Six Cumbrian teams have entered the new-style BARLA National Cup with two of them contesting the preliminary round on May 2.
Ellenborough Rangers have a hugely attractive home tie, but a tough one, as they host last season’s last Grand Final Premier Division winners Siddal.
Wath Brow Hornets are the other Cumbrian representatives in the first round and they have a tough away fixture in prospect at Hunslet ARLFC, fellow members of the Premier Division.
In the first round of the competition the winners of Ellenborough v Siddal will travel to Normanton Knights while whoever wins the Hunslet/Hornets clash will be away to Barrow Island.
The Islanders are one of four Cumbrian sides entering the competition at the first round stage.
Hensingham will have a home tie against the winners of the preliminary round tie between Featherstone Lions and Oldham St. Annes.
Distington have an attractive home tie against Woolston Rovers while Millom have been drawn at home to Moldgreen or Thatto Heath Crusaders.
The final is due to be played on Saturday, October 31 at a venue still to be decided.
Meanwhile a number of clubs have been putting the final touches to preparations for the start of the new-look amateur season net Saturday.
Hensingham, who will be in the Cumbria Regional League beat Glasson Rangers of the new Cumbria Men’s League 54-12.
Cohen Massey led the way for Hensingham with four tries and was joined on the score-sheet by Luke Charlton (2), Dan McGarry, Fletcher Holgate and Dylan Cromwell. All nine tries were converted by Luke Clements (7) and Preston Meloy (2).
Glasson scored three unconverted tries by Connor Wilson, Peter Fearon and Matthew Burns.
Maryport completed their pre-season with a 50-10 win over Chorley Panthers, a big side who were in the same League as Ulverston and Hindpool last season.
They scored nine tries, seven of which were converted by scrum-half Lewis Moore as they built well on a 22-10 half-time lead.
Stand-off Keenan Winter (3), centre Kieran Featherstone, prop Luke Baker, winger Danny Dryden, prop Ewan Laverty, 17-year-old winger Tyler Chilton 17-year-old second row Johnny Ivison scored the tries.
Tyler is the son of ex-Workington Town winger Scott Chilton and nephew of former Town winger Lee, who had scored his first try for Maryport in a previous friendly with Crosfields.
