By Michael McMullan

REIGNING champions Newbridge will face Dungiven when the begin their defence of the John McLaughlin next month.

Derry CCC have increased the championship from 12 to 16 with the inclusion of Ballinderry, Faughanvale, Drumsurn and Banagher who reached the 2024 intermediate semi-finals.

It will be ran on a backdoor format, listed below, similar to how it was organised before the groups’ structure in recent seasons.

Ironically, Newbridge and Dungiven’s league game from last week has been postponed until Tuesday night.

Glen and Lavey will face Banagher and Drumsurn respectively who plied their trade in Division Two this season.

The draw threw up the old rivalry of Bellaghy and Ballinderry with Ballinascreen taking on 2019 champions Magherafelt.

Sleacht Néill were last winners in 2020 and they’ve been drawn to face Kilrea.

Thursday’s draw was followed by a meeting of club delegates where Ciarán Meenagh was ratified as the new Derry senior football manager.

He will have former skipper Chrissy McKaigue as part of his management team.

Ulster hurling champions Sleacht Néill have been paired with Kevin Lynch’s in the group format as they eye a 13th successive title.

The draw was done in a seeded format with last year’s senior and intermediate finalists in one pot.

It will begin on the weekend August 9/10.

SFC Draw

Round 1 – August 16/17
Steelstown v Faughanvale
Banagher v Glen
Lavey v Drumsurn
Newbridge v Dungiven
Magherafelt v Ballinascreen
Swatragh v Loup
Slaughtneil v Kilrea
Ballinderry v Bellaghy

Round 2A – August 30/31 (4 games)
Round 1 winners v Round 1 winners

Round 2B – August 30/31 (4 games)
Round 1 losers v Round 1 losers

Round 3- September 13/14 (4 games)
Round 2A losers v Round 2B winners

Quarter-finals – September 27/28
Four winners from Round 2A advance to the quarter-finals
They will be joined by the four winners from Round 3

Semi-finals – October 11/12

Final – October 19

The losers from Round 2B will then play-off in relegation semi-finals and final, with the loser from the final relegated to intermediate for 2026.

SHC Draw

Group A: Lavey. Na Magha, Sleacht Néill and Kevin Lynch’s
Group B: Ballinascreen, Eoghan Rua, Swatragh and Banagher

The top team in each group will advance to the senior semi-finals.

The beaten senior semi-finalists will contest the intermediate final.

Teams finishing third and fourth will contest the junior semi-finals.

Check out our latest podcast as Rory Grugan and Gerard O’Kane look ahead to Sunday’s All-Ireland final between Donegal and Kerry.