THIS year's Bus Eireann-sponsored Fitzgibbon Cup weekend, hosted by the Garda College in Templemore, is the culmination of another competitive campaign. The semi-finals are a repeat of last year's, but are more promising than the pairings of 12 months ago.
Then, Waterford IT emerged from a bruising encounter with the Garda College and slipped to a heavy final defeat against UCC. The Cork college was on the last leg of a three-in-a-row with an exceptional team which had stayed largely intact for the three campaigns. Their victory was facilitated by a comparatively undemanding semi-final.
This time it will be different. Whereas Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) and the Garda College will again be expected to provide a close contest at 1.00 this afternoon, the winners won't be at such a disadvantage as last year. This is for two reasons: firstly, the cycle has turned sufficiently for the teams in the first semi-final to be more experienced at this level and physically mature than either of their prospective opponents.
WIT's side will have benefited from last year's final, even if the match was a little one-sided, and UCC have lost many of the outstanding attack which illuminated their successes in recent years. Joe Deane, Sean McGrath and Kieran Morrison all featured in Cork's NHL winning side last year as well as on the UCC side.
They have all graduated, as have Eddie Enright and David Bennett (who is now at WIT). Alone of that formidable attack, Johnny Enright survives. The defence is still sound with Cork under-21 Tom Bambury and Cork senior John Browne on the halfback line, but the overall impact is less daunting than previously.
Consequently there will be no walkover in the semi-final against UCD whose big defence played with great poise in keeping MICE at bay in the quarter-final at Belfield. Their attack features some incisive performers in Tipperary's Paul Ormonde and Paul Darcy and Kilkenny senior footballer Mick Gordon.
This is a match between the two brand leaders in Fitzgibbon hurling and UCD's livelier attack might just hold sway.
It is, however, the more arriviste pairing of WIT and the Guards which is expected to provide the winning finalist. For much of the year the two colleges have have been fancied for the Fitzgibbon weekend. They clashed at Templemore in the league semifinal some weeks ago when two second-half goals for WIT settled the issue on a 2-6 to 1-3 scoreline.
Tipperary seniors Mark O'Leary and Willie Maher are unavailable for Waterford because of suspension and injury, but the hosts have their own heavyweight absentee. Depending on what rumour you hear, Clare and St Joseph's Doora-Barefield All Star Ollie Baker has or hasn't a chance of captaining the Garda College.
Team selector John Scanlon is, however, adamant that Baker will not be able to take the field. His finger is broken and there is some doubt about whether he can line out for the club in their All-Ireland final on St Patrick's Day.
Their performances have been impressive when required and the first-round defeat of University of Limerick was the match of the competition so far. So far, the team has featured excellent defence by the Tipperary pair Stephen Hogan and Ger Flanagan.
The problem they face this afternoon is that WIT have developed into a formidable attacking force. Henry Shefflin was the scoring star of last year's final defeat and is now beginning to make an impact for Kilkenny's seniors. Elsewhere the team boasts Dave Bennett, currently in exceptional form, Chris McGrath, son of Hopper, and Neil Ronan.
Their win over Cork IT was abrasive stuff, but they showed the capacity to dig deep and, powered on by Andy Moloney from centrefield, look like a team whose time has come.
