Brennan’s Croker varsity offer
Speaking yesterday at the draws for all seven Higher Education competitions in Croke Park, Brennan said he was aware of the tradition that the deciders are at host colleges every year but pointed out that they were entitled to use the Dublin venue if they so desired.
Next year’s final weekends have already been awarded with the Sigerson at Queen’s in Belfast on the first weekend in March while the Fitzgibbon will be contested one week later at Carlow IT.
“We have the lights now and I don’t see why we wouldn’t have third level finals here at Croke Park. That’s obviously for Comhairle Ardoideachois to decide. I’m not forcing you one way or the other,” he told College chiefs. “What I’m saying is that you’re as entitled to play in here as anybody else.
“You’ll make that choice and we won’t push it on you but clearly it’s not something that can just happen. There needs to be long-term planning because there’s other demands on the field too, but it’s yours if you want it and that’s a decision for you to make.”
Brennan also spoke of the importance of managing players involved with their colleges, clubs and counties. He has already discussed the matter with Paraic Duffy, the association’s new player welfare manager and recognised the difficulty for any young player in saying no to any team that wanted his services.
“We need a bit of common sense to prevail here. I would strongly encourage all of the colleges, and I know in fairness this is happening more and more across the board, that they must have a very direct relationship and dealing with the relevant county manager.
“There must be a relationship there and there must be an understanding of the programme of work that’s being done in the colleges.”
Meanwhile University College Cork are to face Garda College on the double this Spring in the Higher Education Championships.
UCC have been drawn to face the Garda students in Round 1 of the Fitzgibbon Cup and Round 2 of the Sigerson Cup.
That Fitzgibbon Cup clash is one of three interesting opening round games which sees the battle of the IT’s as Limerick face champions Waterford while St. Pat’s Drumcondra face Galway IT.
Waterford IT and Limerick IT have been champions in the last two years and have served up some mouth-watering clashes in the past.
The winners of that game will face a tricky prospect against UCD in the quarter-finals while another all-Munster clash sees UL take on Cork IT.
NUI Galway, who are finalists in this Saturday’s Division 1 Hurling league final against UL, will meet the winners of the Garda College/UCC clash, in the quarter-finals.
Ryan Cup champions, Mary Immaculate Limerick; are placed in the quarter-finals where they will meet either Tipperary Institute-St Pats or Trinity College Dublin.
Some interesting games are in prospect in football’s Sigerson Cup as champions DCU must win four games if they are to contest the final again.
They face UL in the opening round with the winners to play UUJ in a home encounter. UCC have a bye to Round Two as do Cork IT who face Waterford IT. Meanwhile Sigerson Cup hosts Queen’s University Belfast face a tough game against either UCD or St. Mary’s if they are to make the finals weekend.
The Trench Cup pits last year’s finalists Trinity College and St Pat’s Drumcondra in opposition; this time in Round 2 of the competition.
Last year’s final saw St. Pat’s come out on top in a game which saw brothers Rory and Martin Stapleton in opposing camps. Rory is captain of the St. Pat’s team this year and they look like posing a major threat.
Already this year St Pat’s have reached the Division 2 football league final where today they face Belfast Institute/GSND in the replay at Dundalk IT (2pm).
A new Further Education Colleges Football Championship has been introduced this year where Cork Colleges of Further Education face Limavady College in the opening round. The winners meet Carlow IE in the semi-finals while the other semi-final sees Cavan College face NWIFHE.
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