MTU Cork look for winning Fitzgibbon Cup start against Trinity

A new name will be added to Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup history tonight as Munster Technological University (MTU) Cork made their debut in the competition.

Of course, it’s just name change from Cork Institute of Technology, with the Bishopstown college taking on Trinity College at Santry Avenue in Dublin in Group C (7pm).

With ten teams taking part in the premier third-level hurling championship, there are two groups of four teams and two consisting of three each. MTU are in one of those, with Galway-Mayo IT having enjoyed a comfortable win over Trinity last week.

MTU is the third different name that the college has operated under. Cork Regional Technical College came into being in 1974 and the RTC entered GAA teams in intervarsity competitions from the following year.

Red and white hoops were the colours from the outset, presumably as a nod to Cork while achieving sufficient differentiation from UCC. Following the recent name change, a predominantly red shirt with a vertical white stripe down the left-had side – similar to Luton Town’s 1970s style – has been adopted as first choice.

The Ryan Cup, the second-tier colleges hurling competition, was won in 1977, 1980 and 1989, while the RTC were victorious in its football equivalent, the Trench Cup, in 1979. In the autumn of 1994, the decision was taken to enter the following year’s county senior hurling and football championships.

While the first few years in the hurling championship brought heavy losses, the name change to CIT for the 1998 championship coincided with more competitive performances. In 2004, a first hurling victory came and what a win it was, beating reigning county, Munster and All-Ireland champions Newtownshandrum with Vincie Hurley and John Paul O’Callaghan leading the way.

Another win over Killeagh brought them to the quarter-finals but, somewhat unfortunately, they came up against Newtown again, who had availed of the advent of the second chance for first-round losers and avenged the earlier loss.

In 2011, wins over Imokilly, Erin’s Own, Bride Rovers and Newtown brought CIT to a first senior hurling final but they were denied a maiden title by Carrigtwohill. In the Fitz, they reached the finals of 2012 and 2014 respectively, losing out to UCC and WIT respectively.

The last Fitzgibbon campaign, in 2020, saw them finish bottom of their three-team group with two defeats but, as a result of the GMIT-Trinity game, they know that progress to the knockout stages is in their hands, as manager John Mortell outlines.

“If we win on Thursday, we’re through,” he says.

“If we lose, we’d need a result in the last match against GMIT and it could come down to scoring difference.”
Mortell is joined by coaches Niall O’Halloran and Kerry native John ‘Tweek’ Griffin while Tim Murphy and Ger O’Halloran are selectors.

While they have players from Tipperary, Kilkenny and Laois, local players remain the dominant grouping.

CORK CORE

“It’s still a good, strong Cork core,” Mortell says.

We have five players on the senior panel – Alan Connolly, Declan Dalton, Brian Roche, Sam Quirke and Ger Collins, though Alan, Declan and Brian are injury worries for us.

“Our captain is William Hurley from Valley Rovers.”

Of course, with players having so many other commitments, preparations haven’t been ideal, but Mortell accepts that that’s a universal experience for college sides.

“It’s not easy,” he says.

“There’s a lot on and right up to Christmas you had fellas still going with their clubs, which is obviously great for them.

“The league was played when the county championships were coming to an end, so we were missing a lot of guys.

“We lost to WIT and UCC. It gave other lads experience and I know it was the same for every college.”

Ultimately, it’s great to be back, whatever the name on the jersey. After tonight, they host GMIT next week and then, hopefully, there will be a quarter-final to look forward to.
“It’s huge,” Mortell says.

“The third-level games are vital for player development and there’s a huge interest – the crowd that was at the MTU-UCC game in the Sigerson was brilliant.”