Cork IT to host Fitzgibbon Cup

UUJ and Cork IT will host the Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cup respectively in 2016.

Higher Education GAA chiefs made the decision at a meeting in Croke Park on Monday night.

The Sigerson returns to Jordanstown for the first time since 1993, with Cork IT bridging an eight-year gap in bringing the Fitzgibbon Cup to Bishopstown.

Queens and St Mary’s have both hosted Sigerson Cup weekends in Belfast in intervening years, with Queens University last taking charge in 2013.

Jordanstown GAA president John Farrell says he’s thrilled to have the prestigious event in the Poly for the first time since 1993.

“It’s brilliant to have the Sigerson Cup back in Belfast,” he said.

“Everyone who holds the event also hopes to be a part of it on the field at the weekend. It gives us a huge impetus to win it.

“We have been under considerable pressure for a number of years now to host it.

“We would have hosted it sooner but we delayed an application to host it because were waiting for the possibility of Casement Park being opened up and having the final there. But, obviously, that’s not going to happen for some time.

“Also not having the Sigerson Cup in Jordanstown since 1993 has been a considerable wait.”

It’s the first time since 2012 for the Fitzgibbon weekend to be staged in Cork, but only the second time for CIT to host Fitzgibbon.

While this year’s final replay was played in Páirc Uí Rinn, Limerick IT were weekend hosts.