Colleges hurling and football draws are kind to champions

THE Irish Examiner Dr Harty Cup and Corn Uí Mhuirí quarter-final draws made in Mallow on Saturday were kind to both champions.

In hurling, St Colman's, Fermoy have been paired with St Joseph's, Borrisoleigh, while in football Coláiste na Sceilge have drawn Limerick Colleges.

"It's the hardest draw in the championship," Limerick boss Jerry Bennis admitted. "But we won't be afraid of them", he said. "This is our second year competing and the experience gained has been of enormous benefit. It's a tremendous help to our county minor teams and we are in the Corn Uí Mhuirí for the long haul."

In the other quarter-final pairings Intermediate School Killorglin play Douglas CS with the winners meeting either Colaiste Chriost Rí or St Brendans. St Flannans, the only school in both competitions face Dingle CBS.

In hurling, the combined Waterford Colleges team drew Midleton CBS, with the winners meeting St Colman's or Borrisoleigh while St Flannan's will play DSL Waterford with the winners to meet Doon CBS or Coláiste An Spioraid Naoimh

At last Saturday's half yearly meeting of the Munster Colleges Council, Con Woods (St Flannan's) called on the Munster Council to increase their annual grant to the colleges.

Colleges secretary Michael Forrestal pointed out that there are at least a third of the schools taking part in competition who have failed to claim their travelling expenses.

"We have 85 schools competing but only around 60 have applied. I find that very difficult to understand particularly when you consider the schools are entitled to these grants."

Frank Killilea, secretary of the Cork Colleges Council, informed the meeting that he would bring forward a motion to the AGM on May 19 looking to change the day for playing colleges games.

"Schools are beginning to experience problems with the clubs pulling players while they are still involved in county championships", he said.

"Where you have a situation where players are involved in a number of grades with their schools and are also involved with their clubs, they could play anything up to four games a week which is far too demanding."

Mr Killilea said he would be proposing that the colleges games be played on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Servicing Officer Tom Colum, said it was very hard on teachers to have players pulled on them by clubs and added the blame for this rests with those county boards who don't complete their under 16 and minor championships in time.

While accepting that there was a lot of merit in the Round Robin system Críost Rí delegate Mick Evans argued that there should be no more than three teams in each group.

"There were four teams in the hurling group this year, and after losing the first two games heavily, players didn't have the stomach to play the remaining two for fear of being hammered. We completed our programme but it didn't do us any good."

However, Jerry Harkin (Shannon Schools) said his team benefited enormously from the extra games while CSN delegate said one of the principal reasons his school decided to enter this year's Harty Cup was because of the Round Robin system.

Irish Examiner Dr Harty Cup A St. Colman's v St Josephs. B Waterford Colleges v Midleton CBS. C St Flannan's v DSL Waterford. D Doon CBS v CSN.

Semi-finals: A v B; C v D.

Irish Examiner Corn Uí Mhuirí A St Flannan's v Dingle CBS. B Colaiste na Sceilge v Limerick Colleges. C IS Killorglin v Douglas CS. D Colaiste Chriost Rí v St Brendans.

Semi-finals: A v B; C v D.