GAA- What’s on

By Ivan Smyth

As we start back into the second semester, UL GAA is in the middle of a busy schedule with teams involved in Fitzgibbon Cup, Sigerson Cup, Ashbourne Cup, O’Connor Cup and many more competitions.

UL’s senior hurling team started their Fitzgibbon Cup campaign on Sunday, January 21 with a nine-point victory over DIT, winning on a scoreline of 3-29 to 4-17. UL will complete their second and final group game away to WIT on Thursday, February 1. The team knows that a win will seal a home quarter-final spot as they seek to win a first Fitzgibbon Cup since 2015.

The semi-finals of this competitions take place on Tuesday, February 13 with the final taking place in Mallow on Saturday, February 24.

The UL senior footballers open their Sigerson Cup campaign with a home game against Carlow IT on Tuesday, January 30. There are no group stages in this competition so defeat spells elimination from the competition.

If UL can overcome the challenge of CIT, then a quarter-final against reigning champions St Mary’s University College or Ulster University Jordanstown awaits. The semi-finals take place on Tuesday, February 13 with the final being played in Santry Avenue on Saturday, February 17.

The UL camogie team seek to claim a three in a row of Ashbourne Cups and the fourth title in five years.  In this competition, there are two groups with four teams in each group. UL is in Group 1 with DCU, CIT, and UCD.

UL defeated DCU before Christmas on a scoreline of 1-17 to 0-4 before beating traveling up to Dublin to defeat UCD on a scoreline of 4-13 to 0-9. UL play their final fixture against CIT at home as they seek to cement top spot in the group. The Ashbourne weekend takes place on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 February.

UL’s ladies footballers start their O’Connor Cup campaign at home to NUIG on Wednesday, February 7. UL previously won this competition in 2014, 2015 and in 2017. If they defeat NUIG, then they will face UCD, who got a bye into round two, in the next round on Wednesday, February 14.

The losers of the UL and NUIG clash would not be knocked out of the competition but would receive a bye into the quarterfinals but would face a more difficult draw. The semi-finals of the competition take place on Saturday 10 March with the final taking place on Sunday 11 March.

UL GAA teams are also competing in intermediate football and hurling championships, fresher championships and the Giles Cup (Senior B Ladies football championships).