UCC narrowly avoided joining NUI Maynooth on the scrapheap as the Leesiders defeated Athlone RTC by a margin of only five points. UCC progress to the quarter-finals of Challenging Times, the Irish Times/ RTE quiz competition for third-level colleges.

UCC, champions of Challenging Times on two previous occasions, beat a strong Athlone side by 140 points to 135. They now face a quarterfinal tie with Mary Immaculate College of Education, Limerick. UCC was represented by Robert McNamara, Paul Beecher, Jerry O'Keeffe and sub Paul O'Leary; Athlone's team was Patrick Byrne, Paul Cannon and Declan Kenny.

Next week, the Honourable Society of King's Inns faces Queen's University Belfast. Challenging Times is shown each Monday night on Network 2 at 8 p.m. The question master is, as ever, the man who puts the "My" in "My God, where did he get that tie?", Kevin Myers.