Suspensions cast a shadow

Sigerson Cup: Even if there is no such thing as bad publicity, it hasn't been the smoothest of countdowns to the Sigerson Cup for hosts Dublin City University (DCU). At yesterday's launch of the third level football competition, which starts today, the controversial suspension of four DCU players was still one of the main talking points

Ross Munnelly (Laois), Dessie Dolan (Westmeath), Shane Ryan (Dublin) and Diarmuid Kinsella (Wexford) were originally judged by the Comhairle Árdoideachais (the CA, which governs higher education games) to have been ineligible to represent DCU in a league match at the end of last year, but later had their 12-week suspensions thrown-out on a technicality.

DCU don't enter the competition until the quarter-final stage on February 15th, where they're likely to meet either Garda College or Dublin rivals UCD. In the meantime, they're awaiting clarification on the position of the four players, although Dr Niall Moyna, head of sport at DCU, ruled out any possibility of playing them without full clearance.

"We would never, never play any of those players if we'd any inclination about a problem with their eligibility," said Moyna. "I think the issue with the rules was complicated, because when those students applied to come to DCU there were a certain set of rules, and after they registered for DCU the rules were then changed.

"We certainly would never have played them unless they were eligible. I also think the committee that oversees the third level games has a duty to ensure that players are legal, but I don't think we were singled out for special treatment.

"But after they decided to call in our players, I think how those players were treated by the committee leaves a lot to be desired. And that really annoyed us. But we certainly won't play any of them unless we get official clarification from the higher education authority that we are clear to play them - even though we believe some of those players should be entitled to play, at least based on the current rules."

DCU's minimum aim is to make the finals weekend on February 24-25th. They host the semi-finals on the Friday night (with Setanta providing live TV coverage), with the final being played in Parnell Park on the Saturday (with TG4 covering it live).

Sligo IT are chasing a third successive title, with DCU still looking to win their first Sigerson trophy.

Moyna has helped assemble something of a dream team, with Dublin's Bryan Cullen and Paul Casey and Mayo's Conor Mortimer among this year's line-up, although he admits winning the thing outright is an extremely difficult task.

"It's a knockout competition, so it's all on the day. Any team from UCD to Sligo to UCC have got tremendous teams, and I think any one of nine or 10 teams could win this year."

SIGERSON CUP DRAW: Round one (today): UL v NUI Maynooth, Limerick; IT Tallaght v St Mary's, Tallaght; IT Tralee v Athlone IT, Tralee; Garda College v Waterford IT, Templemore. Round two (Feb 8th): Galway IT v Tallaght/St Mary's; QUB v Ul/Maynooth; Dundalk IT v IT Sligo; DIT v UUJ; UCC v NUI Galway; IT Tralee/Athlone v Cork IT; Garda College/WIT v UCD); DCU - bye to quatter-finals (Feb 15th).

TODAY: Sigerson Cup (all games 2.0, extra time if necessary) Round one: UL v NUI Maynooth, Limerick, M McCann (Clare); IT Tallaght v St Mary's, Tallaght, P Finnegan (Louth); IT Tralee v Athlone IT, Tralee, M Ryan (Limerick); Garda College v Waterford IT, Templemore, M Deegan (Laois).

SATURDAY: National Football League Division 1A: Kerry v Mayo, Tralee, 7.45, T Quigley (Wexford).

Walsh Cup semi-final: Kilkenny v UCD, Freshford, 2.0, A Stapleton (Laois). Leinster Under-21 FC: Dublin v Kildare, Newbridge, 2.30, D Fahy (Longford).

Munster Hurling Shield: Waterford v Tipperary, Colligan (near Dungarvan), 2.0, J Sexton (Limerick).

SUNDAY: National Football League (all games 2.30 unless stated): Division 1A: Tyrone v Dublin, Omagh, P Russell (Tipperary); Offaly v Cork, Tullamore, G O Conamha (Galway); Monaghan v Fermanagh, Clontibret, C Broderick (Down). Division 1B: Down v Meath, Newcastle, F Flynn (Leitrim); Armagh v Kildare, Crossmaglen, M Duffy (Sligo); Derry v Galway, Celtic Park, E Murtagh (Longford); Laois v Wexford, Portlaoise, J Bannon (Longford). Division 2A: Clare v Carlow, Cusack Park, V Neary (Mayo); Donegal v Leitrim, Ballyshannon, P Fox (Westmeath): London v Longford, Ruislip, 1.0, R Hickey (Clare): Limerick v Roscommon, Gaelic Grounds, 3.0, D Coldrick (Meath). Division 2B: Cavan v Louth, Breffni Park, M Daly (Mayo); Antrim v Wicklow, Casement Park, P Carney (Roscommon): Westmeath v Waterford, Cusack Park, M Higgins (Fermanagh); Sligo v Tipperary, Markievicz Park, A McAlynn (Derry).

Walsh Cup semi-final: Offaly v Wexford, Birr, 2.15, B Kelly (Westmeath).

Kehoe Cup semi-finals: Carlow v Kildare, Carlow, 2.25, J Guinan (Kilkenny); Meath v DIT, Navan, 2.15, F Devereux (Kildare).

Munster Hurling Cup: Limerick v Waterford IT, Gaelic Grounds, 1.30, G Hoey (Clare).

Munster Hurling Shield: Kerry v UCC, Tralee, 2.0, J O'Mahony (Limerick).