By Shaun Casey

1. Donegal

The new Division One league champions are probably the best team in Ireland at the moment, never mind the province. They were seriously impressive against Kerry in the league final and head into the championship campaign eyeing up three Anglo Celt triumphs on the trot, and will also be aiming to take Sam Maguire back to the hills of Donegal for just the third time ever. They face Down at Letterkenny in the opening round.

2. Armagh

The Orchard County showed glimpses in the league of what they’re capable and their recent win over Dublin and draw with All-Ireland champions Kerry provides huge momentum going into the championship. They have Tyrone to deal with in the opening round of the USFC, then Fermanagh and the winners of Donegal and Down, so they certainly have to go the long and hard way towards a fourth consecutive Ulster final appearance.

3. Derry

Promotion would have been the big target for Ciaran Meenagh’s side but despite missing out on one of the top two spots in Division Two, they still head into the championship with plenty to play for. The Oak Leafers are massive favourites to reach an Ulster final, with Antrim and the winners of Monaghan and Cavan standing in their way, and provincial success certainly isn’t out of their reach.

4. Tyrone

Tyrone’s form was fairly underwhelming in the league, but it would take a brave man to completely right them off going into the championship. Who’s to say they can’t go on and lift the Anglo Celt? They travel to old foes Armagh in the opening round of the Ulster Championship and Malachy O’Rourke’s men still possess enough quality, talent and scoring ability to overturn the 2024 All-Ireland champions, and anyone else for that matter.

5. Down

Down’s performance in the Division Three league final maybe didn’t do them justice as they have much more quality in their squad than what they displayed in Croke Park. Still, they showed resilience to grind out the win over Wexford and more or less guarantee their place in Sam Maguire football for 2026. They face Donegal in the opening round of the Ulster Championship and will be massive underdogs for that encounter.

6. Monaghan

Monaghan haven’t just fallen off the edge of a cliff, but injuries and retirements have really decimated them this year. If they can get all their best players on the field, they’ll be a match for anyone in the province, but their league performances leave them going into the Ulster Championship on a fairly low note. A derby day opener with Cavan in a few weeks’ time will whet the appetite and anything can happen if they come out on top of that clash.

7. Cavan

Their round four victory over Kildare ultimately kept their heads above the water and leaves them in Division Two for another season. Dermot McCabe’s men are on the ‘easier’ side of the draw in the Ulster Championship, starting with Monaghan at Clones, before a potential semi-final showdown with Derry or Antrim, so an Ulster final appearance isn’t exactly out of their reach, but they’ll need a major upturn in form.

8. Fermanagh

Fermanagh’s championship draw probably couldn’t be much tougher as they await the winners of Armagh and Tyrone in the quarter-finals. They eventually grabbed a win in the league, against Laois in round six, but suffered six loses throughout the campaign and they will play Division Four football in 2027. Declan Bonner’s side will hope to go deep into the Tailteann Cup later on in the season.

9. Antrim

Unfortunately, the league standings don’t lie, and Mark Doran’s men are at the bottom of our power ranking, having competed in Division Four this season. Had they started a wee bit better, then they could have gained promotion, but they eventually found their feet to win four on the bounce. The Saffrons face an incredibly difficult task against Derry in the first round of Ulster and a run in the Tailteann Cup will be the target.