Domestic football returns to action this weekend with a mouth-watering top-of-the-table Canada Life Premier League clash.

Games will resume this Saturday with action across the Premier League, Division Two, Combinations One and Two, followed by women’s and Masters football on Sunday and junior action next Wednesday.

All eyes will be on Ballafletcher on Saturday afternoon when leaders Corinthians and second-placed Rushen United lock horns in a repeat of Boxing Day’s Railway Cup final, ironically the last game to be played in the island.

On that day, the 10-man Whites edged past the Spaniards 1-0 courtesy of Dan Simpson’s second-half strike, but for most teams the players have not kicked a ball in anger since December 12.

The quirk of the fixture list gives Rushen an opportunity to avenge that cup final defeat to some extent, but with such a gap since that game, fitness and match sharpness are very much an unknown quantity.

The two sides remain undefeated so far in the league this season, but Corinthians currently hold a seven-point lead over the southerners albeit having played one game more.

Therefore, with nearly two thirds of the season gone, the Spaniards will know that this is pretty much a must-win game for the Croit Lowey side if they are to seriously challenge the Whites for the Premier League title.

Aside from the Railway Cup final, the previous league meeting between the sides saw them play out a 1-1 draw back in September and an equally close game could be in store this time around.

While a lot of attention will obviously be on Ballafletcher, the fixture list has also produced several other potentially intriguing matches in the top flight this weekend.

A tight game could be in prospect in the north of the island where fifth-placed Ayre United host the side one spot and one point above them, St George’s.

The Tangerines have been one of this season’s standout performers in the Premier League and will therefore probably be confident of getting something from this game, but Geordies will go into the match as favourites having won the reverse fixture 5-2 at Glencrutchery Road.

At the Bowl, reigning champions St Mary’s go up against an unpredictable DHSOB side which is currently battling to move away from the relegation zone.

On paper, the Saints will be odds on to triumph and claim all three points but Old Boys recruited well before the enforced mid-season break and demonstrated they’re capable of pulling off good results when holding St George’s to a 2-2 draw in November.

While Corinthians and Rushen may take centre stage, there’s another important match taking place on the adjacent pitch at Ballafletcher where relegation-threatened Douglas Royal entertain Ramsey.

The hosts are currently one point from safely and four behind the northerners who sit in eighth place, showcasing just how tight it is at the bottom of the table.

With no current form to go off, it’s difficult to pick a winner in this one, therefore a repeat of the draw earlier in the season may be on the cards.

Propping up the rest of the table and some five points from safety, St John’s need to start their Great Escape quickly if they are to stave off relegation to JCK Division Two.

This weekend they travel to the east coast where they visit sixth-placed Laxey. The Miners won the reverse match 3-2 at Mullen-e-Cloie and will be expected to triumph again, but the Saints should be fired up so this could go either way, although it remains to be seen how many of their university contingent Laxey have at their disposal which could have a major say in the outcome.

The last game in the top flight this weekend sees Douglas Athletic make the journey to the west coast to take on Peel at Douglas Road.

The sides sit right next to each other in the table - DAFC ninth only one point ahead of the westerners in 10th - so all signs point to this being a close game. A negative result for either side could push them further into the relegation mire, therefore a tense game could be in store and a possible repeat of September’s 2-2 draw between the sides.