TWO of the traditional big guns – and recent winners – of the Sigerson Cup are in the last chance saloon this week as the eight second matches take place.
University College Cork (UCC) are second on the roll of honour, with 24 triumphs, including winning the 2023 decider, but lost their opener at home against University College Dublin (UCD), last year’s beaten finalists.
University of Galway (formerly known as University College Galway, then New University of Galway) brought their tally to 23 in 2022 but are also involved in the losers’ round – against Queen’s - after an opening defeat.
The eight first round losers are paired against each other, and will be out if they lose again, while the eight first round winners meet and will have a third match regardless of the outcome of their ties.
UCC succumbed by 0-7 to 0-12 against UCD at the Mardyke but will be fancied to progress, even though they have an away match on Tuesday evening – it’s a short journey to take on provincial rivals Munster Technological University Kerry (throw-in 7pm at MTUK, Tralee).
MTU Kerry won three consecutive Sigersons in the late Nineties (1997-99) in their previous incarnations as Tralee RTC/ IT Tralee, but found it tough going back in the top flight after winning the second tier Trench Cup last season. MTUK were hammered by Dublin City University (DCU), going down 17 points, 2-22 to 0-11.
The seven other second round ties are scheduled to take place on Wednesday evening.
Holders Ulster University, who won their opener well by 10 points away to ATU Sligo, will face a much sterner test on neutral ground against University of Limerick. The Munster side had an even bigger victory, by 13 points, 3-17 to 1-10, away to ATU Galway.
The conquerors of UCC and MTUK have been paired in a mouthwatering Dublin derby. UCD will have home advantage against DCU at Belfield (Wednesday, 7.45pm).
The third Dublin side, Technological University Dublin (formerly Dublin IT) are also at home, hosting St Mary’s (Grangegorman, Wed 7.15pm).
The fourth winners’ tie has TUS Midlands (extra time winners over Maynooth) travelling to take on MTU Cork (Wednesday 7pm), who won their first round against ATU Donegal.
Again, those two losers will be up against each other, with a 7pm Wednesday throw-in, venue still to be confirmed. ATU Sligo have home advantage again, in a Connacht derby against ATU Galway (Wednesday, 7pm).
Sigerson Cup round 2 (Wednesday 7pm unless stated otherwise):
Winners’ round:
UU v UL
TUD v St Mary’s (7.15pm)
UCD v DCU (7.45pm)
MTU Cork v TUS Midlands
Losers’ round:
MTU Kerry v UCC (Tuesday, 7pm)
ATU Sligo v ATU Galway
Uni of Galway v QUB
Maynooth v ATU Donegal
