The Heineken Sigerson Cup starts in Galway today, with NUIG the hosts for what promises to be an intensely interesting competition. By common consent, Queen's University and University of Ulster, Jordanstown are favourites but the old firm of UCD, UCC and the hosts all have the capacity to upset the applecart.
Queen's take on Mary Immaculate from Limerick at the Maree grounds at 12 o'clock. The Limerick college put their own imprint on the competition when eliminating the defending three-in-a-row champions IT Tralee. Dara O Cinneide is their main influence, but even if he can bring all his talents and Sigerson experience to bear, Mary Immaculate will still be up against it.
Queen's have much the same team as last year, when they let a dominant position evaporate in the second half of their semi-final against Garda College.
They feature a galaxy of intercounty talent - the McNultys, Patrick McKeever and Diarmuid Marsden from Armagh, Fermanagh's Tom Brewster, Tyrone's Cormac McAnallen, Antrim's Joe Quinn to name just a few. The winners of this first match will face the winners of the Cork derby between UCC and Cork IT in Inveran at 1.00. Just five days after their comprehensive defeat by Crossmaglen in the All-Ireland club semi-final, UCC resume their pursuit of their first Sigerson in five years.
Into the team come All Star Anthony Lynch and Donagh Wiseman and whereas UCC should maintain the Sigerson and Fitzgibbon jinx on their neighbours, whose slight and skilful side will be ill-suited by the heavy conditions, tomorrow's likely collision with Queen's would be a different matter altogether.
On the other side of the draw, the match of today's round brings together UUJ and NUIG at Dangan at 1.30. Jordanstown had the unwelcome distraction of the on-off match with Athlone IT only two days ago but theirs is a formidably strong outfit.
Captained by Jimmy McGuinness, who appears just about recovered from the leg wound sustained in the Railway Cup final, UUJ also boast the likes of the McEntee twins from Crossmaglen and Derry's Joe Cassidy and Sean Lockhart, along with Down's All-Ireland minor winner Liam Doyle.
NUIG will be stiff opposition. Galway sides always do well on their home patch and when the Sigerson last visited these parts, the then UCG won against the odds after wins over both UUJ and Queen's.
The current team has plenty of talent, including Westmeath's Ireland international Dessie Dolan, and if they cause an upset today their challenge will take wings. Nonetheless, the betting has to be on Jordanstown.
The last of the quarter-finals is in Moycullen at 3.30 and brings together UCD and the Galway-Mayo IT. Fast, with a good attack and a fair bit of experience, the Dublin college should overcome a team who have some excellent young players, particularly Longford's in-form Paul Barden.
But UCD may find UUJ a bridge too far tomorrow.
