Top meets bottom in the Men’s Premier League as leaders Cookstown take on relegation-threatened North Down.
The reigning champions are currently three points clear at the top of the division with a game in hand of title rivals South Antrim and have only dropped points once this season in a 2-2 draw with Queen’s University.
The Mid-Ulster side come into the weekend off the back of a sensational run of form which has seen them win their last five outings since the aforementioned draw.
They now face a North Down side who are two points adrift at the bottom of the division and that they beat 4-1 earlier in the season with goals from Ethan Redford, Isaac Kelso, Paul Thompson and Jack Haycock.
Looking to cause an upset, the visitors come into the tie off the back of eight straight losses – two in the Kirk Cup and six in the Men’s Premier League.
Last weekend’s defeat to Portadown saw the side put in a much improved performance, taking an early lead with a Frazer McCain strike before their hosts turned it around to win 2-1.
As they return to League action they face an uphill battle to claim ninth spot, with nothing but a win being enough to lift them off the foot of the table.
The only other game in the division sees second-placed South Antrim take on mid-table Belfast Harlequins at Friends’ School Lisburn.
The Lisburn side come into the weekend six points clear of third place Instonians, but having played two games more than most of the teams below them.
To keep their title bid alive the hosts will most likely need to beat their Belfast opposition – something they have already done twice this season.
This meeting will be the third occasion these sides have met in 2024/25 with South Antrim winning the Anderson Cup tie on penalty run-ins following a 1-1 draw in normal time.
Meanwhile, the now Anderson Cup finalists sealed a 3-1 away League win with goals from Oli Patterson (2) and David Gallagher.
Their visitors come into the tie having playing just twice starting with a 9-2 loss against Bangor last weekend
Their 2-2 midweek draw with Kilkeel with goals from Cameron Ruttle and Matthew Gray helping earn a point but keeping them sixth in the table.
A win this afternoon could see them climb as high as third in the table, whilst they also have two games in hand of South Antrim and could eventually move into second should they capitalise on their extra games.