Brennan calls on colleges to act

Gaelic Games HEA Championships:GAA president Nickey Brennan yesterday called on third-level colleges to withdraw from pre-season intercounty competitions in order to protect players from burnout.

The controversial proposal to amalgamate the minor and under-21 and create a new under-19 grade at intercounty level is set to be voted on at next month's Special Congress, and is seen as one of the main ways of addressing the increasing problem of player burnout.

The third-level competitions, however, weren't highlighted in the burnout report, and yet Brennan suggested it was now time to limit the number of games third-level teams play as another possible solution to the matter - the starting point being their exclusion from competitions such as the O'Byrne Cup, McKenna Cup, the McGrath Cup and other pre-season competitions.

"We published a major document recently regarding player burnout and many people might feel that third level got off light in this respect," said Brennan.

"One suggestion I would have, though it wouldn't be practical for next year, would be to reconsider the involvement of third level colleges in pre-season competitions.

"We couldn't but be concerned with the way that players are expected to play for so many teams and for so many managers. The fixtures for next spring are already made, so it wouldn't be fair on the provincial councils to change the rules now, but it is something to think about for the future."

The participation of third-level colleges in such pre-season competitions has if anything taken on greater importance to the colleges in recent years.

Last year it resulted in a row in Ulster, as Tyrone manager Mickey Harte claimed he should have first choice of county players, and not the colleges, as was the standard practice.

Brennan was speaking in Croke Park at the draws for the 2008 third-level football and hurling competitions.

The finals weekend of the Sigerson Cup football competition, set for March 7th-8th, is to be hosted by Carlow IT, and reigning champions Queen's University will meet either NUI Galway or Athlone IT in their opening game.

The finals of the Fitzgibbon Cup for hurling is to be hosted by Cork IT, on the previous weekend of February 29th and March 1st, with the opening round played-off on a round-robin basis, with four groups of three teams, and top two in each group qualify for quarter finals.

Defending champions Limerick IT are in a group with Waterford IT and the University of Limerick, while hosts Cork IT are in the group with NUI Galway and DIT.

Brennan then went on to reissue his invitation for the Higher Education Authority to play their major finals in Croke Park: "The Cumann na mBunscol finals are on in Croke Park at the moment and it's fantastic. The stadium is available so it's their choice. We have lights here now so that means there are a number of different options", he said.

• Tyrrellspass forward David Glennon is set to miss out on Sunday's Leinster club football final against St Vincent's. Glennon suffered a recurrence of a hamstring injury in the early stages of last Sunday's semi-final victory over reigning champions Moorefield, and manager Pat Flanagan is not expecting him to play any role this Sunday. Corner back Eoin O'Neill isalready ruled out with a broken ankle.

2008 Football and Hurling Championship draws

SIGERSON CUP

All matches at 2.00pm

unless otherwise stated.

(Extra time if necessary)

Round One: 07.02.08: A, NUI Maynooth v Belfast Metropolitan College (BMC). B, Carlow IT v Dundalk IT. C, DIT v UCC. D, NUI Galway v Athlone IT. Round Two: 13.02.08: Open Draw: I, Winner C v Dublin City University; J, Winner D v Queen's University; K, Cork IT v UCD; L, Sligo IT v UUJ; M, St Mary's Belfast v UL; N, IT Tralee v Winner A; O, GMIT v Waterford IT; P, Winner B v Garda College. Quarter-Finals: 27.02.08: Q, Winner M v Winner O; R, Winner K v Winner P; S, Winner J v Winner; L, T Winner N v Winner I 07.03.08/08.03.08: Semi-Finals and Final (at Carlow IT).

TRENCH CUP

Round One: 13.02.08: A, Limerick IT v St Patrick's Drumcondra; B, University of Ulster Coleraine v University of Ulster Magee; C, Blanchardstown IT v Law School; D, Mary Immaculate College Limerick v Letterkenny IT; E, NCI v IT Tallaght. Quarter-Finals: 27.02.08: F, Winner B v Winner D; G, Trinity College v Winner C; H, Winner E v Winner A. Semi-Finals: 07.03.08 (Friday) in Carlow (including British winners).

FITZGIBBON CUP

Round Robin: (12 teams): Four seeded teams (three division one group winners plus hosts UCD, UCC, UL, CIT) plus eight non-seeded (St Patrick's, DIT, UUJ, LIT, NUIG, GMIT, WIT, Gardai) Four groups of three teams top two in each group qualify for quarter finals.

A, Group A: UL (Seeded), Waterford IT, Limerick IT. B, Group B: Cork IT (Seeded)., NUI Galway, DIT. C, Group C: UCC (Seeded), Garda College, GMIT. D, Group D: UCD (Seeded), UUJ, St Patrick's College/Mater Dei.

Round One: Wednesday, January 30th, 2008. Round Two: Wednesday, February 6th, 2008. Round Three: Thursday, February 14th, 2008. Quarter-Finals, by 20.02.08 (Group Winners at home). 29.02.08: Semi-Finals and Final: 01.03.08 (Saturday) - at Cork IT.

RYAN CUP

Round Robin: (12 teams): Four seeded teams (division two Semi-finalists AIT, NUIM, Tipp Inst/ST Patrick's, Sligo IT) and eight non-seeded (QUB, DCU, Tallaght IT, Carlow IT, MICL, TCD, Tralee IT, CCFE) four groups of three teams top two in each group qualify for quarter finals.

A, Group A: Tipperary Institute/St. Pat's (Seeded), Mary Immaculate College, Queen's University. B, Group B: IT Sligo (Seeded), Carlow IT, DCU. C, Group C: Athlone IT (Seeded), Cork Colleges of Further Education, IT Tallaght. D, Group D: NUI Maynooth (Seeded), Trinity College Dublin, IT Tralee.

Round One: Wednesday, January 30th, 2008. Round Two: Wednesday, February 6th, 2008. Round Three: Thursday, February 14th, 2008. Quarter-Finals: by 20.02.08 (Group Winners at home).