O Cinneide a key figure

The link is a tenuous one, given the different lifestyles of the superstar professional golfer and that of your average amateur Gaelic footballer, but Tralee Institute of Technology are on a Tiger Woods-like winning streak. Indeed, Tralee are chasing their fourth title in a row and haven't lost when on Sigerson Cup duty for over three years.

Today, the reigning champions open the defence of their crown with a second round match away to Mary Immaculate College of Education in Limerick; but they do so with a significantly different team from the one which has dominated the competition in recent years. Tralee introduce eight newcomers to Sigerson Cup fare yet can still rely on the likes of Sean O'Sullivan, Kenneth Leen and Galway senior Padraig Joyce in their attempts to retain the title.

Ironically, Kerry inter-county player Dara O Cinneide is one of those aiming to stop them in their tracks. O Cinneide was a tour de force in MICE's first round win over Dundalk IT and will be central to the Limerick college's bid to upset the odds today.

Two men who clashed in last September's All-Ireland final will again be in opposition today when Meath's Ollie Murphy assists Dublin Institute of Technology against Munster club champions University College Cork, who have Anthony Lynch in their ranks.

These are busy times for UCC who have won the Cork and Munster club titles in recent months, and who meet Crossmaglen Rangers in the All-Ireland club semi-final on Sunday week, but, even with a number of fringe players starting this game, they should be good enough to move on. They demonstrated their current well-being with a win over the Kerry under21 team in a challenge game last weekend.

The two titans of Dublin colleges clash in what promises to be a competitive encounter in Glasnevin: DCU will look to Dublin defender Shane Ryan for some inspiration in their meeting with UCD, who may be without Galway player John Divilly, who was involved in a head-on clash with Oisin McConville in last Sunday's Railway Cup final. UCD are already without Kieran McManus who is suspended.

Meanwhile, Jim McGuinness misses Jordanstown's encounter with Athlone IT in Maghera.

Yesterday's preview of the Harty Cup stated that Colaiste Chriost Ri were the last school to achieve the football/hurling double in Munster. In fact, Colaiste Iognaid Ris (now Deerpark CS) were the last to do so in 1975.