THE 2026 Intermediate Championship will see the first sliotar thrown-in this evening at 7:30pm when the high-flying St Paul's will host Glenarm in the opening clash in Group Two.

The men in red and white hoops will be hoping to recapture their Division Two league form which stayed them to a top five finish and hope they can capitalise on the new format to clinch a knockout phase.

Glenarm took scalps in their debut campaign in 2025 and will hope they can continue to show that the men from the Carnlough coast are no mugs at Intermediate level and want to be taken serious.

Follow LIVE Match-day blogs throughout the Championship with belfastmedia.com and check below for scores and updates.

Our reporter Maghnus Dunne is live on the Shaws Road.

2nd HALF

St Paul's 0-14
Glenarm 3-21

At Shaws Road

St Paul's XV: C Murray; L Walsh, D Stevenson, T Auld; T Duff, S Rooney, C Killyleagh; M Munce, D Quinn; S Munce, S Óg McLaren, C Ó'Duibhfinn; D Chapman, C Finnegan, O Donnelly

Subs: B Buns for D Chapman (HT)

Glenarm XV: M Abram; B Hamill, J Scullion, N Rodgers; K O'Boyle, C Magill, M Furey; C Ward, S McDermott; N McGarel, L O'Neill, D Black; P McAuley, D Hamill, S O'Boyle

LIVE BLOG:

1' Daniel Black strikes the opening score for Glenarm

2' Caolan Ó'Duibhfinn replies after a nice score from play

4' Paddy McAuley fires a great point for the away side

5' GOAL - Aidan Scullion retrieves the ball and drives the ball into the net

6' Caolan Ó'Duibhfinn and Daniel Black find their range exchanging scores

7' Sean Óg McLaren fires over the bar for the hosts

12' Niall McGarel fires a quickfire double of points

15' Caolan Ó'Duibhfinn points from a tight-angle

17' Darren Hamill points from a free for Glenarm

20' Caolan Ó'Duibhfinn free for St Paul's

22' That was a sensational score from Darren Hamill and from the puck-out retrieved from Glenarm to find another score this time from Liam O'Neill

25' Sean O'Boyle ends a great solo run with a score for the away side who continue to pull 

29' Ó'Duibhfinn fires a free between the posts but Glenarm reply straight away with O'Neill 

31' Darren Hamill points from a free for Glenarm and wraps a pretty dominant half for the coastal men

HALF-TIME - ST Paul's 0-6 - Glenarm 1-11 - Big wind has picked up and will be in favour of St Paul's in the second-half.

30' Half-time sub, Bairre Burns on for Declan Chapman

30 ' Caolan Ó'Duibhfinn strikes the opening score from a free

35' Hamill free and another O'Neill extends the lead for the away 

37' Black hits another from a tight angle

38' Subs for St Paul's 

39' Ó'Duibhfinn points for St Paul's as they seek a comeback

40' Kieran O'Boyle with a monstrous score from inside his half before Aiden Scullion find another white flag

44' Hamill with another free

47' McLaren and Ó'Duibhfinn find their range for St Paul's

49' Ó'Duibhfinn and Hamill exchange scores but Aiden Scullion tallies for the away side

53' Bairre Burns and Hamill both find white flags but Glenarm are controlling the game with just 7 minutes remaining

55 - GOAL!! - Sean O'Boyle thumps an effort low beyond the bottom corner and seals it

56' Ryan O'Boyle latches on and fires over the bar

57' Sean Óg McLaren launches a great effort between the uprights

59' GOAL!!! - Aiden Scullion fires a second goal of the evening for his tally, the forward capitalised on a mix-up before drilling a score low and behold

61' Sean Óg McLaren drills an effort over the bar from a free

FULL-TIME: St Paul's 0-14 - Glenarm 3-21