Ulster University will travel to Sligo to meet Atlantic Technological University in the first round of the Electric Ireland Higher Education Championships.
The FRC’s new rules that passed at Special Congress will not apply to the third-level competition.
Having starred in the final win over UCD last year, Ruairí Canavan will again be one of the holders’ star men, fresh off the back of an Ulster Club SFC success with Errigal Ciaran at the weekend.
Odhran Murdock and Donegal’s breakthrough star Ciaran Moore are among their other stars.
Arguably the tie of the round sees an all-Belfast clash of Queen’s University and St Mary’s.
Queen’s manager Conor Deegan was quick to give a nod of approval to the ‘Bel Clasico’ nickname given to the derby encounter, but was well aware of the challenge in store:
“The one positive is that neither team is really travelling, which is a good thing.
“We know each other, we’ve played each other recently. So, it will be an occasion. In fairness, there is a huge amount of respect between the two colleges, and the teams. It is a good draw from that perspective.”
There will be an added Orchard flavour to the derby, with Oisin Conaty among the St Mary’s clientele and his Armagh teammate Peter McGrane lining out for QUB.
Monaghan and Scotstown defender Ryan O’Toole will again be part of the UCD panel that face off against UCC in their opener.
In the Fitzgibbon Cup, University of Limerick, SETU Waterford, and ATU Galway will each meet reigning champions Mary Immaculate College.
The latter stopped UL from completing a three-in-a-row in 2024, with Mary I coach and former Clare star Podge Collins describing the Group A draw as a “dogfight”.
UCC, UCD, University of Galway, and MTU Cork comprise Group B, with Group C containing DCU, TUS Midwest and Maynooth University.
In the Electric Ireland Ryan Cup, UU will be in Group A, as QUB meet Garda College and SETU Carlow in Group B.