The Sigerson Cup is set to kick off in early January and there are some tasty match ups in the opening rounds.
Perhaps the standout tie, from an Armagh perspective, is the meeting of Queen’s University and Ulster University.
It’s a repeat of the 2007 Sigerson Cup final. St Mary’s will take on SETU Carlow in their first-round match.
We’ve taken a look at the Armagh players that will be involved with QUB, UU and St Mary’s in the Sigerson Cup.
St Mary’s
St Mary’s once again have the biggest Armagh representatives in their ranks, with ten players in total included.
The ranch has retained the services of 2021 county champion with Clann Eireann Conor McConville, who was part of the panel last season. He’ll be joined by clubmate Danny Magee.
Sean Rock (Silverbridge), Shane Donnelly (Collegeland), Louis Hughes (Granemore), Cormac Smyth (Mullaghbawn) are also part of the panel for the second year in a row.
Crossmaglen’s Dara O’Callaghan earned his first county medal this season, and he’ll experience Sigerson Cup football for the first time. Clubmate Ruairi O’Neill is also on the squad.
Clonmore’s Sean Quigley and Stephen Finnegan of Belleek are on the St Mary’s panel as well. Annaghmore’s Gavin McGilly remains in his position as manager.
St Mary’s crashed out of the competition last year when they conceded a last-minute penalty from Maynooth.
Queen’s University Belfast
Queen’s reached the quarter-final stage of the competition last season but lost out to a David Clifford-inspired UL.
Both Sean McCarthy of Clann Eireann and Killeavy’s Calum O’Hare remain in the squad from last year.
Ballyhegan’s Peter McGrane, who is currently a member of Kieran McGeeney’s Armagh panel, is also on the panel.
James O’Hara (Keady) and Tomas McCormack (Annaghmore) are others that are on the Queen’s panel.
Ulster University
Only two Armagh players are part of the UUJ panel for the upcoming Sigerson Cup campaign.
Last year, Barry McCambridge was the Orchard County’s sole representative on the Jordanstown squad.
Ulster University also reached the last eight in 2021 but suffered a one-point defeat to DCU.
This season, St Paul’s sharpshooter Eoin McConville has been included, as has Mullaghbawn midfielder Eoghan McDonnell.
Barry Dillon, who has entered his second season in charge of Ballymacnab, is the Jordanstown manager.
The full Sigerson Cup draw:
MTU Kerry v ATU Sligo
SETU Carlow v St Mary’s
NUIG v Maynooth
MTU Cork v UCD
Queen’s v Ulster University
ATU Donegal v DCU
ATU Galway v TU
Dublin UCC v UL
