The 2016 Fitzibbon Cup competition gets underway tomorrow; here's all you need to know about the runners and riders...

St. Patrick's Mater Dei vs WIT

St. Patrick's Mater Dei have a proud tradition in top level hurling. Though not always containing the stellar names of some other colleges St Patrick's Mater Dei always field proud and committed teams and this year will be no different.

Wexford's Peter Sutton, Westmeath's Eoin Price, Waterford's Patrick Curran and Dublin football All Star Ciarán Kilkenny are among their best known players and will lead the charge for the Drumcondra college.

WIT were beaten in last year's replayed final and were victors in 2014, the Waterford college boast an impressive pedigree, particularly in the last quarter of a century.

Waterford star Austin Gleeson was a star in last year's campaign and will be looking to go one step further, ably assisted by fellow county men Shane McNulty and Shane Roche, Kilkenny's Jack Langton and Tipperary's Liam McGrath and Tom Fox.

DIT vs UL

Group C contains four very strong teams, all of whom will have to be on top form as only two teams will progress to the quarter finals...

DIT last reached the Fitzgibbon Cup weekend in 2007 and though they were close in 2014 losing out to eventual winners WIT in the quarter finals (after extra time no less!!) they haven't been in a strong force in a number of years. 2016 could be the year that that changes as they have a very strong team this year featuring

Wexford stars Lee Chin, Conor McDonald and Jack Guiney, Dublin's Shan Barrett and Westmeath's Derek McNicholas.

Reigning champions UL return with an extremely strong team and they will no doubt be looking to put titles back-to-back for the first time in their history.

Tony Kelly, Cathal McInerney (both Clare), Jason Forde and Brian Stapleton (both Tipperary) were among the stars of last year's campaign and their presence will be vital for Brian Lohan's charges.

NUIG vs MICL

The second of the first round matches in Group C...

NUIG last lifted the Fitzgibbon Cup in 2010 when they hosted the competition. Under the management of Tony Ward, Mattie Murphy and Tony Óg Regan the Galway college will harbour ambitions of going all the way.

They can call on the Mannion brothers; Padraig and All Star Cathal, Conor Whelan and John Hanbury, all of whom played in last year's all Ireland final while Clare's Bobby Duggan is a top marksman.

Mary Immaculate College of Education reached the final of the Fitzgibbon Cup in 2013 where they were defeated by UCC. They were unfortunate last year when failing to progress to the quarter finals.

They have a very strong team and can call on a host of top class players including Clare's Colm Galvin, Limerick's Declan Hannon and Cian Lynch and Tipperary's Niall O'Meara and Ronan Maher.

Maynooth University vs LIT

Maynooth were among the top teams of the Fitzgibbon Cup throughout the 1970s however they struggled last year as they re-acclimatised to the pace of top level colleges hurling. The least expected of them is to be more competitive this year.

Galway's Brian Molloy and Dublin's Paul Winters will need to feature heavily among the scorers if the Kildare college are to have get their campaign underway with a victory.

LIT first won the Fitzgibbion Cup in 2005 and followed it up with another victory in 2007. Although they have not been victors since then they have been among the most consistent teams for over a decade (they were narrowly beaten in two finals) their teams are always massively committed and dedicated and this year will be no different.

The Davy Fitzgerald managed team can call on a host of top-class players including Tipperary's Cathal Barrett, Limerick under 21 All Ireland winning captain Diarmuid Byrnes, Clare's Peter Duggan and the versatile Paul Killeen from Galway.

IT Carlow vs DCU

Hurling in IT Carlow has gone from strength to strength in recent years, the Division 1 league title they claimed before Christmas being testament to this.

Managed by Kilkenny legend DJ Carey Carlow can call on a host of talented players including Waterford's Colin Dunford, up and coming Kilkenny player Kevin Kelly, Meath's Jack Fagan and Laois duo Stephen 'Picky' Maher and Cha Dwyer. Having been beaten by LIT in last year's quarter final making the semi-finals will be paramount for them in 2016.

Although they haven't had the silverware of their first round opponents hurling in DCU has made huge strides in recent years. Having struggled initially on their ascension to Division 1 and the Fitzgibbon Cup DCU has found their feet of late and will be confident of causing and upset tonight.

They will look to Dublin pair of Cian Boland and Danny Sutcliffe, Wexford's Tony French and Tipperary's Steven O'Brien to lead the charge.

CIT vs GMIT

Cork IT will host this year's Fitzgibbon Cup and making the weekend is the very least that they will expect. Their campaign gets underway under lights when they host GMIT. Having been beaten in the finals of 2002, 2012 and 2014 CIT are still awaiting their maiden Fitzgibbon Cup.

They have a strong team with Cork's Mark Ellis anchoring their defence and a forward line containing Cork's Bill Cooper and Jamie Coughlan and Tipperary star John 'Bubbles' O Dwyer.

GMIT last made the Fitzgibbon Cup weekend in 2008 and haven't been a force at Fitzgibbon level in a number of seasons. A number of talented players have represented the college in these years however the team hasn't quite 'clicked'.

This year's team contains a number of talented players including Galway's Darragh Burke, Daniel Nevin and Paul Hoban and could pose Cork IT difficulties, especially if they get a good start.

Thursday 28 January

Fitzgibbon Cup round 1
St Pats/Mater Dei v WIT, St Pats, 2pm
DIT v UL, Parnells, 2pm
NUIG v Mary I, NUIG, 2pm
UCC v UCD, Mardyke, 2.45pm
Maynooth University v LIT, Maynooth University, 7pm
IT Carlow v DCU, IT Carlow, 7pm
CIT v GMIT, CIT, 7pm

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