Mary Immaculate College Limerick manager Jamie Wall. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
By Cian O'Connell
Who will generate the belief and momentum required to make an impact in an eagerly anticipated 2025 edition of the Fitzgibbon Cup?
Holders Mary I, guided by Jamie Wall, face a tricky opening group game away to ATU Galway at Liam Mellows' splendid grounds.
Established and emerging inter-county players are available for Mary I with Clare's Adam Hogan and Limerick's Shane O'Brien involved.
Daithí Lohan, Joe Caesar, and Carthach Daly are other talented players in the Mary I ranks.
ATU Galway's panel includes a number of players, who have made a significant impact at club level with John Cooney, Darren Shaughnessy, and Damien McGlynn in the panel.
The other Group A encounter, UL v SETU Waterford, will be worth monitoring too.
Prompted by Adam English, Cathal O'Neill, Colin Coughlan, Gearóid O'Connor, and Adam Screeney, UL's squad is sprinkled with class.
SETU Waterford, though, have enjoyed some positive moments in the competition recently with Barry Hennessy, Cathal King, Eoin Twomey, and Reuben Halloran included in the panel.
Group B promises to be very interesting with UCC hosting UCD at the Mardyke.
Eoin Downey, Ethan Twomey, Darragh Stakelum, and Ben Cunningham will lead the UCC charge, while Dara Purcell, Peter McDonald, and the free scoring Sligo forward Robert O'Kelly-Lynch are involved for UCD.
On the banks of the River Corrib, University of Galway will meet MTU Cork in Dangan.
Offaly's Charlie Mitchell and Dan Bourke bring plenty of quality to the University of Galway panel alongside Tiernan Killeen, Gavin Lee, and Liam Collins.
MTU Cork will be looking to Ciaran Joyce, Jack Cahalane, and the potent Alan Connolly for inspiration.
In Group C, TUS Midwest will collide with DCU Dóchas Eireann.
Kilruane MacDonaghs' Kian O'Kelly, Kyle Shelly, and Eoghan Cuddy are named in the TUS Midwest panel. Carlow's Conor Kehoe, Kildare's Cian Boran, and Laois' Cillian Dunne feature for DCU Dóchas Eireann.
Electric Ireland Fitzgibbon Cup
Wednesday January 15
Group A
ATU Galway v MIC Limerick, Liam Mellows GAA, 7pm
UL v SETU Waterford, UL, 7.30pm
Group B
UCC v UCD, Mardyke, 5.30pm
Thursday January 16
Group B
University of Galway v MTU Cork, Dangan, 7.30pm
Group C
TUS Midwest v DCU Dóchas Eireann, TUS Midwest, 7pm
