COURTESY of holders Mary Immaculate College (Mary I), University of Limerick (UL) and TUS Midwest, there will be plenty of local interest in the upcoming Fitzgibbon Cup Colleges’ Hurling Championship.
Action is set to commence in the group stages next week.
Limerick’s breakthrough star of recent times Shane O’Brien (Kilmallock), Oisin O’Farrell (ABK Desmonds), Dromin Athlacca pair Cian Scully and William Dore, Patrick Finn (Bruff), Seán Whelan (Cappamore), Vince Harrington (Na Piarsaigh) and Killian Aherne (Blackrock) are all involved with Mary I.
Among those attached to recent League winners UL are Adam English (Doon), Ballybrown duo Colin Coughlan and Aidan O’Connor, Barry Duff (Mungret St Paul’s), Conor Hanley-Clarke (Kilmallock), Evan O’Leary (Ahane), Patrick O’Donovan (Effin), and Seán O’Neill (Blackrock), while Cathal O’Neill (Crecora Manister) is an injury doubt.
For UL manager Brian Ryan (South Liberites), the loss of last year’s Young Player of the Year nominee would represent a serious blow. In last month’s League Final win over DCU Dóchas Éireann, O’Neill chipped-in with a quartet of class points.
TUS’s selection includes Ballybrown stars Barry Adams and Jamie Behan, Darragh Casey (Granagh Ballingarry), Euan Sheridan (Murroe Boher), David Fitzgerald (Kildimo Pallaskenry), Kevin Morrissey (Ahane), Marcus Hogan (Na Piarsaigh) and Michael Ryan (Murroe Boher).
Elsewhere, Barry Hennessy (Kilmallock) and Ahane’s Denis Hayes are with SETU Waterford, Eddie Stokes of county champions Doon will line-out with UCC while James Conheady (Crecora Manister) is in the UCD squad.
Mary I are grouped with UL, ATU Galway and SETU Waterford.
On that outcome, Mary I boss Podge Collins commented: “It is going to be a dogfight, it makes it real, now.”
TUS are in with DCU and Maynooth University.
The other group consists of UCC, UCD, University of Galway and MTU Cork.
University of Galway will host the 2025 finals weekend.
