By Niall McCoy

TRADITIONALLY Ulster University’s Sigerson squad is stacked with big names and this year is no different as they prepare for next Wednesday’s game with NUI Galway.

Paul Rouse and Barry Dillon’s teamsheet has plenty of star quality including Derry’s Conor Glass, Tyrone’s Darragh Canavan and Michael McKernan and Cavan’s Thomas Galligan.

The real one to watch though may be Louth sensation Sam Mulroy who has been tearing it up for his club Naomh Martin and the Wee county. With the Martins he has received coaching from Jim McGuinness and with Louth he is managed by Mickey Harte, and that can only take him to another level.

Predictions in this competition are always hard to make, but the belief is that this will be a real tight affair with one of the big guns set to fall.

NUI Galway have their star names to call on too.

Canavan and McKernan will be hoping for more joy against Mayo’s Tommy Conroy and Fionn McDonagh who were part of the squad that lost the 2021 All-Ireland final to the Red Hands.

There is also a very healthy smattering from the Galway team that claimed the 2020 All-Ireland U-20 crown, namely Tony Gill, Cathal Sweeney, Cian Monahan, Paul Kelly, Tomo Culhane and Matthew Tierney. Cavan’s John Cooke is Ulster’s sole representative on the panel.

The Connacht side were involved in the Division One League final on Tuesday but lost out to DCU 0-16 to 1-7. The first half was a close affair but the Dublin side then moved up the gears.

Still, it would have been a welcome sharpener ahead of the main event.

This has the ingredients to be a real cracker, and the winner will feel that they can go all the way.