UCD are favoured to reclaim elusive cup

Sigerson Cup: This weekend's Datapac Sigerson Cup final tournament is an intriguing blend of the old and the new. It is also beset by a familiar problem with cold weather and snow threatening to displace today's semi-finals from Belfast to venues less affected by the recent arctic winds.

There will be a pitch inspection this morning and St Mary's College, who are hosting the Sigerson, have their fingers crossed the matches can go ahead at the appointed venues - Rossa Park for the first semi-final and Sarsfield Park for the second.

First into action are Cork IT and Sligo IT at 12.30. The Cork side's arrival is a bit of a surprise with the IT slightly better known for its hurling but the team have battled well through their draw and defeated a well regarded DCU in the quarter-final.

The winning point was scored by Cork's hurling centrefielder John Gardiner, who although a good footballer doesn't always get the chance to shine in the game. The team includes Kerry underage notables DJ Fleming and Bryan Sheehan along with Murt Kelleher of Underdogs fame.

Reaching the last four may be the extent of it for the Cork team, as opponents Sligo IT have been very impressive to date. Having emulated two years ago the breakthrough achievement of IT colleagues Tralee in the 1990s, Sligo are beginning to look as formidable as the ITT trailblazers.

Playing a Donegal-style short passing, mobile football the team have plenty of practitioners from the neighbouring county with former All Star Kevin Cassidy, Christy Toye and current in form forward Brendan Boyle. Galway's Nicky Joyce is also there together with Mayo's new attacking arrival, Austin O'Malley.

Sligo's progress to this stage has been distinguished by the scalps of heavyweight operators such as the most recent winners - apart from themselves - NUI Galway and UU Jordanstown as well as UCC. To most observers it will be a big surprise if the 2002 champions aren't back in the final tomorrow.

UCD, despite their prominence in the closing stages of recent competitions, haven't won Sigerson for eight years when the likes of Ciarán McManus and Trevor Giles were on board. They are back this year and fancied to join Sligo in the final.

They have a sprinkling of older, more experienced players - Dublin's Darren Magee and Paul Casey, Roscommon's John Hanly for instance - and a consistent level of performance throughout the field.

When they met Queen's in the league semi-final, UCD were big winners but league precedent in third-level is no more binding than anywhere else. The Belfast team have made eight changes since that match and will pose a significant challenge.

Tyrone's All-Ireland winning manager Mickey Harte helped St Mary's with their preparation for this year's Sigerson and county trainer Paddy Tally coached them. They were narrowly defeated by Queen's in the quarter-final, leaving them bitterly upset at missing out on their own party as it were.

"There's huge disappointment," says Harte. "Players put in great effort to reach the semi-finals and off the field there was a huge effort made to make sure that everything would be really well organised.

"I saw Queen's against Athlone as well as against St Mary's. They could have lost either match but they fought their way back and showed a great team spirit - something that would have always been associated with The Ranch (St Mary's) but Queen's have that this year."

Martin McGrath and Dick Clerkin (son of former Monaghan player Hugo) pull the strings at centrefield and another offspring of a famous father, Billy Joe Padden, switches between full forward and the 40.

Despite the broad possibilities of a once-off tournament over two days, the view has to be that favourites UCD and Sligo will contest tomorrow's final, at 2.30 in Corrigan Park, with the Dublin team maybe nailing the elusive title.