By Shaun Casey

Antrim: Cushendall

AFTER years of Dunloy domination in recent times, Cushendall are now the top dogs in Antrim and they are chasing three in-a-row this year, a feat they haven’t achieved since 1993. Brian Delargy’s men have got their championship defence off to a great start in the group stages with victories over O’Donovan Rossa and Carey Faughs and now they face Loughgiel in a top-of-the-table clash ahead of the knockout stages of the competition.

Armagh: Middletown

MIDDLETOWN created history in 2024 as they became the first team ever in the Orchard County to win six successive county titles and now, they are eyeing up a seventh crown this year. They are guaranteed a place in the semi-finals thanks to their performances in the group stages, and they remain the team to beat in Armagh. Keady, who have lost the last four finals, are their fiercest foes and they are hoping to get their hands on the Jimmy Carlisle Cup for the first time since 2018.

Cavan: Cootehill

THE Cavan County Championship has already been completed and there’s a new champion in the Breffni County. Cootehill, who lost out in last year’s decider, captured the crown for the fourth time in five years, dethroning East Cavan Gaels, who they beat in the showpiece, 0-17 to 0-13. They pulled away in the final ten minutes to open up a four-point gap by the time the final whistle sounded and that sealed their ninth county title.

Derry: Sleacht Néill

IT’S impossible to back against Sleacht Néill given the domination they have experienced in Derry throughout the past decade or more. They are aiming to win their 13th consecutive county championship this season and are nailed on favourites to do just that. The men in maroon have started the 2025 championship campaign brightly with back-to-back wins over Kevin Lynch’s and Na Magha and should make it a clean sweep against Lavey this Sunday.

Donegal: Setanta

SETANTA got back on top in Donegal last weekend as they secured their third county title in four years, righting the wrongs of 2024, by beating Burt in the decider with a reversed result from last season when they surrendered their throne. Josh Cronolly-McGee fired home two important goals on the day, which proved to be the difference, while the accurate Gerard Gilmore chipped in with 0-9 of their final tally as they ran out five-point winners in the end, 2-12 to 0-13.

Down: Portaferry

PORTAFERRY have competed in every Down county final over the past eight seasons and have won four of those deciders. They completed the club’s first three in-a-row since 2002 last year and have been constantly pushing themselves at provincial level as well. They overcame Ballygalget in last year’s showpiece and are currently top of the pile in this season’s round-robin series with three wins from three, tasting victory over Carryduffy, Bredagh and Liatroim so far.

Fermanagh: Lisbellaw

ALREADY this season, Lisbellaw have some silverware on the board as they claimed the Division One Armagh League title back in July, defeating Orchard kingpins Middletown in the decider by ten points, while earlier this week they added the Tyrone title. However, as has been the case pretty much for over a decade now, they will be nominated as Fermanagh champions as there isn’t a team to play them.

Monaghan: Castleblayney

OUTSIDE of the odd blip here and there, Castleblayney have been the best team in Monaghan for a long time. Since 1999, the ‘Blayney men have collected 21 county titles, including seven in the last eight years. Inniskeen have been the constant threat, and they gained the upper hand in the 2023 decider, by the minimum of margins, but Castleblayney go their hands back on the trophy in 2024, hammering Inniskeen, and will look to add some more silverware to their trophy cabinet.

Tyrone: Éire Óg Carrickmore

CARRICKMORE completed the five-in-a-row last year, defeating Eoghan Ruadh ,Dungannon by just three points in the final. No one in the Red Hand County has won more county titles than the Éire Óg club and their eyeing up a 32nd success this season. They go into the upcoming championship campaign with the usual target on their back, but Carrickmore have been fit to deal with that pressure in the past and will be the favourites to do so once again.