Cork derby meeting set to open Fitzgibbon Cup with a bang
Cathal McCarthy of UCC is tackled by MTU players Diarmuid Healy and Darragh O'Sullivan during the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup game at MTU in January of this year. Picture: Dan Linehan
An attractive all-Cork clash is sure to draw attention when the Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup commences in early January.
Last week’s draws for the Fitzgibbon and its football equivalent, the Sigerson Cup, placed MTU Cork and UCC in the same group for the second year running, along with Garda College, who won the second-tier Ryan Cup in 2024-25.
While the Cork derby was in the final round of fixtures at the beginning of this year – UCC won to top the group - the 2026 renewal will be matinee act for the campaign. UCC, who recently won the Higher Education Hurling League, will have home advantage, with the game taking place at the Mardyke on Thursday, January 8 at 7.30pm.
Both Cork colleges were semi-finalists in the Fitzgibbon last year, with UCC beaten by DCU Dóchas Éireann while MTU went down to a UL side that went on to regain the title, claiming a third in four seasons.
The two Cork institutions will be in action in the first round of the Sigerson Cup the previous night, January 7. MTU have home advantage against the UL while Edenderry in Offaly will be the venue for the clash of UCC and ATU Sligo, both games starting at 7.30pm.
While the Fitz has a group system, the Sigerson operates on a double-knockout basis, with results in the opening outing dictating the subsequent fixtures.
St Mary’s v Maynooth, St Mary’s, 2pm; Universtity of Ulster v DCU, Jordanstown; TUS Midlands v MTU Kerry, Athlone; TU Dublin v Dundalk IT, TUD.
Mary Immaculate College Limerick v SETU Waterford, MICL (2pm); UL v Maynooth, UL.
UCD v ATU Galway, Billings Park (7pm); Queens University v University of Galway, Abbottstown; MTU Cork v UL, MTU Cork; ATU Sligo v UCC, Edenderry.
UCC v MTU Cork, Mardyke; University of Galway v UCD, Dangan.
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