By Shaun Casey

Antrim

High

That day in Corrigan Park against All-Ireland champions Armagh showed the level Antrim can compete at. Armagh ran away with it in the end, but the Saffrons gave Kieran McGeeney’s men their fill of it and headed into the half-time break with their noses in front.

Low

Sinking to Division Four of the league was a real low point for Antrim, not only this year, but of the last few years. Andy McEntee’s side were unlucky in a few of their contests, but the league table doesn’t lie and Antrim, under new management, will have to start from scratch in 2026.

Armagh

High

Retaining their Division One status would have been the first goal of 2025 and Armagh achieved that. Mixing it with the top teams in the country on a regular basis is key for Kieran McGeeney’s men and they’ll be back challenging for the Division One title next season,

Low

A 14-minute implosion blew their season apart. Kerry completely steamrolled the All-Ireland champions in the quarter-final, just when Armagh looked in pole position to push on and earn a last-four spot. A five-point lead quickly dissolved into an eight-point defeat.

Cavan

High

The unexpected victory over Mayo, at Castlebar, in the opening round of the All-Ireland group series was one of the standout Cavan wins in recent years. No one saw it coming, but the Breffni Blues delivered against the odds and gave their fans something to cheer about.

Low

Their season ended with a whimper, however. The prize for beating Mayo and claiming third spot in the group was a preliminary quarter-final tie with a wounded animal in Kerry, who eased past Raymond Galligan’s side on their way to winning Sam.

Derry

High

While it was probably a year to forget for the Oak Leaf County, they did show in the round-robin series that they can still sit at the top table. They pushed Armagh, Galway and Dublin all the way and Ciarán Meenagh will be hopeful he can turn things around next season.

Low

Finishing the season without a win to their name is a fairly stark statistic. Apart from two draws against Galway, in league and championship, Derry lost every other game. The bright spark for Derry is that it surely can only get better when the new year arrives.

Donegal

High

The Ulster final was a day of intensity, intrigue and quality football and after a titanic tussle with old rivals Armagh, it was Paddy McBrearty who floated the Anglo Celt Cup above his head to complete his side’s two-in-a-row provincial journey.

Low

Losing is one thing, but losing without giving your best is another and that’s probably how Donegal will reflect on the All-Ireland final. They met a determined Kerry outfit that weren’t going to lose, and Donegal simply couldn’t match Jack O’Connor’s side on the day.

Down

High

In case anyone had any doubt, Down’s performance in the All-Ireland series showed Conor Laverty’s men are on the up. They ran Monaghan and Galway right to the finish line, and it feels like a team that can’t wait to get back at it in 2026.

Low

It was so disappointing for Down that despite victory on the last day, they didn’t do enough to stay in Division Two. At the minute, they’ll compete in Division Three and the Tailteann Cup next year, which feels like a step backwards compared to the progress they have been making.

Fermanagh

High

Reaching the last four of the Tailteann Cup, after a disappointing opening round defeat to Carlow, was a sign of progress for Kieran Donnelly’s side. They came up against a strong Kildare side that went on to win the decider but pushed them all the way.

Low

The low point of the season was probably their Ulster opener against Down. While the Erne County performed tremendously on the day, they didn’t see it out at Brewster Park and that defeat was a tough pill to swallow.

Monaghan

High

Getting their place back in the top tier would have been the main aim for Gabriel Bannigan’s men at the start of the season and Monaghan not only achieved that target, but they captured some silverware as well in the form of the Division Two league title.

Low

At half time of their All-Ireland quarter-final with Donegal, things were looking rosy for Monaghan. But the tide changed completely after the turnaround and Monaghan couldn’t live with the Donegal onslaught, which ultimately ended their season at Croke Park.

Tyrone

High

Tyrone’s future is certainly in safe hands given the underage talent that is emerging in the county. This year, the Red Hands grabbed All-Ireland titles at both minor and u-20 grades and if those players can make the step up to senior level, Tyrone will be hard stopped for a few seasons.

Low

Like their Ulster counterparts Cavan, Armagh and Donegal, Tyrone simply couldn’t live with Kerry. They pushed them as far as they could, but Malachy O’Rourke’s men were just second place on the day and missed out on a place in the All-Ireland final.