SEASON'S GREETINGS

BANBRIDGE Hockey Club get what they hope will be a trophy-laden season underway on Saturday afternoon when they make the trip up the carriageway to Belfast Harlequins (2.30pm).

The Kirk Cup provides the curtain raiser to this season once again, building up to the start of their All Ireland League campaign against Instonians on October 9 and their O'NE 1918 Premier League opener against Civil Service the week before that.

Nothing else but a win will do this weekend - and that is what is being expected by Bann coach Mark Tumilty who is about to engage in his second term in charge of the Havelock Park side, although his knowledge of the Belfast side is limited to say the least.

"I know nothing about them to be," he admitted. "I know they have a new coach but that's about it.

"So long as we go down there and produce the hockey we have been doing in pre-season we should get the correct result.

"Scoring an early goal will be vital to that so we will be attacking from the off.

"The sand-based pitch will be a bit of a leveller although I would hope that we would overcome that."

Pre-season has gone fairly well for the locals. At the weekend they travelled to Dublin and while they suffered a 4-0 defeat to Glenanne they eased past Pembroke Wanderers 8-3.

"We used mixed teams in both games so I'm not sure what you could say about those results," Tumilty said.

"Throughout pre-season, however, I've been impressed by what I've seen. The boys have been going through intense training, working four nights a week and I think that we will see the benefits of it."

Tumilty hinted at tactical changes for the season, confirming that Ross McCandless would be moving back into the back four for the forthcoming season.

"Drew Carlisle will be taking up Ross' role in midfield. Stevie Dowds has been flicking a few corners for us in pre-season and has been doing very well so far," the coach added.

"Bruce McCandless is looking good as well this term after making the step-up at international level so I'd be expecting big things from him this year."

So can Bann secure silverwear this season?

"I think we can certainly challenge at Ulster level this term and even at All Ireland level, which is something I'm keen to work on from last season," Tumilty said.

"The same five teams will be challenging but Glenanne will be the team to beat at All Ireland level.

"I am happy with my squad - the only way I could have improved it would have been to bring in senior internationals - but I certainly believe we have enough in us to be competitive."

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