Friday Sport Preview (30-1-26)

January 30, 2026·50 min·4 clips

Martin Dunn explains how 40-50 kids weekly are fueling the Isle of Man's basketball boom and producing national players.

Friday Sport Preview starts with a full weekend ahead. Rob Pritchard runs through Isle of Man sport, including Saturday's men's football title races and Sunday's Women's Floodlit Cup semi-finals. The pace is useful and unfussy. Basketball comes up at an important point in the season, with island national-team news also on the list. Rugby sounds less comfortable: Douglas are still trying to end a slump as they go into a third straight away tie in Regional 2 North West. Hockey then gets the room it needs. The first cup competition action of 2026 sits alongside youth fixtures and representative matches across the water. Castletown get the slight pick, but the call is about form, not a sure thing, with the match treated as close between two even sides. The under-15 fixtures are laid out cleanly. Vikings face Castletown Sabres at Castle Russian High School, Ramsey Rogues and Rascals meet Valkyres at the NSC, and Backers play Harlequins at Castle Russian High School. That gives the junior mixed league a tidy Saturday run. Sunday broadens it out. The under-14 boys, under-14 girls, under-16 boys, and under-18 girls are all away in England Hockey Tier 2 Round 4. Ben Cunningham notes that strong squads are travelling, with players from clubs across the island involved. Louise Franklin is part of it too, away with the under-14 boys and representing the island as an umpire. The episode closes with thanks for Tony Meppam, Dave Christian, Ben Cunningham, and basketball coach Martin Dunn, then points listeners toward Saturday Live and the later classified coverage.

As heard by us

A clear weekend guide for Manx sport, from title-race football to national-team activity.

Friday Sport Preview gives the weekend's Isle of Man sporting schedule a clear shape, moving from men's title-race football to the Women's Floodlit Cup semi-finals, with basketball, Douglas's away trip in Regional 2 North West, and the first cup competition action of 2026 in…

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