Sigerson/Fitzgibbon draws 2013

[INDIANA]

The competition is competed within a month some teams may only have one game. It's a good competition for young players looking to make the step up to senior level and playing alongside or against current senior players can only improve them.

I disagree. Some players will be doing long-term fitness training at county level and faster more intense work with their university. Both together are chronic causes for burnout

[rodney trotter]

Think he means it as in, Sigerson Football. Not IT as in Sligo IT.

Ah yeah I know that. But when has "Sigerson" ever claimed anything.
Burn out is a very real issue and one I have studied. It is bandied about by ill informed fools who use it to their own advantage, usually with no concern on the player. My view is that players should not compete for several teams Nor should we move Sigerson to December so county lads can play pre season comps. All that does is feed burnout.
Councils should protect players by having rules. Leaving it to managers is a cop out.

Sigerson is a fine competition which is underestimated by many

Yeah Januray - March is a hectic period for those players. Maybe if they got rid of the Ryan Cup and played the Sigerson on a Champions League format before December. Each team would get 3 games, and not just the one chance which they get at present on the knockout system.

[magpie seanie]

Never bought into this. It's a good standard, lads take it very serious but what's it all about? Our college signed up more intercounty players than your college? Not important really in my book but I know it means a lot to some.

[rrhf]

I always felt that two many third level insitutions are allowed to play at Sigerson level, Would less teams involved help prevent elite player burnout, perhaps?
Could you imagine how few games there would be if the real universities were only allowed to participate and the DITs, Waterford / Sligo ITs and the Northern polytechnics like Jordanstown were refused entry. The prospect of Sigerson football might encourage good county footballers to actually go to real universities which would be a real shot in the arm to their career prospects surely.  I know the GPA are always  pushing for career improvement coursess for their members.   Why not aim at the crux of the problem and lets try to get the players a proper education. 

[ck]

I always felt that two many third level insitutions are allowed to play at Sigerson level, Would less teams involved help prevent elite player burnout, perhaps?
Could you imagine how few games there would be if the real universities were only allowed to participate and the DITs, Waterford / Sligo ITs and the Northern polytechnics like Jordanstown were refused entry. The prospect of Sigerson football might encourage good county footballers to actually go to real universities which would be a real shot in the arm to their career prospects surely.  I know the GPA are always  pushing for career improvement coursess for their members.   Why not aim at the crux of the problem and lets try to get the players a proper education.

Take the tongue outa your cheek there bud.
How on earth would less teams prevent burnout? The "real" Universities would play Sigerson and the colleges and ITs would play in Trench cup (as was the case in the 80's). Same amount of games, same amount of burnout.

[theticklemister]

there are actually now three tiers; with the corn mac leinn. Ever since the sigerson and trench opened their doors to the ITs there had to be a new cup to accomodate all these teams and grades.

Ck is correct, if these teams didnt participate in the sogerson and trenh they would be playing in the further education cups.

[ross4life]

Some interesting Sigerson facts http://www.ucc.ie/students/socs/gfc/sigersonfacts.html


George Sigerson was born in Strabane, Co Tyrone in 1836. He was a scholar, academic, Senator, neurologist and writer during a remarkable career. He used his salary to donate the Sigerson Cup in 1911.

The Sigerson Cup is modelled on an ancient drinking vessel – the Mether – which is symbolic of friendship, and the four handles of the represent each of the provinces. 

The only successful objection at the weekend came about in 1971.
The objection was lodged by UCC after losing a semi final to UCD, and as a result, the Cork side went on to the final where they lost to Queen's.

Until 1933, the Sigerson Cup was played out as a three team league involving UCD, UCC and UCD.

In 2006, Bryan Cullen lifted the Sigerson Cup as captain of DCU.
In doing so, he was the first native Dubliner to lead a successful team in the history of the competition.

IT Tralee became the first non-university side to win the Sigerson Cup, when they claimed the title in 1997. They went on to complete a three-in-a-row.

A Combined Universities side was first chosen in the 1950s. At first it competed against a Rest of Ireland select, and then entered the Railway Cup (Interprovincial championship) for a number of years. They actually won their only Railway Cup in 1973, defeating Ulster, Leinster and Connaught (in a replay).

The Ryan Cup (league title) was originally presented in 1950 for the representative game involving the Combined Universities and the Rest of Ireland select. It has been used for the senior HE league since 1969.

In 2006/2007, Daniel McCartan became the seventh Down man to captain a successful Ryan Cup (senior league) side. He also emulated his brother James (the present QUB manager) who also led a successful side in 1992.

In 1992, an extra period of extra time was required to separate UUJ and UCG in the Sigerson quarter final. UUJ set something of a record in using 24 players.

In the 2006 campaign, UUJ and reigning champions IT Sligo were inseparable after extra time, and so the very first penalty shoot out of a competitive GAA game was required. Jordanstown won on penalties.

The Trench Cup is named after Trench House in Belfast, which formerly housed St Joseph's (later St Mary's). The concept of the cup was proposed by former CA chairman Pat Blake and former Fermanagh Allstar Peter McGinnitty.

Queen's University have honoured GAA personalities in recent years. In 2003, Kieran McGeeney was named as Graduate of the Year, and honour that was also bestowed posthumously on the late Cormac McAnallen in 2004. Two years later, Tyrone manager Mickey Harte was the first recipient of an honorary degree from the University for services to Gaelic games.

Only two teams have ever completed the senior league and Sigerson double. UUJ won a second Sigerson title in a row in 1987 and remained unbeaten in the league to also collect that title. In more recent times, IT Sligo defeated UCD in a replay of the Ryan Cup decider of 2004/2005 and edged out Queen's in the Sigerson final.

The original four colleges – UCD, UCC, UCG and Queen's – made up the final four pairing in the 2000 Sigerson final. It was the first time that this had happened since 1985, and has not occurred since.

The highest scorer on record for a Sigerson final is Vincent Darby of UCG and Galway, who scored 2-4 in the 1933 decider. Interestingly, this was the first Sigerson final on record, as QUB had joined that year to complete the quartet. Seán Thornton scored 3-0 for UCG in the 1940 final, while Jim Brosnan of UCC equalled that total in 1952.

The last Sigerson final to be hosted in Croke Park took place in 1985. UCD defeated Queen's in the decider by 0-10 to 0-5.

Sligo RTC (now IT Sligo) lead the way in terms of Trench Cup wins, with a total of five. Their last title came in 1991.

Thirty years ago, Kerry's multiple Allstar winner Pat Spillane captained Thomond College to win the Trench Cup. Other notable Trench Cup winning captains include Brian Mullins of Dublin (NCPE 1976), Kevin McCabe of Tyrone (Poly 1980), Gary Walsh of Donegal (Sligo RTC 1984 and 1985), and Damien Diver of Donegal (DIT 1995).

The old Division 3 championship is now called the Corn na Mac Léinn, which translates as the Students' Cup.

Until the late seventies, students of St Josephs (now St Mary's) competed with Queen's in the Sigerson Cup and with their own college in the league.

Queen's hosted the Sigerson weekend in their 75th anniversary year. In their 50th anniversary, they also hosted at the Dub and won the final in extra time.

UCD completed the first five-in-a-row in 1932. UCG are the only side to complete six titles on the trot (1936-1941). In the 1970s, a UCD managed by Eugene McGee won six titles in seven years and also collected two All Ireland club titles.

In 2005, NUI Galway and GMIT both qualified for the FBD league final. After a pulsating tie, both teams were treated to a holiday in the US.

The UCC team have traditionally worn the scull and cross-bones on their jerseys. It owes its origin to the fact that the Medicine school of UCC dominated all facets of contemporary Cork college life.

UCG have worn the maroon and white for longer than their county side, and the fact that Galway don such colours can be attributed to the Corrib-side college.

The old three-day weekend was temporarily abandoned in 1991, as a result of disgraceful scenes at the 1990 Sigerson Cup event on the Saturday night at Trinity College boat house. The 1991 championship was run off without any weekend, though the two-day event was introduced in 1992. The three-day weekend returned in 1999, but finally ended in 2003.

TG4 have been broadcasting Sigerson Cup finals since 1998.

The first floodlit final took place in Parnell Park in 2006.

The original George Sigerson Cup was finally decommissioned in 2001 after 90 years on the go. The new replica was sensationally lost by UUJ shortly after they won it but was later recovered in time for the 2002 competition.

The Combined Universities side travelled to play a British Universities select in the millennium year. The tie took place in Manchester, with Karl Oakes of Queen's scoring the winning goal to complete a 1-9 to 0-9 scoreline.

The C U select was then discontinued and eventually gave way to the Datapac Hotshots in 2004. IT Sligo lead the way in terms of Hotshots awards with 15, followed by Queen's with ten and UUJ with four.

[Keane]

Got some previews for the Sigerson games tomorrow night here if anyone's interested:

http://www.livegaelic.com/news/a-look-ahead-to-the-sigerson-cup/

[ck]

Just heard that a few of the games are off due to waterlogged pitches. IT Sligo game on.

[theticklemister]

anyone have fixtures for the trench and corn mac leinn?

[Keane]

Just heard that a few of the games are off due to waterlogged pitches. IT Sligo game on.

Yeah the DIT game is off I think, CIT is probably going to be off as well.

[Blowitupref]

NUIG v DIT, Cork IT v GMIT are postponed until Tuesday February 5th. Trinity v UCD will have pitch inspection in the morning.

[muppet]

UCC 1-7 UUJ 0-0 according to Twitter UCC playing with a gale.

[Walter Cronc]

Poorest UUJ side in years. Mind you with Ronan O'Neill, Jamie Clarke and Aaron Cunningham all available it could have been different!

[muppet]

UCC 1-13 UUJ 0-2 HT