Student Sport Ireland Colleges Cup Launched At Aviva Stadium
Student Sport Ireland launched the third level colleges’ Men’s ccompetitions at the Aviva Stadium yesterday with 27 teams taking part in the three competitions.
Guest of honour at the event was Brendan Johnston after whom the Senior Cup competition is named. During his 35 years as Sports Officer and lecturer at Dundalk Institute of Technology, Brendan was an advocate for third level sport with a passion for rugby, serving as Hon. Secretary to the Irish Colleges Rugby Union for many years.
Players, coaches and representatives of third level colleges attended the launch which was addressed by Ronan Keaskin, Student Sport Ireland Domestic Competitions Committee Chairperson, and Eoin Hogan, Age Grade Manager of the Irish Rugby Football Union.
Keaskin said: “On behalf of Student Sport Ireland, I am proud and delighted to attend today’s event to launch our second year of colleges’ rugby cup competitions. In 2016 we ran three very successful competitions, with the knockout format proving very popular with players and coaches alike.”
Keaskin also announced that Athlone IT, in association with Buccaneers RFC, will host the finals day this year, saying: “We are delighted to be going to Athlone this year and their link with Buccaneers RFC and their facilities will also give us the chance to live stream the finals for the first time ever.”
Hogan commented: “It is wonderful to see all the hard work of Student Sport Ireland in co-operation with the IRFU and the colleges to bring this competition to new heights. In particular I’d like to thank all the volunteers – coaches and staff who aid in the development of third level rugby in Ireland.”
Tier 2 and Tier 3 Cup games will be played on the Wednesday, February 8 with the Brendan Johnston Cup kicking off on Wednesday, February 15, culminating with the finals on Wednesday, March 22 at Buccaneers RFC.
Brendan Johnston Cup Draw
Game 1: Garda College v Limerick IT
Game 2: Athlone IT v Waterford IT
Game 3: Dublin IT v Dublin City University
Game 4: IT Carlow v Ulster University
Semi-Finals:
Game 5: Winners of Game 1 host Winners of Game 2
Game 6: Winners of Game 3 host Winners of Game 4
Tier Two Cup Draw
Munster Group
Game 1: University of Limerick v IT Tralee
Game 2: IT Tralee v Mary Immaculate
Game 3: Mary Immaculate v University of Limerick
Leinster/Connacht Group
Game 1: IT Carlow ‘B’ v IT Tallaght
Game 2: IT Tallaght v Athlone IT ‘B’
Game 3: Athlone IT ‘B’ v IT Carlow ‘B’
Semi-Finals:
Game 5: Winners of Munster Group host Runners-up of Leinster/Connacht Group
Game 6: Winners of Leinster/Connacht Group host Runners-up of Munster Group
Tier Three Cup Draw
Game 1: Belfast Met v Queen’s Stranmillis
Game 2: Ulster University Coleraine v Queen’s University Belfast
Game 3: University College Cork v IT Blanchardstown
Game 4: Galway Mayo IT v IT Sligo
Game 5: NUI Galway v University of Limerick ‘B’
Quarter-Finals:
Game 9: Winners of Game 1 host Dundalk IT
Game 10: Winners of Game 2 host Ulster University Jordanstown
Game 11: Winners of Game 3 host Maynooth University
Game 12: Winners of Game 4 host Winners of Game 5
Semi-Finals:
Winners of Game 9 host Winners of Game 10
Winners of Game 11 host Winners of Game 12