Clonmel and Bruff hope to get performances with promotion on the agenda for both, elsewhere Skerries and Tullamore tussle for second place, while the sides at the foot of the table hope for better fortunes.
Ballina V Midleton, Saturday January 26th, Heffernan Park, 2:30pm
After last week’s defeat on the road, Ballina hope to pick up a win at home against a Midleton side looking to put distance between them and avoid dropping into the bottom two.
Ballina have started the year with two defeats in three games, with a four point gap between the teams a win is needed to keep them chasing to avoid being in that dreaded bottom two situation.
For the visitors from Cork, they are winless so far in 2023, having also failed to win a game since defeating Bangor back in November, it was a draw when they last met that same month in Towns Park, this time they also need the victory.
Bangor V Omagh Academicals, Saturday January 26th, Upritchard Park, 2:30pm
Two sides with a mixed degree of form meet in the Ulster Derby as sixth place hosts seventh.
Bangor are in a small bit of a rut at the moment, two consecutive defeats to begin the year with the opener seeing them lead 10-0 at the break before losing by a point to Skerries, that defeat marked a four gaming losing streak, it could be five this weekend.
Omagh produced an emphatic turn around having lost 50-0 to Instonians the previous weekend, they were 40-3 winners over Ballina last time out, just their third won of the season with the last coming in October in gives them confidence to overcome their provincial rivals having lost by a point when they met in November.
Bruff V Sundays Well, Saturday January 26th, Kilballyowen Park, 2:30pm
Bruff hope to keep their eyes on promotion when they host bottom placed Sundays Well this weekend.
The South Limerick outfit had their chances of promotion dented last weekend having lost in Clonmel, with the last few weekends previous to that tie being positive they now need to bounce back against their Munster counterparts.
Well are only six points off Midleton in eight position in the table, despite just one win in their last five, a win would see them leapfrog Ballina should they have another defeat this weekend.
Instonians V Clonmel, Saturday January 26th, Shaws Bridge, 2:30pm
The Instonians train has been steamrolling the division this season, but the meeting of Clonmel may provide a stumbling block this weekend.
With their previous 11 games all bringing wins and bonus points, they have carved open a 13 point lead at the top that looks impossible for the chasing pack to claw back, they have been the front runners and hope to put in another big performance this weekend against some tough opposition.
Clonmel hope to be in a promotion pce come the end of the season, this game at the weekend is one they hope to claim victory to keep onto fourth spot and prove why they deserve to be a 2B team next season, it will be a big test of character but one they hope will result in a win.
Skerries V Tullamore, Saturday January 26th, Holmpatrick, 2:30pm
A mouth watering contest in the capital this weekend as third place Skerries look to hunt down second placed Tullamore.
Skerries have looked in great shape since defeat back at the start of December to Sundays Well, last week’s result at home can give them a boost in what will be a much tougher opponent in Tullamore.
The Midlander’s lost ground in chasing Instonians for the title but now need to stay going and not look over their shoulder where Skerries currently remain chasing them, five points between them with Tullamore looking to build another winning streak after the defeat to Ballina.
Diarmuid Kearney
Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.