Eight Rossies aiming for Sigerson Cup medal

There will be plenty of local interest in this evening's Electric Ireland Higher Education Sigerson Cup final between UCD and DCU Dóchas Éireann. The game throws in at 7.30 p.m. in the Connacht Centre of Excellence.

While Dublin have the highest representation with 18 players across both competing panels, Roscommon are next with eight.

Jack Tumulty (Pádraig Pearses GAA), Eoin Ward (Fuerty), Luke Glennon (Boyle) and Tomás Crean (Creggs) will all represent DCU while Ben O'Carroll and Bobby Nugent (St. Brigids) and brothers Daire and Oisin Cregg (Boyle) are part of the UCD squad. Daire is also the captain of UCD.

O'Carroll was the hero last time out as his nerveless spot kick in sudden death decided the shoot-out.

The Southsiders, managed by Galway’s John Divilly, are rated as slight favourites, having defeated TUD in a penalty shoot-out in the semi-final, after the sides finished level at 1-7 to 0-10 at the end of extra time.

DCU secured their place in the showpiece with a 0-14 to 0-10 win over last year's winners Ulster University and hope to win a sixth Sigerson Cup title and a first since 2020. UCD, for their part, sit top of the roll of honour with 34 titles, their most recent success arriving in 2018.

There is a strong tradition of Roscommon players involved with both universities, with many Roscommon players having won the prestigious competition with UCD in particular. 

The great Tony McManus was the last Roscommon man to date to captain a Sigerson-winning team, a feat he achieved in 1979.

The match will be shown live on TG4 and referee is Sean Hurson (Tyrone).