Hurling / Fitzgibbon Cup preview: The weekend's Datapac Fitzgibbon Cup gets under way in Athlone this afternoon (Garrycastle, 2.15) with holders Waterford IT defending their title against UCD, winners of the Walsh Cup in Leinster a month ago to the day.
WIT find themselves in the unusual position of having very few of last year's winning team again at their disposal.
"In the past," according to the college's clubs and societies officer and Tipperary selector Colm Bonnar, "we would always have built from year to year so that an experienced group were coming through. But last year's team had a big number of fourth year students and post-graduates so 11 of them are gone."
Of course when one of the remainder is the current hurler of the year JJ Delaney, it's not all bad news but aggravating the situation is the injury to Delaney's fellow Kilkenny All-Ireland winner Conor Phelan, whose participation is in doubt.
The holders looked impressive when brushing aside one of the competition favourites University of Limerick in the quarter-final. The ease of the victory surprised Bonnar who felt UL never got going on the day.
WIT have Wexford star Rory Jacob in prolific form, scoring 2-15 in the last two rounds.
UCD's Walsh Cup win was significant even if achieved against a second-string Kilkenny. The defence is solid with O'Loughlin Gaels full back Brian Hogan slotting in at wing back or centrefield and Limerick's Stephen Lucey going well at centrefield. Full back Mick Fitzgerald will be familiar with the opposition, as he was on the Waterford side that won the Fitzgibbon last year.
Offaly's Brendan Murphy adds a bit of drive up front for the Babs Keating-managed side but in a match where defences look to have the upper hand, the holders look to have more options and will be favourites to progress to the final.
Their opponents there will be either UCC or Limerick IT who play the second semi-final in Athlone IT's own grounds at 3.30. Coached by Clare goalkeeper David Fitzgerald, the Limerick side had an uninformative quarter-final cruise against Queen's.
Their best forward is the in-form Tipperary double All Star Eoin Kelly who helped himself to 3-2 during the side's 36-point win in Belfast.
They are up against a UCC team that looks well placed to win a first Fitzgibbon in six years - a barren spell exceeded only once in the college's history.
With Cork All-Ireland winner John Considine in charge, UCC have high-class hurlers with a fair influx of Kilkenny talent, including Tommy Walsh and last year's superb under-21 full back Canice Hickey. Tipperary's Mark O'Leary and Cork's Eamonn Collins add intercounty presence up front.
One cloud on the horizon is the injury to Kilkenny man Michael Rice who was hurt during a tempestuous challenge match against All-Ireland club finalists Newtownshandrum earlier this week. While any likely threat to his participation undoubtedly weakens UCC, they look strong enough to go the distance both this afternoon and in tomorrow's final.
