Colleges playing key role for Rebels

Of the 40 players who saw game-time in the 2012 Fitzgibbon Cup final between UCC and Cork IT, 13 are now part of Jimmy Barry-Murphy’s Cork senior hurling squad.

While today’s Sigerson Cup quarter-final between the two Cork colleges at the Mardyke (throw-in 3.30pm) will not be as plentiful in terms of current intercounty players, there are signs the future looks to be similarly bright.

Nine of the UCC starting 15 in last week’s first-round win over Trinity College were from Cork, while CIT used a total of 13 Rebels in seeing off their Carlow counterparts. With new Cork manager Brian Cuthbert giving youth its head, UCC selector John Corcoran feels that the colleges can play a key role.