Brendan Dillon (Secretary Irish Universities Football), Martina Madden (Education and Sales Manager O'Neills Sportswear the competition sponsor, David McMillian (Dundalk FC legend and a former Collingwood Cup winner with UCD) and Irish Universities Football chairman Ray O'Malley.
Holders UCD will open their bid to capture the Irish Universities Collingwood Cup for the 49th time when they face Ulster University in a quarter final tie next month.
The Belfield side defeated Queens University Belfast 2-1 in last season’s decider at Des Casey Park Dundalk for win number 48 in the flagship Irish Universities cup competition which was established in 1914 and continues to be the only All Island association football tournament still in existence.
By John Hudson
This year’s three-day blitz will take place from February 13-15 and is hosted by Ulster University and supported by the new tournament sponsor the O’Neill’s Sportswear Company, the well-known and respected brand all over Ireland.
The quarter final and semi-final ties will be played in the Ulster University Jordanstown Sports Village while the final is set for Larne FC Inver Park Stadium on Wednesday February 15 kick off 4.0.
O’Neill’s Education and Sales Manager Martina Madden was present to assist at the draw in the Trinity College Pavilion together with David McMillan, a Dundalk FC legend and a Collingwood Cup winner with UCD in his student days.
Irish Universities chairman Ray O’Malley and secretary Brendan Dillon supervised the draw which also had FAI board member Paul Cooke and recently retired director Richard Shakespeare plus Ulster University representatives Ciaran Chambers and Matthew Winchester in attendance.
It's the first year since pre Covid times that the tournament has been able to return to the annual three-day affair.
The last time in February 2020 DCU captured their first ever Collingwood success defeating Ulster University in a penalty shoot out after a scoreless draw in the decider at Dalymount Park.
The Collingwood wasn’t played in 2021 while last season it was run on as its normal in knock out competition on a round by round basis with UCD coming out on top last April.
This year the Belfield side will have a busy week as apart for possibly three games in three days in the Collingwood they have their opening SSE Airtricity Premier League opening fixture on the Friday night against Dundalk at Des Casey Stadium.
IRISH UNIVERSITIES
COLLINGWOOD CUP
(Tournament sponsor O’Neill’s Sportswear)
MONDAY FEBRUARY 13
(Quarter Finals)
Ulster University v UCD
University of Galway v UCC
Queens University Belfast v Maynooth University
University of Limerick v DCU
All games at Jordanstown Sports Village. Kick off times TBC.
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 14
(Semi Finals)
Queens University Belfast or Maynooth University v University of Limerick or DCU
Ulster University or UCD v University of Galway or UCC
Both games at Jordanstown Sports Village. Kick off times TBC.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 15
Collingwood Cup Final
Larne FC Inver Park Stadium (4.0).
FARQUHAR CUP
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 14
(Semi Finals)
Losers - Queens University Belfast v Maynooth University v Losers - University of Limerick v DCU
Losers - Ulster University v UCD v Losers - University of Galway v UCC
Both games at Jordanstown Sports Village. Kick off times TBC.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 15
Farquhar Cup Final
Larne FC Inver Park Stadium (12.0).
