The Northern Flags Festival returns this weekend with top honours up for grabs and teams set to thrill with a huge variety of lacrosse action to enjoy across the prestigious event.
The Flags finals once again return to Rochdale Lacrosse Club this weekend with a massive 15 finals taking place across the two days.
The annual finals represent the culmination of the knockout competitions for both the North of England men’s and women’s club teams, with multiple finals taking place across both junior and senior age group competitions.
The blue riband Men’s Senior Flags final will be a repeat of the 2022 contest as league champions Heaton Mersey face runners-up Stockport.
The two historic clubs have storied pasts in the Senior Flags - Stockport, the most successful club in its history winning 25 titles, with their first win coming all the way back in 1896, while Heaton Mersey first won the competition in 1927, though they did contest the very first final back in 1884.
A win for Stockport would give them a first success since 2013, while Mersey will be hoping for a repeat of their win two years ago, to tally an 11th victory in the competition.
A close final should be on the cards, as although Mersey have come out victorious in the two league meetings between the sides, the close margins of an 11-10 win at home followed by a 13-11 victory at Stockport suggest the sides are well matched coming into the finale.
In the Women’s Senior Flags, Stockport also feature, facing opponents Mellor, and the Stockport side will be keen to take the victory following missing out on the league title by the barest of margins to Oxton, via away goals scored.
They were however, able to beat their league rivals in the semi-final, while Mellor had a comfortable 17-6 semi-final win against Timperley and off the back of a strong current 3rd place position in the league, will be hoping that they can snatch the win themselves.
The Flags Festival this year continues to expand the women’s and girls’ matches across the weekend, now with five women’s lacrosse finals to take place from the U13s through to the Women’s Senior Flags.
Spectator entry for each day is £8 Adults, £5 Over 65s, £3 12-16 and Under 12s FREE. Car parking is also available at a charge.
The full Flags Festival schedule is listed below:
Saturday 27 April
09:30 - U12 Plate - Brooklands x Cheadle Hulme
10:00 - U13 Girls Cup - Heaton Mersey x Stockport
11:30 - U14 Centurion Cup - Mellor x Cheadle/Boardman&Eccles
12:00 - U18 Girls Cup - Brooklands Gold x Timperley
13:30 - Nigel Wayne Trophy - Wilmslow A x Cheadle C
14:00 - Women’s Junior Flags - Heaton Mersey x Sheffield
15:30 - U16 Plate - Timperley x Stockport
16:00 - Men’s Junior Flags - Cheadle A x Timperley
Sunday 28 April
09:30 - U14 Plate - Poynton x Timperley
10:00 - U16 Juniors & Schools North Cup - Cheadle x Heaton Mersey
11:30 - U15 Girls Cup - Norbury x Heaton Mersey Gold
12:00 - David Beesley Cup - Cheadle B x Timperley A
13:30 - Women’s Senior Flags - Mellor x Stockport
14:00 - U12 Onondaga Cup - Mellor x Timperley
15:30 – Men’s Senior Flags - Stockport x Heaton Mersey