Which Waterford side will go furthest in 2012-2013 Dr Harty Cup?

It’s just a few months back that for the first time ever, Colaiste na nDeise became the first team from West Waterford and the third team from Co Waterford following on from Mount Sion CBS and De La Salle College to win the Dr Harty Cup.

The 2011-2012 school year is just over, in fact for those still sitting state exams it may not yet be technically over, but already 21 colleges competing in next years completion already know who they are playing and also know who their first round opponents will be.

The current holders Colaiste na nDeise will be without a large amount of the team that helped them win this years competition are drawn in ‘Group D’ and in their opening game which comes as early as September 19 owing to the increased numbers taking part in next years competition, will play Doon CBS who beat Dungarvan CBS in the final of the Munster Senior B colleges final at Cahir in their first game. Also in their group will be Gael Colaiste Mhuire from Cork City who play St Flannan’s from Ennis in the opening round and St Caimins from Shannon get a first round bye.

Waterford City side De La Salle College are drawn in Group A and in their opening game will play Castletroy College from Limerick. Ard Scoil Ris who won the competition in recent years are also in Group A and in their opening game will play Clonmel CBS, who Dungarvan CBS beat in the semi finals of the Munster Senior B competition earlier this year and they are possibly going to include some players from the Fourmilewater Club in their panel. St Colman’s from Fermoy are another college side that over the years have included players from Waterford clubs are also in Group A and in their opening games will play the Kerry Colleges.

Blackwater Community College from Lismore are drawn in Group B and in their opening game will play Our Lady’s from Templemore in their first game. West Limerick Colleges are in the competition for the first time and in their first game will play Abbey CBS for Tipperary Town while Charleville CBS have a first round bye.

Every year there is one group of death and in the competition to begin in September it has to be Group C which is made up of five college sides from Counties Cork and Tipperary. Nenagh CBS will play Midleton CBS in the first round of games while Colaiste Chriost Rí will play Hamilton High School from Bandon. Thurles CBS are the fifth team in Group C and have a bye in the first round of games.

For this school year just ended, the competition generated much excitement especially in the west of the county thanks to Colaiste na nDeise’s run in the completion. With potentially so much interest in the competition this year, the chances are that the 2012-2013 competition could well be just as exciting. We will know if it will over the next number of months.