend when they travel to Tom Simms Memorial Park to face Carrickfergus.
Carrickfergus took over from Strabane at the top of Championship 2 last week, but they will be wary of a Coleraine team that will travel full of confidence of causing a second shock in as many weeks.
Strabane will aim to get their promotion charge back on track against Lisburn, while second placed Academy will be targeting a second successive away win when the travel to Circular Road to take on CIYMS.
Randalstown welcome Letterkenny to Neilsbrook, while City of Derry will host Larne at Judges Road.
In Championship 3 Grosvenor and Virginia face big asks if there are to keep their unbeaten records intact.
Grosvenor travel to IJM Park to take on Monaghan, while Virginia welcome Donaghadee to Deerpark.
A win for either Monaghan or The ‘Dee’ could blow the promotion chase wide-open.
Third place Belfast High School Former Pupils travel to Newry while PSNI welcome Ulster University to Newforge.
There’s also a crucial meeting at the bottom of the table with 12th placed Civil Service hosting Cavan at Stormont.