By Shaun Casey

Tyrone (17)

NO county has won the McKenna Cup more times than Tyrone and under the stewardship of Mickey Harte, the trophy was a regular visitor to the Red Hand County. However, Monaghan and Derry (twice) have both won the competition more recently than Tyrone, with their last title coming back in 2020 when they saw off Monaghan by three points in the final. Tyrone recorded four McKenna Cup triumphs in a row between 2004-07 and made it five in-a-row between 2012 and 2017 before winning back-to-back titles in ’19 and ’20.

Monaghan (15)

MONAGHAN ended a 19-year wait for McKenna Cup success in 2022 when they earned a one-point victory over Donegal at Healy Park. A first-half goal from Dessie Ward gave the Farney County a handsome six-point advantage at the interval, but Donegal fought back in the second half and just came up short in the end. Monaghan were the first team to collect the trophy way back in 1927 and retained the throne in 1928. They have won back-to-back titles three times in their history.

Derry (13)

DERRY are the defending champions of the McKenna Cup having secured back-to-back titles before the one-year hiatus. In 2023 they hammered Tyrone in the decider (3-11 to 1-5) to win the preseason competition for the first time since 2011. They backed up their triumph in 2024 when Mickey Harte’s men overcame Jim McGuinness’ Donegal on a horribly wet night at Healy Park with six points to spare. Shane McGuigan put in a player of the match shift, kicking half of his side’s total in their 12-6 win.

Cavan (11)

DERMOT McCabe was still a Cavan player when the Breffni County were last crowned McKenna Cup winners. That was back in 2000 when they defeated Tyrone in the decider and ended a 22-year wait for the title. McCabe is now in the hotseat and while the McKenna Cup certainly won’t be high up on the Gowna man’s wish-list, a decent run in the competition would be the perfect preparation for Division Two. Cavan won six of their 11 preseason titles during the ‘50s and ‘60s.

Down (11)

THE 2010s was the only decade since the 1940s that the McKenna Cup didn’t visit the Mourne County at least once. They head into the 2026 season hoping to get their hands on the trophy for the first time since 2008, when a goal from substitute Conor Gribben helped Ross Carr’s charges get one over Derry, winning 1-12 to 1-6. Down have never retained the title but did have a good run of competition triumphs from 1987-1992, winning the tournament three times in six years.

Donegal (11)

ALMOST half of Donegal’s tally on the roll of honour came since the turn of the century. They were last crowned McKenna Cup winners in 2018 when they overcame Tyrone by just one point, ending the Red Hand County’s domination of the competition. They won back-to-back titles in 2002 and 2003 and did likewise when they next won the tournament in 2009 and 2010. Donegal reached the final the last time the McKenna Cup was played back in 2024 under Jim McGuinness but lout to Derry.

Armagh (9)

IT’S been over 30 years since Armagh came out on top of the preseason competition, with their most recent successful venture coming in 1994. The current gap isn’t the longest wait the Orchard County have experienced in terms of the McKenna Cup however as there was a 36-year gap between 1950 and 1986, and they have only won it twice more since. Jim McCorry and the late John Morrison were in charge of their native county in 1994 when they saw off their old rivals Tyrone.

Antrim (6)

WHEN Antrim line out in the McKenna Cup at the start of January, they are hoping to end a 45-year wait for the title. Of all the nine Ulster counties competing in the competition, Antrim’s wait to get their hands on the trophy is the longest. The Saffron County haven’t tasted McKenna Cup success since way back in 1981. Their first arrived in 1941 and over the course of those 40 years, Antrim have enjoyed six McKenna Cup triumphs.

Fermanagh (4)

FERMANAGH’S only provincial success has come via the McKenna Cup as they’ve never been able to get their hands on the Anglo Celt trophy. Their most recent successful McKenna Cup campaign was in 1997, when they ended a 20-year wait for the title. Pat King’s side gained the upper hand against neighbours Tyrone and saw out a 2-11 to 3-4 victory at St. Tiernach’s Park, Clones.