By Michael McMullan

ULSTER rivals Ulster University and Queen’s University will meet in the opening round of the 2023 Sigerson Cup at the Dub in the new year.

UU, under manager Barry Dillon, were beaten by UCD after qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Ryan Cup (Higher Education League) with wins over QUB, ATU Donegal and St Mary’s.

Maxi Curran’s ATU Donegal side will host a DCU side that needed extra-time to see them off in the Ryan Cup quarter-finals.

Champions NUI Galway have a tough opener against Maynooth who ran out winners of the league.

St Mary’s were the last Ulster winners of the title with their second ever success in 2017.

UU have to go back to 2008 for their fifth time to lift the cup, while QUB have been champions on eight occasions, their last coming after a 2007 win over UU.

Sigerson Cup

All games 7pm unless stated

Round 1
(A) – MTU Kerry v ATU Sligo – Tuesday, January 10
(B) – SETU Carlow v St Mary’s – Tuesday, January 10
(C – NUI Galway v Maynooth University – Tuesday, January 10
(D) – MTU Cork v UCD  – Tuesday, January 10
(E) – Queen’s University v Ulster University – Wednesday, January 11
(F)- ATU Donegal v DCU- Wednesday, January 11
(G) – ATU Galway v TU Dublin- Wednesday, January 11
(H) – UCC v UL- Wednesday, January 11

Round 2A (7pm)
(I) Winners A v Winners B  -Tuesday, January 17
(J) Winners C v Winners D -Tuesday, January 17
(K) Winners E v Winners F -Tuesday, January 17
(L) Winners G v Winners H -Tuesday, January 17
Round 2B (7pm)
(M) Losers A v Losers B – Wednesday, January 18
(N) Losers C v Losers D – Wednesday, January 18
(O) Losers E v Losers F – Wednesday, January 18
(P) Losers G v Losers H – Wednesday, January 18

Round 3
Winners of Round 2B v Losers of Round 2A – Tuesday, January 24
Winners of Round 2B v Losers of Round 2A – Tuesday, January 24
Winners of Round 2B v Losers of Round 2A – Wednesday, January 25
Winners of Round 2B v Losers of Round 2A – Wednesday, January 25

Quarter-finals
Winners of Round 2A v Winners of Round 3 – Tuesday, January 31
Winners of Round 2A v Winners of Round 3 – Tuesday, January 31
Winners of Round 2A v Winners of Round 3 – Wednesday, February 1
Winners of Round 2A v Winners of Round 3 – Wednesday, February 1

Semi-finals – Februar 7/8

Final – Wednesdaty, February 15 7.30pm