Gaelic Games/Sigerson Cup: Although the inconvenience pales in comparison to last year's foot-and-mouth afflicted schedules, this year's Heineken Sigerson Cup has been disrupted by bad weather this month.

The competition was due to have this weekend to itself but now is in collision with a full programme of postponed National Football League fixtures. This has largely impacted on the counties but has also caused complications for players involved with county panels. With the competition brought forward a day, the quarter-finals get under way this morning under the auspices of Sligo IT, hosting the event after losing out to last year's cancellation. The final eight present a strongly competitive final weekend and while last year's finalists UUJ and UCD are favourites - in that order - there are a number of teams capable of causing a surprise.

The first of today's matches bring together UCC and Maynooth. The Cork side were convincing winners over a NUIG team, boasting a couple of Galway forwards, and have many of the players who won the Munster club championship two years ago. They do, however, have a high-profile injury doubt with All Star Anthony Lynch.

"He's not responding to treatment," says UCC coach Des Cullinane. "But we're optimistic overall with the bones of the team from two years ago and a number of very good youngsters. The main problem is we had three players playing Fitzgibbon Cup this week and with three games in three days it'll be survival of the fittest."

Maynooth have also impressed with a slightly unexpected win over St Mary's in Belfast. Alan Brogan scored 1-2 in that match and has gone on to score goals in both of his NFL starts for Dublin since. Mark Ó Sé at centre back subdued All Star Stephen O'Neill. UCC are worried about this one but have the strength and experience to move into the semi-finals.

There they should encounter the favourites Jordanstown. The holders face the Garda College but looked very strong dismissing Waterford IT last week and have every motivation given the disciplinary difficulties they've experienced in the past week.

As usual personnel is strong and although they have lost Sigerson competitor emeritus Jimmy McGuinness, Derry's hugely promising centrefielder Fergal Doherty has been recruited. There were grumblings that a couple of UUJ's intercounty players came off injured during the Waterford match whereas other college's had to risk their county performers last weekend. To be fair it's yet to be seen whether Down's Michael Walsh and Derry's Paddy Bradley will be fit over the next few days.

Of more significance for Jordanstown is last year's victory. With the confidence generated by finally winning the title for the first time in 10 years and half of that team still available, UUJ would appear to be in a position to justify their favouritism this time.

Beaten finalists for the past two years, UCD have suffered the serious loss of Offaly's Ciarán McManus (controversially sent off against GMIT), a survivor of the college's last team to win the title six years ago. Still there is plenty of talent available with Laois' Beano McDonald, Roscommon's John Hanly and Limerick's would-be dual player Stephen Lucey who trains with the UCD hurlers but will play for the footballers this weekend.

For all that, their match against Athlone IT represents a good chance of a surprise. The midlanders field Mayo's NFL winners James Gill and Trevor Mortimer, Westmeath's Fergal Wilson and Roscommon's Stephen Lohan and thrashed Queens in the last round. For all that UCD may just swing it.

Their semi-final opponents will probably be Sligo IT, who take on DCU this afternoon. The Dublin side have done well this year and took a good win off CIT in Cork but coached by Martin McHugh, the hosts can shrug off the potential disadvantage of not having played so far.

FIXTURES: Today - Quarter-finals: (A) UCC v NUI Maynooth, Kent Park, 11.00; (B) Garda College v UUJ, Sligo IT, 3.45; (C) Sligo IT v DCU, Markievicz Park, 12.30; (D) UCD v Athlone IT, Grange, 2.30. Tomorrow - Semi-finals: Winners A v Winners B, Sligo IT, 2.00; Winners C v Winners D, Kent Park, 3.30. Saturday - Final, Markievicz Park, 2.30.