Four JCK Division Two sides will go into Saturday’s Keystone Law Hospital Cup first round with a realistic chance of claiming a top-flight scalp.
Foxdale, Ayre United, Malew and RYCOB all face Premier League opponents at the weekend with a quarter-final spot well within their reach.
Dale take on an out-of-sorts St John’s side who will have one eye on Tuesday evening’s relegation shoot-out with Douglas Royal.
John Roberts’s Dale side have already claimed the scalp of top-flight Castletown and will go into this western derby at Billy Goat Park as marginal favourites against one of his former clubs.
Ayre United have a trickier task when they play host to DHSOB. The Tangerines will, however, have been boosted by a mid-week win over promotion-hopefuls Pulrose and will fancy their chances on Andreas soil against Manx football’s ultimate Jekyll and Hyde side.
Malew will take a break from the promotion race they are currently embroiled in when they travel to Douglas Athletic.
Cal Alexander’s southerners have won three of their last four to move up to second in the Division Two standings.
Athletic have only played once over the same period, a 3-1 defeat at the hands of St George’s on March 2, and maybe a tad ring rusty to say the least.
Division Two leaders RYCOB will also smell top-flight blood in the water.
Ray Leech’s men have quietly gone about their business this season and are in with a real shot of bouncing back up to the Premier League.
With this in mind, Saturday’s game against Marown will be a real gauge of their progress.
Having secured their own top-flight status a few weeks ago, the pressure is off Dave Brew’s side and this may lead to a slip up.
Only days after the pair met in the league, Peel face Corinthians at Douglas Road with the westerners looking to bounce back from their mid-week defeat.
St George’s should get a smoother ride than they did against Gymns when they face Div Two’s bottom side Governor’s Athletic, while Ramsey should edge past Onchan in the round’s sole all-Division Two affair.