Saffrons must triumph to get their

slender of margins in Navan a fortnight ago.

The good news is that should the Saffrons get a result here, then it blows the race for the league wide open at a time when their panel is only going to get stronger.

The Cushendall contingent are expected back soon, though this weekend will come too soon for the likes of Neil McManus as they get over the disappointment of All-Ireland semi-final defeat to St Thomas’ of Galway.

Peden will also hope to bring Joe Maskey back after his club commitment to St Enda’s footballers concluded.

The top two sides qualify for the final, so they have a huge opportunity.

After beating fellow Ulster sides Down and Donegal in Division 2B, Derry have a top of the table clash when they travel to Newbridge to face Kildare.

The Lilywhites spent three years in Division 2A until relegation last spring, but they recovered well to win the Christy Ring Cup last summer.

New manager John McEvoy has been novel to all the Derry players, coming from a background of coaching in Dublin, and he will do well to see any kind of positive result here.

Down have a chance to join Derry in second place when they make the journey across the Irish Sea to take on Warwickshire at their Pairc na hEireann ground outside Birmingham.

Ronan Sheehan’s men beat Wicklow in the last round to recover from an opening day loss to Derry and they will be confident of doing serious damage to Warwickshire, who suffered a big defeat to Kildare the last day on an 8-19 to 0-6 scoreline. Without the help of former Antrim hurler Niall McKenna, the Exiles are really struggling this time round in the higher Division.

Donegal opened their league campaign with a respectable sixpoint loss to promotion favourites Kildare, but then lost by a