Billings critical of tournament date

GAELIC GAMES/Sigerson Cup: Dave Billings, the UCD manager and Dublin football selector, has described as "absolutely ludicrous" the decision to play the Sigerson Cup on the same weekend as a double hit of league football and hurling.

UCD are one of the eight quarter-finalists playing in Cork this afternoon, with the semi-finals set for tomorrow, and then the final on Saturday. All the college teams include their share of intercounty players, none more than UCD, and Billings is also critical of the demands for the Sigerson Cup finalists to play three matches in three days.

"I think that Croke Park, and whoever else decides on the third-level fixtures, need to look again at what they are doing here," says Billings. "And there's definitely no way this should be played on the same weekend as both football and hurling league matches."

"We also have a few dual players involved like Stephen Lucey of Limerick and David O'Connor of Wexford. They are probably going to be part of their county teams as well and that's not fair on anyone, and most of all the players. In fact I think the players are being messed up here."

Billings is calling for a more evenly spread Sigerson Cup, where the football games would be played midweek, and also alternate with the Fitzgibbon Cup hurling games.

"For a start these third-level fixtures should be set for midweek afternoons. And maybe have the final on a Saturday. But definitely not on the same weekend as the National Football League.

"We're also trying to promote games in college, so I don't see either why it has to be all over by the first week in March. It should be spread out a lot more and that would take the pressure off everyone. I wouldn't be in favour of playing it before Christmas, because that would only clash with the club championships, but I think the fairest thing for everyone is to play midweek, with say football one Wednesday and hurling the next Wednesday."

Other problems with the current timing of the Sigerson Cup finals, says Billings, is the loss of proper media coverage - and the weather.

"Last year was a disaster in Sligo with the weather. Of course it wasn't their fault but it was a total shambles having to play in those sort of conditions. And the weather will always play a part at this time of the year.

"What it means is that this competition has turned into an endurance test. Playing against these college teams every week is a totally different scenario to trying to play three of them in three days. I remember three years ago we also ended up playing extra-time twice over the three days."

Already the bad weather has effected the Sigerson schedule, with Billings getting a call yesterday to say UCD's opening game against Queen's University was switched to 2.30 in Cork IT instead of 3.30 in Bishopstown.

"That's very messy as well from our point of view," he says.

Billings admitted UCD have done "absolutely nothing" since their first-round win over Dublin IT last Wednesday week.

"Most of our team are playing with their senior county teams or under-21 teams or whatever, so it would be just self-defeating to try to train in that sort of scenario.

"So we're going with the policy that 'rest is probably best' and just making sure we get our tactics right. The dual players as well on the team like O'Connor and Lucey are under severe pressure with training as it is."

As for who might be the team to beat this year, Billings is prepared to look beyond Queen's University.

"Of course Queen's are the team to beat as far as we're concerned. That's our first game and it's as good as our final. Obviously the seven other teams are thinking of winning it as well. And there's no doubt they're all good teams."

UCD are looking for their first Sigerson title since 1996, while opponents' Queen's last won the title in 2000. The reigning champions Sligo IT play NUI Maynooth, with outsiders St Mary's taking on UUJ. The remaining quarter-final provides the only Cork interest as UCC take on NUI Galway.

SIGERSON CUP SCHEDULE: Today: Quarter-finals - (1) NUI Galway v UCC, Mardyke, 1.0, M Walsh (Limerick); (2) NUI Maynooth v Sligo IT, The Farm, 3.0, M Collins (Cork); (3) St Mary's v UUJ, Ballincollig, 2.15, J Kearney (Cork); (4) UCD v QUB, Cork IT, 2.30, P Russell (Tipperary). Tomorrow: Semi-Finals - 1 v 2, Mardyke, 1.0, J Bannon (Longford); 3 v 4, Bishopstown, P Russell (Tipperary); Saturday: Final - Páirc Uí Rinn, 4.15, J Bannon (Longford).