GMIT to host Fitzgibbon Cup for the first time

The Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) hurling club will host the 2013 Fitzgibbon Cup Hurling Championship for the first time in the college’s history.

The competition will take place during the first weekend in March when over 500 students from over 14 third-level colleges across Ireland are expected to take part in the weekend’s activities.

Details of the championship games were announced at the formal launch of the Fitzgibbon Cup programme in GMIT on Wednesday. The launch was attended by the president of the Connacht GAA Council, Frank Burke; Connacht GAA operations manager, Adrian Hassett, who hails from Cooraclare; former president of the GAA and GMIT governing body member, Joe McDonagh; Sinead Lambe marketing and GMIT GAA sports development officer, Damien Curley.

The first rounds of the competitions begin on Thursday, January 31, with the semi-finals and finals taking place in Carnmore, Athenry and Pearse Stadium, Salthill, on Friday and Saturday, March 1 and 2.

GAA sports officer Damian Curley said, “It is fitting in our 40th year as an educational Institute that this is the first time GMIT will host this 101 year-old prestigious event.”

The weekend will also incorporate the final stages of the Ryan Cup, Fergal Maher Cup and Corn Padraigh Mac Diarmada.

There will be a big number of Clare players involved in the various championships with University of Limerick, Limerick IT, NUI, Galway, Cork IT, Mary Imaculate Training College Limerick, St Pat’s Drumcondra and Fitzgibbon Cup title holders, UCC.

This year’s Fitzgibbon Cup final will take place in Pearse Stadium on Saturday, March 2, at 2.30pm and will be televised live on TG4.