Weekend sports preview
The clocks are going forward, the nights are stretching and that weird guy in your office has broken out the shorts for ‘casual’ Fridays.
All sure fired signs that Spring has sprung and that the winter sporting season is coming to a close.
With this in mind, three hockey league titles could be decided on Saturday afternoon.
Castletown A could seal a first women’s top-flight title in 30 years if they beat Valkyrs A in the 2.05pm pushback at King William’s College.
It could be the juicy filling in a trophy-shaped sandwich for the southern club with its sides also on the verge of wrapping up the men’s and women’s division two crowns.
Rugby is also at its ‘business’ end, with the new-look Manx Cup beginning this weekend. Douglas, Vagabonds, Ramsey and Southern Nomads will face each in a series of round robin games ahead of the final on April 22.
Vagas host Nomads at Ballafletcher and Douglas travel to Ramsey in the opening games this Saturday, both kicking off at 2.15pm.
There’s cup and league action in football, with the delayed FA Cup quarter-final between St John’s and St George’s, plus the semi-final between Peel and Laxey on Saturday afternoon’s card. Both games kick-off at 2pm to cater for extra-time if required.
There’s also Woods Cup semi-final action at the Bowl and Castletown Stadium, where St Mary’s host Gymns and Town play Foxdale respectively.
The game at the National Stadium kicks off slightly earlier than the others at 1.45pm to accommodate FC Isle of Man’s North West Counties Premier Division encounter with West Didsbury & Chorlton at 6pm.
In addition, there’s also a smattering of league games in the Canada Life Premier League, Division Two and both combination division. These kick-off at 2.30pm.
Sunday spells more football, as the women’s league resumes after its Mothers’ Day break. The current top two go head-to-head in that at Douglas Road with leaders Peel taking on Corinthians. The pair are locked on 24 points, but with the westerners having played a game more. Kick-off in that one is 2pm.
There’s also the last flurry of netball league fixtures on Sunday morning, with the final four games in the second-tier Championship taking place at the NSC. Simcocks Gold have already won the title with a game to spare, but the destination of the division’s wooden spoon is yet to be decided.
