Ulster aces handed byes in Junior Cup
which had proved to be an Achilles heel last season.
Ards had a 2-1 win over Pembroke last weekend and are hoping to build on that when they take on Railway Union at home.
At domestic level, Dungannon are the early pacesetters in the Ulster Premier League following their 5-1 win over North Down, and the Tyrone side will be confident of making it two from two when they travel to Portadown.
The most interesting game looks to be the meeting of champions Lurgan and Queen’s at Upper Malone, which is a repeat of last season’s Denman Ulster Shield final. ULSTER quartet Banbridge, Cookstown, Lisnagarvey and Instonians have all received first-round byes in the Irish Junior Cup.
Portadown and Harlequins were not so fortunate and they both face cross-border ties at Railway and Glennane in Dublin respectively.
Kilkeel and South Antrim have home ties against southern opposition, while there are two all-Ulster ties — Civil Service versus North Down and Mossley versus Annadale.
The Irish Hockey Trophy and Irish Hockey Challenge draws will be made at a later date. Men’s Irish Junior Cup first round (November 4): Mossley v Annadale, Civil Service v North Down, Glenanne v Belfast Harlequins, Kilkeel v Bandon, Railway v Portadown, South Antrim v Pembroke, UCD v Rathgar, Clontarf v Dublin Univ, Corinthian v Three Rock. Byes: Banbridge, Cookstown, Lisnagarvey, Instonians, Monkstown, Cork C of I, Dublin YMCA.