Domestically, the first of the knockout competitions gets underway with two ties in the Shimmin Wilson Manx Plate.

Defending champions Douglas Celts will play Ramsey B at Port-e-Chee, provided of course that the pitch holds up in the winter weather. At Ballafletcher, Vagabonds host Emerging Nomads B in what could be a tight encounter.

Douglas Celts, a little like Southern Nomads, have become victims of their own success. They and Nomads are consistently better than their domestic opposition but without the option of changing league structures, they are left with a fixture list which consists largely of mismatches.

On paper, their tie with Ramsey B is one of these. Last season Ramsey actually beat Douglas in the Shield and were within 12 points of a place in a Shield final.

The team, however, has lost a number of key players for various reasons and is a shadow of what it was a year ago. Douglas have already beaten Ramsey twice in other competitions this season and Saturday should make it three.

The other Plate tie is a little tighter looking. Vagas B have struggled to get a side all season but did get a team out against the Front Row at Christmas and even won 70-68. Could this result be the spark they’re looking for?

Emerging Nomads won an earlier encounter 88-12 with what was a very strong team following a first team call-off. There should be no such luxury this weekend and Vagas could run them close.

Fixtures

North One West

Northwich v Douglas @ Northwich

South Lancs/Cheshire Division Two

Marple v Vagabonds @ Marple

South Lancs/Cheshire Division Three (South)

Ramsey v Oxton Parkonians @ Mooragh Park ko tbc

Shimmin Wilson Manx Plate

ko 2.15pm

Douglas Celts v Ramsey B @ Port-e-Chee

Emerging Nomads v Vagabonds B @ Ballafletcher

Shimmin Wilson Manx Shield

Castletown v PDMS Southern Nomads @ Poulsom Park ko 2.15pm