IT IS appropriate that as the Fitzgibbon Cup, sponsored by Bus Eireann, comes home to UCC where the eponymous Dr Edwin lectured, all stages of institutional evolution are present at this weekend's tournament.
The home side, with 36 titles, represent the Fitzgibbon's most daunting tradition. They are joined by two modern powers: Waterford RTC, who have scored both their victories to date within the last five years, and the Garda College Templemore, who reached last year's semi-finals where they were unluckily defeated by UL, and are favoured by quite a few to pick up their first Fitzgibbon this weekend.
The semi-finalists are completed by newcomers Dublin City University who feature at this stage for the first time.
It is no disrespect to either Waterford or DCU to mention the common perception that the Garda and UCC are likely to decide this year's title on Sunday. The Dubliners' development officer, Tom O'Donnell, is the first to concede that his team was blessed by a draw that gave them a bye in the first round and a manageable quarter-final draw.
"The draw was kind to us but Jordanstown were not a pushover. Any colleges' team that can field 14 inter-county players, especially Gerard McGrattan and Ronan Donnelly, isn't easily beaten. The vibes from Cork are that it's just a formality for them but we're not going down to make up numbers. We saw what DIT did to UCG - and we beat DIT in a challenge earlier this season.
The trip south will be a homecoming for a number of the DCU team. Most notable amongst them is the former dual minor star Sean Og O hAilpin. He is joined by his Na Piarsaigh teammate Billy O'Keeffe, plus Mick Aherne of Glen Rovers and centrefielder Johnny Sheahan.
The hurling club in DCU has flourished in the last few years. With an Aer Rianta sponsorship deal and a batch of promising freshers on stream, DCU's future looks encouraging, particularly as all but one of the current team will be available for next year's Fitzgibbon.
"Our prime aim is to get to Division One," says O'Donnell, "where we feel we would hold our own. We're hoping to organise hurling scholarships and if we give a good account of ourselves in Cork, our profile would increase dramatically."
The long-term aside, it's hard to see DCU engineering a shock this weekend. The hosts may have lost players from last year's winning side, but they remain a formidable, forward-driven team. Totals of 3-14 and 3-16 are objectively impressive but taking into account the quality of the opposition, Cork RTC and last year's finalists UL, the scores are indicative of a sharp attack.
UCC forwards survive from last year in greater numbers than the backs and this combination of experience and skill has been visible. Captain Kieran Morrison has been very influential and Joe Deane - a little subdued on last year's Fitzgibbon weekend - is playing very well. They are backed up by Sean McGrath's menace and the retributive free-taking of Johnny Enright.
Cork RTC might have exposed some defensive shortcomings in the first round but among the remedies was a change of goal-keeper which paid off in spades in the quarter-final when Brendan Kelly delivered some spectacular saves. Whoever's going to stop the holders will have to take a grip around the middle and move in on the Richard Woods-anchored half-back line which has delivered plenty of accurate ball for the forwards to wreak damage.
The second semi-final may be closer but the Garda still appear to have an edge. Not alone have they a gallery of inter-county personnel but also advantages of experience and physique.
The roll-call of talent is impressive. Kilkenny's Denis Byrne and Damien Cleere operate in attack with Tipperary's Aidan Flanagan. Clare's fashion-model turned crimebuster, Ollie Baker, lends his formidable presence to the middle and in defence, Tipp's Conor Gleeson and team captain Seamus McIntyre from Kerry form a powerful spine at pivot and full back, respectively.
Furthermore, the Templemore college have trained (and recruited) remorselessly and in terms of preparation, left little to chance. Their structural advantages of being generally more mature and even the fact that entrants to the college must meet the height requirement, will be of particular relevance against a Waterford side who are in the process of rebuilding and field about half a dozen freshers.
Peter Barry of Kilkenny survives from the side that won Fitzgibbon two years ago with Waterford county player Michael Hubbard adding experience to an attack that includes Wexford under-21 star Michael Jordan and Limerick's Brian Tobin.
According to Waterford's chairman Eugene McKenna, the side is evenly balanced with equal contributions from everyone". They survived a great tussle with DIT in the quarter-final which should bring the younger players on a bit and a couple of weeks ago, they defeated the Waterford seniors in a challenge.
Against Athlone in the first round, the half backs played immensely well but looked in difficulties against DIT. Waterford go into this in a positive frame of mind, having accomplished a fair" amount in a transition year. They won't miss any chances to spring a surprise but the odds favour the Garda.
In the end, the title should rest between Templemore and UCC. There are two reasons for leaning towards a home success. One, tradition doesn't make players better than their opponents, but it does shape attitudes - not so much on match day, but in terms of preparation. Although the Garda have prepared meticulously, their players may not nurse the same obsessions about the Fitzgibbon.
