IT Carlow vent O'Byrne Cup frustrations

IT Carlow's senior footballers have once again criticised GAA authorities for their failure to include the team in the upcoming Bord na Mona O'Byrne Cup, in the light of Kilkenny's failure to field a team for the competition.

The Cats were due to face last year's beaten finalists Louth in the opening round this Sunday in Drogheda, but they have conceded a walkover to the Wee County.

It is the first time since 2007 that Kilkenny will not be involved in the O'Byrne Cup.

Meanwhile, despite having made huge strides in colleges football over the past number of years, with qualification for the Higher Education Senior Football League Division 1 final against UCC later this month, IT Carlow have not been accommodated.

DCU, UCD, DIT and Athlone IT will all commence their 2012 O'Byrne Cup campaigns this weekend, while other colleges are also set to take part in the Walsh Cup and Kehoe Cup hurling competitions which commence on Sunday, January 22.

IT Carlow boast of players of the calibre of Wexford's Ben Brosnan, Dylan Hayden of Wicklow and Laois duo Craig Rogers and Kevin Meaney in their ranks.

The students are frustrated that they were not invited to take part in the early season competition, especially given Kilkenny's decision to not compete in it.

"There is a bit of disquiet about it," IT Carlow GAA club chairman Cormac O'Toole told the Irish Daily Star.

"The criteria used to select the college teams for the 2011 O'Byrne Cup were the placings from the Higher Education League. I don't know what criteria were used this year, but we are in the Division 1 final against UCC so we were obviously in the top tier.

"Kilkenny withdrawing rubbed salt into the wound."

IT Carlow had been hoping to use the O'Byrne Cup as preparation for their forthcoming Sigerson Cup campaign.

Kilkenny suffered a heavy 19-point defeat to Carlow in the O'Byrne Cup competition last year, but only lost to eventual Shield finalists Meath by seven points in the Shield competition.

Kilkenny are due to take part in Division 4 of the Allianz Football League in 2012, where they will open their campaign with a home tie against Wicklow on Sunday, February 5.