By Michael McMullan

TYRONE JOIN THE SENIOR TITLE RACE

TYRONE have joined the senior ranks this year to make it a three-horse face. The counties will play each other once, with the top two teams then playing in the final.

Armagh

Captain: Lauren McConville

ARMAGH lock horns with Donegal in the opening game in what is a repeat of last year’s Ulster final. The Orchard County raced into an early lead in that final and their form held all the way to the end.

Gregory McGonigle made a return as manager ahead of the new season. With two wins to their name, it was a mixed season in Division One and Armagh had a draw with Meath to sign off their league campaign.

Aimee and Blaithin Mackin kicked a combined 0-5, while Lauren McConville continues to lead the side. Kelly Mallon carried another attacking threat.

Newcomer Lara Marsden broke into the ranks this year and along with Emily Druse brings a fresh impetus to the side.

With Tyrone on the scene this year, it will give the champions another contender as they aim to keep their hands on the silver.

Donegal

Captain: Róisín Rodgers

IT was a fruitful campaign for Donegal who secured promotion back to Division one with a consistent run of results.

James Daly’s charges have a league final with Cavan this weekend to help sharpen their preparations ahead of the championship.

Donegal lost to Armagh in last year’s Ulster final, played as part of a double header with the seniors. After being hit with a blitz early on, it was an upward climb after that.

Róisín Rodgers is their captain with Susanne White their key player in attack but it is the overall package that has stuck to Donegal this season.

Every time they have looked to their bench, players have stepped into the firing line and added the extra spark to keep pushing them towards the finish line.

Donegal face Armagh in the first championship game with Tyrone then waiting in the wings. It has the makings of an exciting championship.

Tyrone

Captain: Aoibhinn McHugh

TYRONE made the step of last year bouncing back to win the All-Ireland intermediate title after the disappointment of 2024.

The Red Hands had a season in Division One in 2025 that helped them get to the pitch of the game ahead of the championship.

Darren McCann is back at the helm and the focus has been on making the next step into the senior competition.

They will be able to cast their eyes over Armagh and Donegal in the first game to give them a feel for exactly is coming down the tracks.

After hitting 15 goals in their first two games, Tyrone were beaten by Donegal. They also lost to Cavan in a division that also included Monaghan. The form book points to Armagh and Donegal meeting in another final. Tyrone have the tools to throw a spanner in the works.

A FOUR-WAY RACE FOR INTERMEDIATE GLORY

There is a different look to the intermediate grade this season with four teams playing in a knock-out format with two-semi-finals to decide the final pairing.

Cavan

Captain: Shauna Lynch

CAVAN’S story of recent years has been about a plethora of underage success that has eventually fused into the core of the senior crop.

They have the extra boost of Knockbride winning the All-Ireland this season. It all feeds into a picture of progression.

Under the watch of Emmet Daly. It has taken the Breffni Blues back to Division One and they face Donegal in this weekend’s league decider.

Wins over Monaghan, Donegal and Tyrone meant their final game with already relegated Westmeath was a non-event.

It gave them a chance to rotate their squad and take a look if they have anything else to slot into their championship challenge.

From goalkeeper Evelyn Baugh and defender Sinead Greene, they have a strong spine. Add in skipper Shauna Lynch and ace attacker Aisling Sheridan and Cavan have a formidable team.

They take on Fermanagh next month in the semi-final and will go in as favourites.

Monaghan

Captain: Rosemary Courtney

MONAGHAN shipped seven goals in their opening game with Tyrone but found their feet and some much-needed form to ensure they weren’t sucked into a relegation battle.

The Oriel side were very close in their defeats to promoted sides Donegal and Cavan, pointing to a competitive Division Two that included four Ulster teams in all.

Goalkeeper Orna Kelly has some fine moments in the season, with Rosemary Courtney a key player in the heart of their defence.

In attack, Amy Garland and Chloe McBride have been important cogs they’ll need firing ahead of the championship. Monaghan will take on Down in the semi-final as they bid for a spot in the final.

Looking back to last season, they were hit with goals in an All-Ireland semi-final with Laois going on to push Tyrone all the way in the final. Small margins.

Down

Captain: Laoise Duffy and Clara Mulvenna

DOWN will face Monaghan when the Ulster Championship kicks into gear next month.

They’ll be hoping for a change in fortunes. Their All-Ireland games last year suggest they are not far off the mark.

There was a narrow defeat at the hands of Westmeath and they ran eventual champions Tyrone very close.

This came after they beat the Red Hands after extra-time in the Ulster semi-final.

Down were hit by a rampant Cavan side in the final, with Catherine Dolan hitting 2-2.

Colm Donnelly is back at the helm again and the Mourne County have recent history of Ulster and All-Ireland glory

They were dealt a sucker punch in stoppage time of their final league game with Antrim.

With promotion within their grasp, a late, late Saffrons’ goal saw them promoted instead.

While devastation will have been the word, they have some positive results to take into the upcoming championship.

In the longer term, some of the All-Ireland winners from Knock will filter into the ranks in the years to come.

For now, it’s about Monaghan in the semi-final.

Fermanagh

Captain: Shannan McQuade

FERMANAGH face reigning champions Cavan when the championship phase gets underway next month.

With four teams in the mix, they’ll bid for a spot in the final against the winners of Down and Monaghan.

Manager Barry McKenna knows he has talent but they need to squeeze out more results that are within their grasp.

There were two league draws and a narrow defeat that derailed their promotion hopes.

A 2-10 to 1-7 victory over Limerick is something they can take into the championship and they have had plenty of tradition over the last few seasons.

They were very close to Antrim last season and the Saffrons have since made the step to Division Two.

Courteney Murphy, skipper Shannan McQuade and Cadhla-Cara Bogue are key players with Eimear Smyth among one of the best forwards in the game.

Now is the time to pull together the big performances.

FAMILIAR FACES LINE UP IN JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP

Like the Senior Championship, the junior competition will consist of three teams. The counties will play each other once, with the top two teams then playing in the final.

Antrim

Captain: Bronagh Devlin

A LATE, late goal saw Antrim finish their league campaign with a flourish and book a place in Division Two for next season.

Under Mickey Devlin and Chris Scullion, they have been playing an expansive brand of football that has yielded plenty of goals along the way.

The rise of Moneyglass will be an added boost in confidence as Antrim chase the All-Ireland they felt was left behind last year.

First of all, they have their Ulster title to defend and they meet Derry in the opening game with London to follow.

Antrim have been a case study in sticking together and growing. They’ll enter the Ulster arena as hot favourites to hold onto the cup.

Derry

Captain: Annie Crozier

DERRY won just one game in the league. On the face of it, that is the same old story. A deeper dig reveals a more competitive team who have made themselves much harder to beat. Seamus Shivers and Greg McArdle added Leo Sweeney to their management team and the group have stuck together.

The group spent a weekend together in Portugal for bonding, all funded by the players themselves.

Derry beat London last year to book their place in the Ulster final and asked Antrim plenty of questions before the Saffrons pulled away. Derry have Antrim first up this year again before taking on London.

They will have their eyes on an Ulster final and see where the season can take them after that.

London

Captain: Niamh Crowley

IT is a step into the known for London with no league form to go on but they will have the memory of last season fresh in their heads. Defeats to Derry and Antrim meant they missed out on the final.

Derry and Antrim will meet first, giving London an idea what exactly they are coming up against.

The Exiles hit five goals to see off Derry in the 2008 All-Ireland final – the second of their two All-Irelands – and they’ll cross paths next month.

London will travel to play their games against Derry and Antrim in the hope they can book a final

After the provincial competition is complete, London will be back to play in the All-Ireland competition where they will meet Carlow, Sligo and Limerick.