THERE are Ulster titles up for grades at all three grades and Michael McMullan takes a look across the teams.

SENIOR

Armagh

Manager: Darnell Parkinson and Joe Feeney
Captain: Clodagh McCambridge

THE Orchard County have been on an upward curve and knocking on the All-Ireland door in recent seasons. The game has flourish and they’ve had league and Ulster glory to their name.

It has been another progressive year and they face into a straight shootout with Donegal to see who climbs at the top of the mountain in Ulster.

Sisters Aimee and Blaithin Mackin have been among a host of players who have lit up the game. Aoife McCoy and Kelly Mallon have been key cogs. In defence, Lauren McConville was a key player in their defence with skipper Clodagh McCambridge out injured.

When they met in last year’s Ulster final, it took extra-time and a winning point from Niamh Reel to make the difference. Armagh lost Aimee Mackin to injury but they had 11 different scorers across a pulsating encounter.

Armagh have looked on at Meath and Kerry winning the All-Ireland titles in recent times. They’ll have a strong sense of how close they are themselves. That’s for another day. Armagh will be hoping their exposure to Division One football will be the extra dimension they need to retain their title.

Donegal

Manager: James Daly
Captain: Róisín Rodgers

IF they are to reverse last season’s Ulster final, Donegal have no shortage of inside information on the Orchard County standing in their way.

Dromintee man James Daly, has been involved in a host of counties, including Armagh. He was also involved in the minor boys’ team on the way to last year’s Ulster and All-Ireland finals.

Donegal are somewhat in transition. The fact Róisín Rodgers is the captain at the age of 23 tells part of the story. She is a quality player but gone are the experiences players like Niamh McLaughlin, Geraldine McLaughlin and Karen Guthrie. Their league campaign had a host of draws with a heavy defeat at the hands of Galway sunk into it. It will give them a flavour of what it to follow on Ulster final day. A battle.

Susanne White remains a star attraction in their attack but Daly will be looking for their younger players to step up to the mark. Rhiana McColgan has been Rodgers’ midfield partner, with Katie Dowds and Jodie McFadden important players in attack.

INTERMEDIATE

Cavan

Manager: Emmet Daly
Captain: Shauna Lynch

IT’S changed times in Cavan. Gone are the days when the Breffni County ladies scene was making the headlines for the wrong reasons.

They are on an upward trajectory, helped by a swathe of underage titles in recent years. Loreto College were narrowly pipped by Skibbereen in the All-Ireland senior schools’ final. Bailieborough Community School were junior and senior All-Ireland champions at their own grade.

It all feeds back into the county scene. Sinéad Greene was awarded player of the month in recent weeks.

Like captain Shauna Lynch said on these pages, she points to the freshness this season. A new management team, an extensive trials process and a consistent push in the league.

Cavan take on neighbours Monaghan in the semi-final in a revamped Intermediate Championship that now includes Fermanagh.

With players like Aisling Sheridan and Aisling Gilsenan, Cavan will eye a tilt at the title.

Down

Manager: Colm Donnelly
Captain: Clara Mulvenna

AFTER winning the All-Ireland Junior title in 2023, Down moved up last season and were Ulster Intermediate champions.

This year’s draw pairs them with Fermanagh or Tyrone in the semi-final, allowing new manager Colm Donnelly a chance to survey what is coming down the tracks. Donnelly takes over after Peter Lynch and Caoibhe Sloan stepped down from the post.

It has been a mixed bag in Division Three this season with Eimear Fitzpatrick their star player with support from Meghan Doherty. There has been plenty of support in the form of Natasha Ferris, Aisling Cull and Niamh King.

For Down, it’s about picking through their league campaign. Building on the pluses and eradicating any errors with the championship now around the corner.

The narrow All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Tyrone will be something that will linger. Tight games tend to do that. They are not a million miles away but Ulster comes first.

Fermanagh

Manager: CJ McGourty
Captain: Shannan McQuade

THE Erne County have yo-yoed from grade to grade but manager CJ McGourty made it clear how he wanted his side to challenge themselves.

The scenes were magical as the All-Ireland Junior title returned last season and it’s now about pushing on.

They’ve again made progress in Division Four, sealed promotion and will contest the league final against fellow Ulster side Antrim. They will eventually begin to eye what next season will bring.

Now, it’s about the championship and their Ulster campaign pits them against neighbours Tyrone in the preliminary quarter-final with Down awaiting the winners in the semi-final.

This is where the test will come from, with Tyrone and Down having played out an exciting All-Ireland Intermediate semi-final last season.

They’ve been littered with talent through players like Joanne Doonan, Blaithin Bogue and Eimear Smyth. In Niamh McManus they have a player who steps up when the chips are down.

As they step into the business end of the season, that’s what it is going to take. The All-Ireland campaign will look after itself in due course. Now it’s about Tyrone in Ulster. A formidable challenge.

Monaghan

Manager: Darren Swift
Captain: Jodie McQuillan

MONAGHAN have won as many games as they lost during the league but the Farney County will need to find their consistency card ahead of their championship campaign.

They face neighbours Cavan in the semi-final, a Breffni side who had an impressive campaign in Division Three.

Two of their league defeats were narrow ones. The other was a hammering at the hands of a Galway side who handed a similar lesson to Westmeath and Donegal.

Darren Swift stepped in as interim manager after Darren Greenan stepped away. Swift steered Emyvale to championship glory this season.

Jennifer Duffy and Éabha Sherry have had an eye for goal this season, two players Cavan will have an eye on going into this encounter.

Team captain Jodie McQuillan is an important player with Donaghmoyne dup Amy and Lauren Garland dangerous in their attack.

Down – who beat Monaghan in last season’s Ulster final – and Tyrone are lingering on the other side of the draw, but a derby game with Cavan will certainly have Monaghan tuned into championship mode.

Tyrone

Manager: Darren McCann
Captain: Aoibheann McHugh

TYRONE went all the way to last season’s All-Ireland Intermediate final where they found Leitrim a bridge too far after a promising campaign.

While they beat Down in the All-Ireland semi-final, they were on the other side of the result in the Ulster semi-final.

A combined 1-9 from Maria Cavan and Chloe McCaffrey wasn’t enough in a 2-11 to 1-11 defeat.

A season in Division One will have brought the Tyrone girls on this season and they’ve a new manager in Darren McCann.

While there were a few chastening defeats, they were winners against Mayo and gave Dublin and Kerry plenty to think about.

Last weekend’s visit to Kildare was their defining game of the league, but all eyes are now on the championship. They will know they are not a million miles away from Ulster and All-Ireland silverware.

It’s about picking the positives from the league and trucking on.

First up is a meeting with Fermanagh with the winners set for a semi-final date with Down.

JUNIOR

THE Junior Championship will have three teams this season with London now on board. They will travel to Ireland next month to play both Antrim and Derry.

Each team will play each other once with the top two teams then contesting the Ulster final.

Antrim

Manager: Mickey Devlin and Chris Scullion
Captain: Bronagh Devlin

IT has been a new era for Antrim football with Glenavy duo Mickey Devlin and Chris Scullion taking over from Ulster and All-Ireland winning manager Emma Kelly.

The Saffrons have had a consistent run of results, and have bagged 38 goals, taking them to promotion and a league final with Fermanagh.

They’ve the running of Ana Mulholland and Lara Dahunsi. Captain Bronagh Devlin and Maria O’Neill are key players up front. There is also the form of Moneyglass and Glenavy at club level that helped build a strong panel. Antrim will be fancied to take their winning form into the championship and it could prove a useful springboard for the All-Ireland challenge to follow.

Derry

Manager: Seamus Shivers
Captain: Annie Crozier

IT’S now seven seasons since the Oakleaf County were Ulster champions, a memorable Saturday in Emyvale when they toppled Antrim.

It came after almost winning the All-Ireland 12 months earlier. They had the game almost won until Fermanagh staged a comeback to earn a replay that they won in Clones.

Derry have not been able to push on since and have struggled to creep away from the bottom of Division Two.

Only Annie Crozier remains from the 2017 All-Ireland final and there are no survivors from the Ulster winning team.

There have been shoots of progress with u-14, u-16 and minor teams but it’s going to take time before it beds into the senior squad.

There has been a raft of new clubs in recent seasons.

They just need a core of senior players to feed into.

That’s the challenge for Seamus Shivers and his management team in the coming weeks.

They’ll welcome London and take on neighbours Antrim.

There is an Ulster final spot up for grabs. It would be a welcome boost as the season heats up.

London

Manager: Jimmy Creedon~
Captain: Martha Jordan

LONDON took place in the Ulster Senior Hurling Championship back in the day.

The footballers have been a permanent fixture in Connacht.

This year is a first in with their ladies taking part in the Ulster Junior Championship.

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 spot.

Their manager Jimmy Creedon and player Martha Jordan were in attendance at the recent Ulster Championship launch in Armagh.

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