The cream of hurling descended on Athlone in March for the concluding stages of the prestigious Fitzgibbon, Ryan and Fergal Maher Cup competitions which were hosted by Athlone IT for the first time. Speaking at the finals, GAA president Sean Kelly praised Athlone IT for its efficient organisation of the event and paid tribute to its commitment to supporting sporting endeavour at third level. "It is great when people come to third level that they get an opportunity to play Gaelic games and to play at whatever level suits them best and also to have an opportunity to get involved as an administrator," he said. Athlone IT Director Professor Ciaran O Cathain said that the Institute was delighted to host such a prestigious event. "It provides a setting for a weekend of top-class hurling," he said. "Sport and the tradition of sport is an important aspect of Institute life and we are proud to provide a wide range of sport and recreational programmes for staff and pupils here. The Institute's recreational programme facilitates all students who wish to participate in sport at either a competitive, or indeed, a non-competitive level. "In 1996, the Institute introduced a sports scholarship scheme for students who had reached or had the potential to reach a very high standard of performance in their chosen sport." The highlight of the weekend was the Fitzgibbon Cup final which saw Waterford IT claim their fifth title in six years with a 0-11 to 0-9 victory over UCC. The winners were captained by last year's Hurler of the Year, Kilkenny star JJ Delaney. Tweet

Most Read Stories