The Shimmin Wilson Manx Plate reaches its semi-final stage on Saturday afternoon.

In semi-final one Emerging Nomads are the visitors at QEII where they take on Western Vikings.

The Peel men have won both match ups in the Manx Shield and must start as favourites.

They struggled to put a team together last week which suggests they may be weak, but it’s surprising how rejuvenating a semi-final can be.

Emerging Nomads suffer like any other second team and while there are a hard core of committed players, there are also a few who prefer the Saturday contest to the midweek training ground.

This makes matches occasionally frustrating as skill levels and fitness come into play, but one thing they won’t be lacking is effort. Skipper Dion Meechan will drive the team onwards and number eight Orry Watterson has appeared regularly on the score sheets.

The size of the earlier wins suggests to me that its Vikings who will appear in the final.

The other semi is a re-run of last week’s Shield match between Castletown and Douglas B. Douglas won that one 100-0 but despite the scoreline Castletown were reporting an enjoyable game. Expect something similar this weekend as Douglas aim towards a near clean sweep of the local silverware.

l In the Shimmin Wilson Manx Shield Ramsey B travel to Ballafletcher to face Vagabonds B.

The earlier game at the Mooragh was very tight with Ramsey just edging it.

That, however, was when both sides were in with a shout of the title.

Since then all hopes have faded and the result this week will be unlikely to affect the outcome.

In the short term, however, James Wren’s Ramsey B side could reclaim the top of the taple position as nearest rivals Southern Nomads have no game this week.

This however is Ramsey’s final Shield fixture and both Nomads and Douglas B are likely to pass them.

Fixtures: Saturday, January 28

South Lancs/Cheshire Division One

Broughton Park v Douglas @ Broughton Park

South Lancs/Cheshire Division Two

Heaton Moor v Vagabonds @ Heaton Moor

South Lancs/Cheshire Division Three

Ramsey v Oxton Parkonians @ Mooragh Park ko 1.15pm

Women’s NC North One

Chester Devas v Vagabonds @ Chester

Shimmin Wilson Manx Plate Semis KOs 2.15pm

Western Vikings v Emerging Nomads @ QEII

Douglas B v Castletown @ Port-e-Chee

Shimmin Wilson Manx Shield KO 2.15pm

Vagabonds B v Ramsey B @ Ballafletcher