The competition, in existence since 1970, is exclusively open to all first year University students. In the past, it has often been the case that the tournament was the first experience of Third Level Football for fresher students before the advent of the Colleges and Universities Football League and rescheduling of the Collingwood Cup which up until 2016/17 had taken place after the Harding.
The 49th tournament will be hosted by UCD, nineteen-times winners, with all games set to take place in the facilities in the AUL Complex, Clonshaugh bar the Harding Cup Final which is earmarked for Thursday afternoon in the UCD Bowl.
The hosts will begin their campaign to win their twentieth success when they take on the current holders Trinity College Dublin. Trinity memorably won their first competition in twenty-one years in Tolka Park last February as James Woods’ goal separated them and UCC.
UCC, fresh off their Collingwood Cup success, will hope to make it a University double when they take on Mary Immaculate College. The Cork Freshers team have had a positive year in the CUFL Division Two, ultimately going down away to Ulster University last Wednesday in the Semi-Finals.
2017 winners DCU, managed by the notable figure of Tony Cousins, will start off their tournament against the University of Limerick while Maynooth University and NUI Galway will do battle for a place in Wednesday’s semi-final.
2019 RUSTLERS IUFU Harding Cup Quarter Finals
All games (2.30pm) kick off at the AUL Complex, Dublin.
Dublin City University v University of Limerick
Maynooth University v NUI Galway
Trinity College Dublin v University College Dublin
Mary Immaculate College v University College Cork