All Limerick Fitzgibbon Cup final set to be a cracking contest
Mary Immaculate College take on current champions UL
ABBEYDORNEY, Kerry is the venue for this afternoon's Fitzgibbon Cup final between Mary Immaculate College and the University of Limerick.
The game pits together the two outstanding teams of this year's competition and is the first meeting of two Limerick colleges since 2016 where Mary I came out victorious against today's opponents after extra time.
That team was star-studded with the likes of Declan Hannon, Cian Lynch, Darragh O'Donovan, Richie English and David Reidy, while UL had Tom Morrissey, Gearoid Hegarty, Pat Ryan and Mike Casey in their ranks.
Today's decider also has a fair share of talented and well established stars on show. Clare's Diarmuid Ryan has been in sensational form for Mary I, while young guns Shane O'Brien and Shane Meehan have excelled in the inside line.
Meehan and O'Brien were at full throttle in Mary I's six-point win over SETU Waterford in their semi-final and manager Jamie Wall will be hopeful of a similar showing in Abbeydorney. Mary I have beaten UCC, Maynooth University and TUS Midwest to reach the semi-final stage.
Jason Gillane, Adam Hogan and Tipperary trio Joe Caesar, Conor Hennessy and Cathal Ryan have also set Mary I on their way to the final.
Wall is joined by former Clare dual star Podge Collins in his management team along with Portroe's Mark Gennery who was also involved in Nenagh CBS' Harty Cup victory.
UL were firm favourites to cruise to a third Fitzgibbon title in-a-row but have struggled in their last two games to hit the level they have become accustomed to.
They did well to see off University of Galway in the semi-final on Wednesday night with Killian Sampson's late score sealing a one-point victory.
TUS Midwest and ATU Galway were dispatched with ease in their group, before a stern test against UCC was put to bed in the final 10 minutes.
Brian Ryan (South Liberties) has a much vaunted panel of players to pick from with the likes of Gearoid O'Connor, Mark Rodgers (captain) and TJ Brennan joining a host of Limerick stars.
Fergal O'Connor continues to impress in the full back line, while Conor Hanley-Clarke, Colin Coughlan, Brian O'Grady, Adam English, Paddy O'Donovan and Aidan O'Connor all starting the semi-final win. Ryan is joined by Ger Downes, Adrian Murphy and Ger Moroney in his UL management team.
Despite the nature of the semi-final victories, UL will be warm favourites to overcome Mary I's challenge this afternoon and earn a third successive title.
If O'Connor, Rodgers and English hit their top form, they will be a difficult train to stop. However, if Ryan and co can get the quality ball delivered into Meehan and O'Brien, the South Circular Road college could very well land their third ever Fitzgibbon title.