By Michael McMullan

DERRY and Ulster champions Glen have been handed a bye when they begin the defence of the John McLaughlin Cup next month.

The Watties will be aiming for three-in-a-row and the draw’s seeding kept them apart from last year’s beaten finalists Sleacht Néill who are paired with 2019 champions Magherafelt.

The new-look format will have 14 teams and is set to be streamlined to 12 teams for the 2024 season.

The format has two groups of seven teams, with each club given three home and three away games.

The top four teams in each group advancing to quarter-finals.

The quarter-finals will be seeded 1 v 4 2 v 3.

The semi-final will be an open draw and repeat pairings are allowed.

Teams placed sixth and seventh will play in the relegation playoffs with the two losers relegated to the Intermediate Championship for 2024.

FIXTURES

Round 1 – Sunday, August 6
GROUP A
Glen BYE
Bellaghy v Dungiven
Swatragh v Ballinascreen
Eoghan Rua v Lavey

GROUP B
Newbridge BYE
Magherafelt v Loup
Steelstown v Sleacht Néill – Saturday, August 5
Kilrea v Ballinderry

Round 2 – Wednesday, August 9
GROUP A
Swatragh BYE
Dungiven v Glen
Lavey v Bellaghy – Wed, Aug 30
Ballinascreen v Eoghan Rua – Wed, Sept 20

GROUP B
Steelstown BYE
Newbridgev Loup
Ballinderry v Magherafelt – Wed, Aug 30
Sleacht Néíll v Kilrea – Wed, Sept 20

Round 3 – Sunday, August 13
GROUP A
Dungiven v BYE
Bellaghy v Ballinascreen
Glen v Lavey
Swatragh v Eoghan Rua

GROUP B
Loup BYE
Magherafelt v Sleacht Néill
Newbridge v Ballinderry
Kilrea v Steelstown

Round 4 – Sunday, August 27
GROUP A
Bellaghy BYE
Ballinascreen v Lavey
Dungiven v Swatragh
Eoghan Rua v Glen

GROUP B
Magherafelt BYE
Sleacht Néill v Ballinderry
Loup v Steelstown
Kilrea v Newbridge

Round 5 – Sunday, Septmeber 3
GROUP A
Lavey BYE
Bellaghy v Eoghan Rua
Glen v Swatragh
Dungiven v Ballinascreen

GROUP B
Ballinderry BYE
Magherafelt v Kilrea
Steelstown v Newbridge
Loup v Sleacht Néill

Round 6 – Sunday, September 24
GROUP A
Eoghan Rua BYE
Ballinascreen v Glen
Swatragh v Bellaghy
Lavey v Dungiven

GROUP B
Kilrea BYE
Sleacht Néill v Newbridge
Steelstown v Magherafelt
Ballinderry v Loup

Round 7 – Sunday, October 1
GROUP A
Ballinascreen BYE
Glen v Bellaghy
Lavey v Swatragh
Eoghan Rua v Dungiven

GROUP B
Sleacht Néill BYE
Newbridge v Magherafelt
Ballinderry v Steelstown
Loup v Kilrea