ULSTER University boss Barry Dillon has already lost one battle, and he’s expecting another one in Sligo as the defence of their Sigerson Cup crown begins.
The champions’ manager wanted this tournament played under the new rules for football but was heavily outvoted: “About six universities voted for, the rest, 30-odd, voted against.
“I just thought that county players operating on old and new rules at the same time would be a bit confusing. If everyone’s going to go that way, why not?”
Dillon accepted that defeat easily enough, commenting: “Every other competition will have a preliminary competition first, or challenge games, but we already played our league under the old rules. Referees need to get used to the rules too, so it wouldn’t be fair.
“But it makes no major difference, both teams would be cagey enough,” he adds with a laugh.
Indeed he’s anticipating a tough opener for his team away to Sligo, having studied their panel: “People think Jordanstown has a big pick: we have eight counties represented, they have nine. That successful U20 team Sligo had, back-to-back Connacht champions [2022-23] and getting to the All-Ireland final [in 2023], that really backbones their team. A splattering of county seniors too makes them a dangerous proposition.
“They’ll be dangerous opposition down on their own patch. When the Sigerson champions come to town there’s no doubt they’ll be up for it.
“It’s Ground Zero now, everyone starts off at the same level. Medals from last year don’t matter anymore.”
Still, Dillon acknowledges that he has an excellent, experienced panel, even if the likes of Niall Loughlin and Darragh Canavan are gone, while Ruairi Canavan is ‘club-tied’ with Errigal Ciaran:
“There are five or six boys missing from last year’s starting team, but to have so many still there is a big advantage. It’s a clean slate, different boys in, it’s not like a club team, but we’re lucky enough that we have that experience to fall back on. It’s up to the new boys to get up to the level the fellas hit last year – that’s the challenge.”
Dillon also points out that last year’s triumph has provided a further boost for the team this season:
“People are always keen to play for Jordanstown, but after the success we had last year it’s an even easier ‘sell’ for the likes of me to get boys involved – they all want to be on board.
“There are lots of county players at Ulster University not even on the panel because we haven’t even looked about them. We have enough – the boys that come out at the start of the year are the ones that want to play for us. We always say the ones who want to play are the ones we’ll go with. We’ve a squad of half county men, half club men. That balance worked well for us last year and we’ll not change.”
Newcomers include Tyrone starlet Eoin McElholm and Monaghan’s burly Gary Mohan, although the Truagh man – whom Dillon coached at club level last year – is ruled out with a short-term injury.
The visitors are likely to have to work hard in Sligo but should set out on the winners’ route this season.
Elsewhere on Tuesday evening there are three other first round matches, including a pairing of two ancient contestants as UCC welcome UCD to the Mardyke (3.30pm). Another of the competition’s long-standing participants, UCG, travel to take on TU Dublin (Grangegorman, 7ppm), while TUS Midlands host Maynooth (7pm).
