THE DUST IS barely settling on the 2015 GAA season but thoughts are already turning to next year.
This afternoon at Croke Park, the draws for 2016 Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cups were made – and some interesting pairings have been thrown up.
Champions Dublin City University will begin the defence of their Sigerson Cup title with a fixture against Athlone IT while there could be an early Dublin derby in store between UCD and Trinity College, should the latter see off NUI Galway in the preliminary round.
Group A of the Fitzgibbon Cup, meanwhile, looks like the pool of death as former winners UCC, UCD and Limerick IT have all been pitted together, along with Maynooth University.
Holders University of Limerick are in with city rivals Mary Immaculate College, Dublin IT and NUI Galway.
Sigerson Cup
Preliminary round:
1. Trinity College v NUI Galway
2. Cork IT v Garda College
3. St Pat’s (Drumcondra) v GMIT
Last 16:
UCC v 3
UCD v 1
UUJ v 2
UL v IT Tralee
Maynooth University v Queens
St Mary’s v DIT
DCU v Athlone IT
IT Carlow v IT Sligo
Fitzgibbon Cup
Group A: UCC, UCD, Maynooth University, Limerick IT
Group B: IT Carlow, DCU, St Pat’s (Drumcondra), Waterford IT
Group C: DIT, UL, NUI Galway, Mary I
Group D: Cork IT, GMIT, UUJ
Check out the Higher Education GAA Twitter feed here for fixtures details for the various other competitions.
Played a really solid round today – great to see him go low and win. Putted superbly all week – hopefully a sign of good things to come this season.
Great job Rory.
@thomas walsh:
Hit the 20 wins also, no more qualifying for PGA tour for life! Nice bonus.
Majestic display! The old Rory is back.
Super stuff played terrific golf over the weekend. Always glad to see him do well and keep his detractors quiet
Not at his brilliant best like he was on Saturday but even better that his game management was world class to grind out the win. In recent times Rory would have been drawn into a match with Rickie Fowler but expertly played to shoot a number. PS, I wonder how many posts would have been on here if he fell away???
Good on ya Rory, brilliant.
Thataboy Rory
Well done Rory “I always felt more British than Irish” McElroy
@Alan Campbell: You are aware that they are not mutually exclusive. Just because some Irishmen can also be British, doesn’t make them less Irish they are still just as Irish as anyone else.
@Kingshu: for a start Northern Ireland is not in Britain
@Alan Campbell: Well done Alan ‘I’m talking rubbish’ Campbell.
@Mike Kennedy: you can’t talk, I’ve read some of the s@*# you write
@Alan Campbell: I never said it was, did I? Does that mean NI citizens apply for a untied kingdom passport or a British one? Are you arguing people born in NI cannot identify as British, because NI is part of UK not Britain? Better check the GFA and what British nationality covers? Today would be a good day to educate yourself, so you can stop looking like a numpty.
@Alan Campbell: Who is this “McElroy”? At least get his name right if you are going to talk bigoted claptrap.
@Alan Campbell:
He never played for Britain, did for Ireland…
He also helped the Irish Open when they were in need of help… For such young man to help like that shows he sense duty to his homeland…
@Alan Campbell: at least you didn’t deny that you’re spouting rubbish.
@Alan Campbell: you didn’t deny you were talking rubbish all the same Alan, lol
Fantastic stuff. Went b*lls out with his statement earlier in the week and backs it up with the win!
Back to golf, minus 25 is a silly score. For top flight professionals one would expect a sterner challenge. But good on you Rory..
@John Joseph Barry: they tore it apart. Morikawa was on for a crazy round after going -7 on the front only the putts dried up. Don’t think limiting driver length is going to slow them down though.
@Niall Buckley: let them use 4×2′s?
Great to see