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CIT's Lorcan McLoughlin and LIT's Cathal McInerney. INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan
Hurling

Here's your 2013 Fitzgibbon Cup Guide: Part 1

This year’s Fitzgibbon Cup throws in this afternoon. Here’s the first part of our team guide to the competition.

THE 2013 FITZGIBBON Cup throws in this afternoon.

There are 13 teams competing across the four groups this season.

Group A will feature NUI Galway, GMIT, UCC and Mary Immaculate College.

Group B will be a contest between Waterford IT, Cork IT and Carlow IT.

Group C sees UCD, Limerick IT and DCU in opposition. Finally in Group D it is a battle between Dublin IT, UL and St Pat’s-Mater Dei.

There are four games down for decision today:

Group A: NUI Galway v Mary Immaculate College, Dangan, 1.30pm, (Ref: Gus Chapman, Sligo); GMIT v UCC, Carnmore, 3pm, (Ref: Brian Gavin, Offaly).
Group B: Carlow IT v Waterford IT, Carlow IT, 2pm, (Ref: Fergal Horgan, Tipperary).
Group C: UCD  v Limerick IT, Belfield, 2pm, (Ref: Anthony Stapleton, Laois).
Group D: UL v St Patrick’s-Mater Dei, UL Grounds, 2pm, (Ref: Alan Kelly, Galway).

Here’s a closer look at the aspirations of Carlow IT, Cork IT, DCU, Dublin IT, GMIT, Limerick IT and Mary Immaculate College ahead of the start of the Fitzgibbon Cup.

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CARLOW IT

Who are their inter-county stars… PJ Ryan is a former Kilkenny goalkeeper while Danny Kenny and Ollie Walsh have both represented the Cats at underage level. In addition Laois duo Stephen Maher and Neil Foyle along with Cork’s Mark Ellis have senior experience.
What’s their history… The Carlow based college are still searching for their first title and first final appearance.
How are the bookies rating them… 28/1
Where are they likely to finish… The Carlow-based outfit did contest the league final before Christmas and will be hoping to transfer that form to the Fitzgibbon Cup stage in a testing group.

CORK IT

Who are their inter-county stars… Lorcan McLoughlin and Jamie Coughlan are both Cork senior hurlers while Ciaran Sheehan is a Cork senior footballer. Nicky Kelly, Michael O’Sullivan and David Drake all have underage experience with Cork and Stephen Daniels is on the Waterford senior team.
What’s their history… No titles yet for CIT but they have come desperately close as they lost the final in 2003 to Waterford IT and last year’s decider after extra-time against UCC.
How are the bookies rating them… 9/2
Where are they likely to finish… Last year’s finalists have lost some key figures from that team but they have developed a tradition of mounting competitive campaigns in recent years.

DCU

Who are their inter-county stars… Padraig Brehony, an All-Ireland minor winner in 2011 and a Galway senior last year, is their leading light while Sean McGrath was the attacking star when Kilmacud Crokes won a county SHC medal last year.
What’s their history… Their football counterparts have excelled in the Sigerson Cup but DCU’s hurling side have never managed to reach the final of the Fitzgibbon Cup.
How are the bookies rating them… 200/1
Where are they likely to finish… The outsiders will find it tough to make headway in a group with UCD and Limerick IT.

DUBLIN IT

Who are their inter-county stars… Dublin’s Liam Rushe is their defensive lynchpin while Finn McGarry and Conor McCormack (Dublin), Niall Quinn (Galway), Kieran Bergin (Tipperary) and Michael Maloney (Kilkenny) all have inter-county experience.
What’s their history… DIT are another Dublin-based college who have yet to feature in the Fitzgibbon Cup final.
How are the bookies rating them…20/1
Where are they likely to finish… Dublin IT will be hopeful of featuring in the knockout stages with their group game against UL likely to be a critical one.



GMIT hurlers Tadhg Haran and captain Ger O’Halloran. Pic: INPHO/Mike Shaughnessy.

GMIT

Who are their inter-county stars… Defender Gerard O’Halloran and attacker  Tadhg Haran both won All-Ireland U21 medals with Galway in 2011 and were senior panellists with Anthony Cunningham’s county setup last year.
What’s their history… GMIT were beaten semi-finalists in the Fitzgibbon Cup in 2008 and that was the closest they came to a final appearance.
How are the bookies rating them… 150/1
Where are they likely to finish… The competition hosts will be desperate to reach the last four. Emerging from a Group A that is packed with potent outfits will be tough though.

LIMERICK IT

Who are their inter-county stars… Sean Collins and Cathal McInerney are Clare seniors while Ronan Taaffe was Clare’s All-Ireland U21 winning goalkeeper last year. Sean O’Brien, Alan Dempsey, Paudie O’Brien and Pat Begley are all Limerick senior panellists while Seamus Callanan and John O’Keeffe are both Tipperary seniors.
What’s their history… Limerick IT have been champions in 2005 and 2007 in this competition while they lost out in the finals of 2008 and 2011.
How are the bookies rating them… 7/1
Where are they likely to finish… Davy Fitzgerald does not have as many marquee names as usual but he has frequently drawn strong performances from his teams and is unlikely to deviate from that trend.

MARY IMMACULATE COLLEGE

Who are their inter-county stars… The Limerick-based college have plenty inter-county talents in Galway’s Conor Cooney, Limerick’s Declan Hannon, Clare’s John Conlon and Colm Galvin, Cork’s Luke O’Farrell, Waterford’s Brian O’Halloran and Tipperary’s Sean Curran.
What’s their history… Mary Immaculate’s side have been more accustomed to participating in the Ryan Cup in recent years and their Fitzgibbon Cup appearance here is a novel one.
How are the bookies rating them… 28/1
Where are they likely to finish… The team coached by former Limerick and Offaly boss Eamonn Cregan are a novel presence but they have several stellar talents and could be a surprise packet.