Each county’s last Ulster champion

Shaun Casey has a look at the last football champion in each of the nine Ulster counties

Antrim St Enda’s (2018)

ST Enda’s are the one and only club from Antrim to have ever won the Ulster IFC and that was back in 2018. Goals from Kristian Healy and midfielder Joe Maskey were the key scores for Frank Fitzsimmons’ side as they defeated Cavan champions Mullahoran in the Ulster final with four points to spare. The Glengormley men actually went all the way to Croke Park, beating An Spidéal in the All-Ireland semi-final, before losing to Kilcummin of Kerry on the biggest day of all.

Armagh Cullyhanna (2023)

WHEN Cullyhanna dropped to intermediate level in 2022, they immediately set their eyes on bouncing back up straight away. They did that in heroic fashion, claiming Armagh, Ulster and All-Ireland crowns along the way. They became the first Armagh club to win an Ulster title at intermediate level, beating Cavan’s Ballyhaise in the final. Cullyhanna were second best for much of the game, but Caolan Reavey’s goal and Pearse Casey’s late winner saw them over the line.

Cavan Arva (2023)

ARVA’S rise has been unbelievable and has caught plenty of headlines over the last few years. They won the Ulster and All-Ireland Junior crowns in 2023 and made it all the way to the Ulster IFC showpiece in 2024 as well, losing out to Ballinderry. In the 2023 Ulster final, the Cavan champions proved too strong for Monaghan’s Blackhill and won comfortably by seven points in the end, 0-13 to 0-6, before going on to finish their season on the steps of the Hogan Stand.

Derry Ballinderry (2024)

THE Ballinderry club had dined at the very top table during the noughties but last year, it was at the intermediate grade where they made their name. The Shamrocks became the fifth Derry club to be crowned Ulster IFC winners when they edged out Arva by the minimum of margins in the decider, 1-12 to 2-8, with Shea McCann’s major proving crucial. They went on to contest the All-Ireland final but lost out to Crossmolina of Mayo.

Donegal Naomh Pádraig (2024)

DONEGAL clubs have been reasonably successful in the Ulster JFC in recent years, reaching five of the last seven finals, and Naomh Pádraig were the most recent of those clubs. They got over the line last season, beating Craigbane of Derry in the final by a single point, 3-7 to 1-12. Drew McKinney, Caolan McColgan and Kevin Lynch all rattled the net, and the Muff men made it all the way to the All-Ireland final, beating Kilmurry via penalties in the semis, but lost out to An Cheathrú Rua of Galway in the final by one point.

Down Kilcoo (2021)

KILCOO joined Byransford and Burren by becoming the third Down team to lift provincial silverware in 2019 and they backed up that result in 2021. They had an easy day at the office that afternoon, hammering Fermanagh side Derrygonnelly in the final, 3-10 to 0-3, to ease through to the final four of the All-Ireland series. There, Mickey Moran’s men needed extra-time to come through against St Finbarr’s of Cork while the Magpies repeated the trick in the All-Ireland final, when Jerome Johnston’s extra-time goal helped them defeat Kilmacud Croke’s to lift the Andy Merrigan Cup for the first time ever.

Fermanagh Lisnaskea (2010)

FERMANAGH’S one and only Ulster football title, at all grades, came in 2010 when Lisnaskea went all the way, not only in Ulster, but in the All-Ireland campaign as well. They defeated Doohamlet in the provincial final with three points to spare, with Daniel Kille kicking 0-6 in their 0-13 to 1-7 win and pushed on at Croke Park to beat Galway representatives St James’ 1-16 to 0-15, with Kille again top scoring with a personal haul of 0-8 while Niall McElroy proved to be the hero, hitting the net in the final minute of extra-time.

Monaghan Magheracloone (2019)

MAGHERACLOONE were the last Monaghan club to taste provincial success, and they did so in style back in 2019. They were five-point winners over Tyrone’s Galbally in the Ulster final, with Padraig McMahon banging home the all-important goal in their 1-15 to 0-13 victory. The Mitchell’s were too hot to handle against Mattock Rangers in the All-Ireland semi-final but fell at the final hurdle, losing out to Oughterard of Galway in the decider.

Tyrone Errigal Ciaran (2024)

WHILE Tyrone have a fantastic record at intermediate and junior level in Ulster, Érrigal Ciaran are the only team from the Red Hand County to claim provincial success at senior level. Enda McGinley’s men shaded last year’s decider with Kilcoo, with Peter Óg McCartan kicking a stunning winner deep into stoppage time to decide the outcome of the game. Érrigal went on to compete in the All-Ireland final but lost out to Dublin club Cuala.