GLIST: The championship winning streaks of Ulster

Niall Gartland looks at the teams who have won consecutive senior championships in recent years, though some have recently been dethroned

Kilcoo (three consecutive titles)

KILCOO have dominated the club football scene in Down since 2012, winning 11 of the last 12 titles. Their stranglehold was broken in 2018 when Burren came out on top of a mammoth battle by 2-12 to 2-9, but the Magpies regained control and have won the last five senior championships. They stand on the brink of yet another title and are strong favourites with the bookies to account for Burren this weekend. They’ve won two Ulster Senior Championships, in 2019 and 2021, reaching the All-Ireland on both occasions. First time around they lost to Corofin after extra-time before achieving redemption two years later with a dramatic victory over Kilmacud Crokes.

Glen (three consecutive titles)

THEY aren’t quite at the dynasty stage, but Glen have usurped Sleacht Néill as the leading force in Derry since breaking through the glass ceiling with a maiden Senior Championship title in 2021. Their success has been backboned by members of the four-in-a-row winning Ulster Minor Championship teams of 2011-2014 while they’ve had a brilliant management team spearheaded by Malachy O’Rourke and his right-hand man Ryan Porter. This will be their last campaign at the helm for a very obvious reason and it’ll be interesting to see whether they can repeat the exploits of last season, clinching a comeback victory over St Brigid’s in the All-Ireland SFC final. That can wait – their immediate task is regaining their Derry crown which won’t be easy, especially with a resurgent-looking Sleacht Néill waiting in the wings.

Cargin (two consecutive titles)

SEVEN of the last nine titles in Antrim. Cargin have lorded it over the chasing pack, fending off pretenders to the throne like Dunloy, Aghagallon (twice), Lámh Dhearg, St Galls and Creggan Kickhams on county final day. They haven’t had it entirely their own way – Creggan and Lámh Dhearg won titles in 2017 and 2021 respectively – but whenever they’ve reached the final, they’ve invariably won it, and they take on Portglenone in their bid for another three in-a-row success this weekend. They’re a serious outfit and have given Glen their fill of it in two recent Ulster Club meetings. The question is, do they have the ability to really stamp their imprint on the provincial stage, though Portglenone may have something to say about that.

Naomh Conaill (two consecutive titles)

LONG live the King and all that. Naomh Conaill won’t win yet another Donegal SFC this year – St Eunan’s put paid to that idea – but for one more week they’re the reigning champions and it’s worth highlighting their immense achievements over the last while, winning four of the five titles on offer since 2019. An exceptionally tough team to beat, they also have star performers in their ranks like Ciarán Thompson and Leo McLoone. They’ve had a few hard luck stories on the provincial stage, losing narrowly to Kilcoo in the 2019 final and falling short by a point to eventual champions Glen in a memorable semi-final encounter last year.

Crossmaglen (two consecutive titles)

RETAINING titles isn’t to be sniffed at, but this Crossmaglen team still have a long way to go if they’re to even come close to emulating the legendary Cross team that, with one exception, gobbled up every Armagh SFC title going between 1996 and 2015. During that period they also won 11 Ulster titles and six All-Ireland Clubs – extraordinary stuff. So this current crop have big shoes to fill but they’re doing well in their own right and have won four of the last six titles in the county. They thumped their opponents in their two most recent title triumphs but they were dethroned last weekend in a semi-final clash against Clann Éireann.

Gowna (two consecutive titles)

GOWNA’S reign came to an end with a semi-final defeat to Ramor (whom they have a curiously poor record against) but they can still reflect with pride on the accomplishments of the last number of years.

A club with a storied history, they won their first Cavan Senior Championship crown in a full two decades in 2022 and they repeated the trick in 2023. They looked in a good position in this year’s championship as well, but they couldn’t really have any complaints with their 2-10 to 1-11 defeat to Ramor.