Preview: Eight teams vying for UCC's relinquished Sigerson Cup crown

LAST EIGHT: Fionn Herlihy of University College Cork in action against Sean Greene of Maynooth University. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Seeing as champions UCC are gone, we’re going to start this Sigerson quarter-final run through by looking at the last-eight fixture involving the beaten finalists of 12 months ago.

The UL-DCU quarter-final (UL, 6.30pm) is a repeat of last year’s semi-final which the Limerick students won with three green flags to spare.

Their defence, mind, has been the standout feature of their progression this time around, conceding the nothing totals of 0-8 and 0-7 in their two outings - and victories - to date.

It’s a defence that has a nice blend of inter-county experience from Mark Dempsey (Kildare), Daniel Walsh (Clare), and Darragh Cashman (Cork).

The forwards they are charged with holding include Meath’s Shane Walsh, Shane O’Donnell of Donegal, and Longford’s Joseph Hagan. Conor Corbett’s involvement in that DCU attack is in doubt after he was an injury-enforced withdrawal from the Cork team that lost badly at Ballybofey over the weekend.

TU Dublin, no more than DCU, were beaten semi-finalists last spring. They have been so impressive on the road this campaign, besting Galway in Dangan and St Mary’s in Darver.

Killian McGinnis and Seán Guiden will seek to carry them back to the last four of the competition, at the expense of an Ulster University side that were incredibly slow out of the blocks against MTU Cork.

Tyrone brothers Darragh and Ruairi Canavan have been used sparingly by Ulster University in the earlier rounds. Does the occasion demand they are involved from the off at Grangegorman (8pm throw-in).

The aforementioned University of Galway lived dangerously in both their opening and third round outings. They were caught in the former and just about survived the latter.

The 2022 champions can allow very little room for error as they welcome a UCD team to Dangan (5.30pm) led by Monaghan senior David Garland, Meath’s Diarmuid Moriarty, Daire Cregg of Roscommon, and Mayo defender Sam Callinan.

We began with mention of UCC. The team responsible for ending their reign last week was a very balanced looking Maynooth line-up.

Kildare All-Ireland U20 winner Ryan Burke is part of their defence, Roscommon half-back Colin Walsh is at midfield, while their forward unit is home to Lilywhite senior Darragh Kirwan and emerging Royal Ruairi Kinsella.

Given they’ve come up against both of last year’s finalists, as well as disposing of MTU Cork, could they be a touch more battle-hardened than this evening’s guests, Queens. Throw-in is 7.30pm.