Compiled by Declan Bogue, Sinead Farrell, and Fintan O’Toole
*****
Connacht
Galway
Tied with three others on eight points but Kerry made the league final on points difference. Of all the teams in Division 1 however, they look best positioned to capitalise on the new rules with Shane Walsh in particular hitting 15 two-pointers, a record that will surely even increase with a dry ball in summer and with a forest of big man strung across the middle. Bloodied all the right noses for them in the league with Armagh, Mayo and Donegal accounted for.
Leitrim
A nightmare campaign for them. From last year’s side that played the Division 4 final have lost eight starters and six substitutes. Some of that was down to various disputes, the goalkeeper Nevin O’Donnell re-declaring for Cavan and a whole host of injuries while they weren’t helped by Mickey Graham agreeing to take over from Andy Moran before leaving abruptly. Manager Steven Poacher did a little too much explaining the walkover handed to Fermanagh and it looks like a painful summer.
London
Beat Wicklow at home. Beat Tipperary in Semple Stadium. Fell to Longford by a single point. Fell to Carlow by a single point. Had a few things gone their way they would have been challenging for promotion. With six London-born players in his squad and in charge since 2019, Michael Maher is one of the unsung heroes of the GAA, and they will hope to follow up their win over Offaly in last year’s Tailteann Cup.
Mayo
Their performance in the league final needs to be viewed in the context that they won the league two years ago and subsequently fell in Connacht a week later to Roscommon. They weren’t going to fall for that again and put in a token effort against Kerry. Have the bones of a dangerous team and while they could have done with Cillian O’Connor, have Aidan O’Shea playing some of the best football of his career. Could calm down on the heady stuff.
Mayo boss Kevin McStay after last Sunday's league final. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
New York
New York will be massive underdogs when they host Galway in the Connacht quarter-final this Sunday. The Exiles famously won their first ever match in the Connacht SFC after a penalty shootout against Leitrim in 2023. But last year’s All-Ireland finalists, and three in a row Connacht champions, will be a different prospect. New York are likely to be more focused on their Tailteann Cup ambitions, where they will hope to build on their narrow defeat to Laois last year.
Sligo
Starting with three losses and a draw put Sligo in relegation danger. They picked up their first win against Clare on 9 March, and closed out with two more victories to remain in Division 3. Sligo were denied a shock win over Galway in last year’s Connacht championship by a late Robert Finnerty goal and will be hoping for a similar performance this weekend. Tony McEntee’s side travel to MacHale Park for a tough provincial quarter-final against Division 1 finalists Mayo.
Roscommon
An immediate return to Division 1 is certainly pleasing for Roscommon but they will have some regrets over their league final defeat to Monaghan where they were outscored by 1-6 to 0-1 in the last quarter. They have a quick turnaround for the start of their Connacht championship against London on Saturda. They will be heavy favourites to pick up a win in Ruislip, and progress to the semi-finals where they will likely meet Galway in a mouthwatering tie.
Roscommon's Enda Smith. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
*****
Leinster
Carlow
Finished their league with back-to-back wins, but were kept out of the promotion chase after consecutiv losses to Wexford, Wicklow and Limerick, and a draw with Tipperary. They’ve also had an acrimonious split with manager Shane Curran. He cited “player-related issues” as his reason for leaving after seven games, a claim which the squad has rejected. They will be hoping for a bounce under interim boss Joe Murphy as they face a testing journey to Meath this weekend.
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Dublin
Started the season with the loss of with major losses in personnel including the retirements of Brian Fenton and James McCarthy. The return of Stephen Cluxton coupled with the evolution of Seán Bugler (2-22) helped weather those setbacks. Dublin were denied a place in the final by Tyrone but picked up some important wins, including a 12-point rally against Kerry to win by one. Their Leinster 15-in-a-row drive begins away to either Wicklow or Longford in the quarter-finals.
Missed out on Division 3 silverware but have blossomed under new manager Brian Flanagan after all losing all seven of their Division 2 games last year. Their scoring difference of +59 is the second-highest in the entire league after Wexford. 33 players have featured in their league, including players who contested the 2022 and 2023 All-Ireland U20 finalists when Flanagan was also in charge. Kildare will be favourites for their Leinster quarter-final against a Westmeath side who were relegated.
Laois
Protected their Division 3 status after being promoted last year. They were in the hunt for promotion before losing their last two fixtures to Clare and Fermanagh despite leading both games in the final quarter. They ended up losing by four points and two points respectively. They open their Leinster campaign against a Wexford side who are in a tiring schedule, and coming in off a two-week break could be crucial. Louth will be a big test for the winner.
Longford
Opened their league under new manager Mike Solan with a draw against eventual Division 4 winners Limerick. But they lost four of their next six games although they also had back-to-back wins against Waterford and London. They’re still adapting to the loss of important players including Mickey Quinn (retirement) and Darren Gallagher (unavailable). Crucially, they have home advantage for their Leinster championship meeting against Wicklow who were comfortable winners in their league tie.
Louth
Avoided Division 2 relegation by recovering from two defeats in a row with a win over promotion-chasers Meath. Ger Brennan’s side won without Sam Mulroy who could be a doubt for their Leinster opener due to a hamstring injury. After losing last year’s Leinster final to Dublin by four points, Louth will want to reach a third consecutive decider to avoid the Tailteann Cup. They begin their championship against either Laois or Division 4 finalists Wexford.
Sam Mulroy of Louth and Paul Geaney of Kerry. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Meath
Recovered from a first-round defeat to Cork with four wins from five games. But defeats to Monaghan and Louth cost them a chance at promotion to Division 1, while a serious injury to star forward Jordan Morris could implicate their championship hopes. To compound matters, Joe McMahon and Martin Corey have stepped down from their roles as selectors/coaches just before beginning their Leinster championship against Carlow this weekend. An in-form Offaly awaits the winner in the quarter-finals.
Offaly
Offaly were crowned Division 3 champions after an impressive performance against Kildare. A huge improvement after being just above the relegation zone last year. Their All-Ireland U20 winners from 2021 are becoming leaders in the team, with Jack Bryant and Cormac Egan scoring crucial goals in the league final. Whether Mickey Harte’s team can sustain that momentum through the Leinster championship will be interesting to watch as they begin with a trip to either Meath or Carlow.
Westmeath
Desperately unlucky in the league, failed to win a game in Division 2 but suffered a series of agonisingly close defeats. Will hope to maintain that sense of competitiveness under new manager Dermot McCabe. Must reach Leinster final in order to compete in All-Ireland series. Their first test is significant, away in Newbridge on a Saturday week against a Kildare team that also need provincial decider qualification. Panel underwent major turnover last winter, with talisman John Heslin among slate of retirements.
Wexford
Secured promotion with two rounds to go and were the only team with seven wins from seven. Their scoring difference of +63 is the highest in the league, although they will be disappointed with the three goals they conceded to Limerick in their Division 4 final loss. Playing over the last five weekends could take its toll in their Leinster clash with Laois on Sunday. Recent injuries to Glen Malone and Martin O’Connor could also be detrimental.
Gave themselves every chance of clinching promotion from Division 4 by defeating Tipperary. Despite losing midfielder Jack Kirwan to a 12th minute dismissal, they still won by nine points. But Limerick snagged the last promotion spot, while a London defeat was another costly result. They’re away to Longford this Sunday but will be feeling confident after winning their league meeting by 2-15 to 0-12. The winners take on Dublin in the quarter-finals.
*****
Munster
Clare
Can count themselves extremely unfortunate not to have claimed promotion from Division 3. Defeated Kildare and Offaly, the two teams who went up, but lost out on scoring difference, with defeats to Antrim and Sligo proving costly. Reached the Munster final last year and will be heavy favourites to return to there, facing Tipperary or Waterford on 19 April.
Peter Keane is in his first year as Banner boss, returning attackers Eoin Cleary and Keelan Sexton significantly strengthen the hand Clare will play with.
Cork
The pattern of inconsistency cropped up again this spring. A bright start with two wins from three, before emphatic defeats to Monaghan and Roscommon threatened to derail things. They fought back impressively, showing the grit to get the wins over Louth and Cavan that likely secures their All-Ireland status this summer.
A tricky trip away to Limerick tonight must be negotiated. Plenty personnel changes last winter, newcomers Neil Lordan, Sean Brady, and Sean McDonnell have all stepped forward to nail down spots in John Cleary’s team.
Neil Lordan (right) in action for Cork against Roscommon. Bryan Keane / INPHO
Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO
Kerry
The league could not have concluded better for Kerry. Relegation anxieties were wiped away by wins over Armagh and Galway, they would up in a final to their surprise, and produced a controlled showing in Croke Park to take home the cup.
Diarmuid O’Connor and Sean O’Shea are injury worries, but Paudie Clifford is the most in-form player in the country and they’ve an array of other figures in strong shape. Play Cork or Limerick first up in Munster.
One more spin for a stat that’s got plenty airing this week, Jack O’Connor’s four previous league titles as manager have preceded All-Ireland senior wins.
Limerick
Enter the championship off the back of a terrific league campaign. Jimmy Lee’s side ended the losing streak that has hindered them over the past two seasons, squeezed out Wicklow in the Division 4 promotion race, and then lifted silverware in Croke Park last Saturday night as Darragh Ó Siochrú, Tommie Childs, and Peter Nash hit the valuable goals.
James Naughton and Emmet Rigter have impressed this spring, and they should be in a buoyant mood hosting Cork tonight. Lost by 11 when the teams met in last year’s Munster quarter-final, but Limerick led at half-time and will seek to build on that.
Tipperary
Finished fifth in the league in Division 4. Made a brilliant start, earning five points from a possible six, but were edged out by two by London and that started a run of four successive defeats. Injuries have impacted preparations for new manager Philly Ryan as he filters new players into their ranks.
Must contend with Thurles as the venue for this Munster quarter-final, despite having requested Clonmel initially. Were stunned by Waterford in Munster last year, but had eight points to spare when the teams met in this year’s league.
Waterford
A tough league with six losses leaving them rooted at the bottom of Division 4. Did manager a first league win in 728 days when they saw off London in mid-March. Jason Curry inspired them that night with 0-11, while his Rathgormack clubmate Conor Murray is back this season from Australia.
Player turnover has again been an issue for manager Paul Shankey to contend with since last year. Travel to Thurles tonight, hoping to repeat last year’s milestone victory when they defeated Tipperary.
*****
Ulster
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Antrim
Got off to a flyer in the league with an opening round league win over Clare in Corrigan Park and followed it with a one point loss away to Fermanagh. Thereafter they gained only one more win, over Leitrim. Drawn against All-Ireland champions Armagh, their Ulster build-up was dominated by their refusal to play the game anywhere but Corrigan Park, with the Ulster Council seeking to move it. Antrim won that battle, but an Armagh win looks on the cards.
Robert Finnerty of Galway and Ethan Rafferty of Armagh . Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Armagh
The All-Ireland champions avoided relegation by virtue of their head-to-head win over Tyrone, the two joined on seven points. A big win over Dublin showed what they were capable of, but were less impressive in defeats to Kerry, Galway and Donegal. Losing Rian O’Neill will be an enormous blow to them for his ability to make big-game plays at critical times. They are away to Antrim in the first round with the winners of Tyrone-Cavan the likely semi-final.
Cavan
Can be reasonably happy with their Division 2 campaign, four wins out of seven games after a poor start that featured losses to Monaghan and Meath before they strung together four wins. Had Darragh McVeety’s two-point effort in the final play of the league went over, they would have been promoted. Enjoying having Gearoid McKiernan back in an advanced role, but free-scoring Paddy Lynch is still some way off a return. Haven’t beaten Tyrone in championship since 1983.
Derry
Started their season late after the protracted appointment of Paddy Tally as Mickey Harte’s successor. Since then, they lost narrowly to Tyrone and lost to a late avalanche of Kerry goals when they appeared to have victory assured. From last year’s team they could be missing four All-Stars against Donegal; Conor McCluskey, Gareth McKinless and Brendan Rogers to injury and Chrissy McKaigue (retired). 2025 has been a year of rotten luck and it could get ugly for them in the preliminary round against Donegal.
Donegal
Tipped widely to win the All-Ireland after last year’s good form that brought a Division 2 league title and the Ulster title then on penalties against Armagh. A pre-season training camp in Abu Dhabi also heralded the return of Michael Murphy to the fold, but his addition was bolstered by the inclusion of man-marker Odhran McFadden-Ferry and the spritely Eoin McHugh. Did what they needed to do to survive in Division 1 and then downed tools.
Michael Murphy with Donegal fans. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
Down
Relegated from Division 2 with three wins to their name, going down due to the head-to-head loss against Louth. There are certain similarities with the job Conor Laverty is doing, with the early days of Kieran McGeeney in Armagh, which included a couple of spells in Division 3. Leaking goals is a concern with the new rules and overly-reliant on Pat Havern’s ability to kick two pointers. However, they could really be doing with the directness of Liam Kerr – now domiciled in Australia.
Fermanagh
Only beaten twice, the opening round walloping by Kildare followed by a narrow loss away to Clare, but edged league winners Offaly by a point. Kildare, Offaly and Clare all finished a point ahead and they were robbed of a chance to boost the confidence when Leitrim pulled out of their league meeting. Finished the league exceptionally strong and have adopted well to the new rules with a lot of height being introduced around the middle. Have ramped up preparations for Down in Portugal.
Monaghan
Have to be very content with their work over the spring. Losing Conor McManus wasn’t as catastrophic as he had been absent for the most part of recent league campaigns and a season in Division 2 has done no harm for their development and Rory Beggan has shown his worth with a string of two-pointers as they beat Roscommon in the final. A decent break ahead for them as they get ready for likely preliminary round winners Donegal in Clones.
Monaghan’s Micheal Bannigan and manager Gabriel Bannigan celebrate with the Division 2 league trophy. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
Tyrone
Slow to adopt to the changes of the new rules and there was some early-season slippage. However, but for a three-man infraction against Galway they would have survived, relegated instead on seven points and falling foul to the head-to-head against Armagh. With Mark Bradley and Rory Brennan returning, they have found Pete Teague as an able deputy in Padraig Hampsey’s absence. Have the Indian Sign over Cavan in championship football and Malachy O’Rourke has a spectacular early-round record in Ulster.
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How is every county shaping up as All-Ireland football championship starts?
Compiled by Declan Bogue, Sinead Farrell, and Fintan O’Toole
*****
Connacht
Galway
Tied with three others on eight points but Kerry made the league final on points difference. Of all the teams in Division 1 however, they look best positioned to capitalise on the new rules with Shane Walsh in particular hitting 15 two-pointers, a record that will surely even increase with a dry ball in summer and with a forest of big man strung across the middle. Bloodied all the right noses for them in the league with Armagh, Mayo and Donegal accounted for.
Leitrim
A nightmare campaign for them. From last year’s side that played the Division 4 final have lost eight starters and six substitutes. Some of that was down to various disputes, the goalkeeper Nevin O’Donnell re-declaring for Cavan and a whole host of injuries while they weren’t helped by Mickey Graham agreeing to take over from Andy Moran before leaving abruptly. Manager Steven Poacher did a little too much explaining the walkover handed to Fermanagh and it looks like a painful summer.
London
Beat Wicklow at home. Beat Tipperary in Semple Stadium. Fell to Longford by a single point. Fell to Carlow by a single point. Had a few things gone their way they would have been challenging for promotion. With six London-born players in his squad and in charge since 2019, Michael Maher is one of the unsung heroes of the GAA, and they will hope to follow up their win over Offaly in last year’s Tailteann Cup.
Mayo
Their performance in the league final needs to be viewed in the context that they won the league two years ago and subsequently fell in Connacht a week later to Roscommon. They weren’t going to fall for that again and put in a token effort against Kerry. Have the bones of a dangerous team and while they could have done with Cillian O’Connor, have Aidan O’Shea playing some of the best football of his career. Could calm down on the heady stuff.
New York
New York will be massive underdogs when they host Galway in the Connacht quarter-final this Sunday. The Exiles famously won their first ever match in the Connacht SFC after a penalty shootout against Leitrim in 2023. But last year’s All-Ireland finalists, and three in a row Connacht champions, will be a different prospect. New York are likely to be more focused on their Tailteann Cup ambitions, where they will hope to build on their narrow defeat to Laois last year.
Sligo
Starting with three losses and a draw put Sligo in relegation danger. They picked up their first win against Clare on 9 March, and closed out with two more victories to remain in Division 3. Sligo were denied a shock win over Galway in last year’s Connacht championship by a late Robert Finnerty goal and will be hoping for a similar performance this weekend. Tony McEntee’s side travel to MacHale Park for a tough provincial quarter-final against Division 1 finalists Mayo.
Roscommon
An immediate return to Division 1 is certainly pleasing for Roscommon but they will have some regrets over their league final defeat to Monaghan where they were outscored by 1-6 to 0-1 in the last quarter. They have a quick turnaround for the start of their Connacht championship against London on Saturda. They will be heavy favourites to pick up a win in Ruislip, and progress to the semi-finals where they will likely meet Galway in a mouthwatering tie.
*****
Leinster
Carlow
Finished their league with back-to-back wins, but were kept out of the promotion chase after consecutiv losses to Wexford, Wicklow and Limerick, and a draw with Tipperary. They’ve also had an acrimonious split with manager Shane Curran. He cited “player-related issues” as his reason for leaving after seven games, a claim which the squad has rejected. They will be hoping for a bounce under interim boss Joe Murphy as they face a testing journey to Meath this weekend.
Dublin
Started the season with the loss of with major losses in personnel including the retirements of Brian Fenton and James McCarthy. The return of Stephen Cluxton coupled with the evolution of Seán Bugler (2-22) helped weather those setbacks. Dublin were denied a place in the final by Tyrone but picked up some important wins, including a 12-point rally against Kerry to win by one. Their Leinster 15-in-a-row drive begins away to either Wicklow or Longford in the quarter-finals.
Kildare
Missed out on Division 3 silverware but have blossomed under new manager Brian Flanagan after all losing all seven of their Division 2 games last year. Their scoring difference of +59 is the second-highest in the entire league after Wexford. 33 players have featured in their league, including players who contested the 2022 and 2023 All-Ireland U20 finalists when Flanagan was also in charge. Kildare will be favourites for their Leinster quarter-final against a Westmeath side who were relegated.
Laois
Protected their Division 3 status after being promoted last year. They were in the hunt for promotion before losing their last two fixtures to Clare and Fermanagh despite leading both games in the final quarter. They ended up losing by four points and two points respectively. They open their Leinster campaign against a Wexford side who are in a tiring schedule, and coming in off a two-week break could be crucial. Louth will be a big test for the winner.
Longford
Opened their league under new manager Mike Solan with a draw against eventual Division 4 winners Limerick. But they lost four of their next six games although they also had back-to-back wins against Waterford and London. They’re still adapting to the loss of important players including Mickey Quinn (retirement) and Darren Gallagher (unavailable). Crucially, they have home advantage for their Leinster championship meeting against Wicklow who were comfortable winners in their league tie.
Louth
Avoided Division 2 relegation by recovering from two defeats in a row with a win over promotion-chasers Meath. Ger Brennan’s side won without Sam Mulroy who could be a doubt for their Leinster opener due to a hamstring injury. After losing last year’s Leinster final to Dublin by four points, Louth will want to reach a third consecutive decider to avoid the Tailteann Cup. They begin their championship against either Laois or Division 4 finalists Wexford.
Meath
Recovered from a first-round defeat to Cork with four wins from five games. But defeats to Monaghan and Louth cost them a chance at promotion to Division 1, while a serious injury to star forward Jordan Morris could implicate their championship hopes. To compound matters, Joe McMahon and Martin Corey have stepped down from their roles as selectors/coaches just before beginning their Leinster championship against Carlow this weekend. An in-form Offaly awaits the winner in the quarter-finals.
Offaly
Offaly were crowned Division 3 champions after an impressive performance against Kildare. A huge improvement after being just above the relegation zone last year. Their All-Ireland U20 winners from 2021 are becoming leaders in the team, with Jack Bryant and Cormac Egan scoring crucial goals in the league final. Whether Mickey Harte’s team can sustain that momentum through the Leinster championship will be interesting to watch as they begin with a trip to either Meath or Carlow.
Westmeath
Desperately unlucky in the league, failed to win a game in Division 2 but suffered a series of agonisingly close defeats. Will hope to maintain that sense of competitiveness under new manager Dermot McCabe. Must reach Leinster final in order to compete in All-Ireland series. Their first test is significant, away in Newbridge on a Saturday week against a Kildare team that also need provincial decider qualification. Panel underwent major turnover last winter, with talisman John Heslin among slate of retirements.
Wexford
Secured promotion with two rounds to go and were the only team with seven wins from seven. Their scoring difference of +63 is the highest in the league, although they will be disappointed with the three goals they conceded to Limerick in their Division 4 final loss. Playing over the last five weekends could take its toll in their Leinster clash with Laois on Sunday. Recent injuries to Glen Malone and Martin O’Connor could also be detrimental.
Wicklow
Gave themselves every chance of clinching promotion from Division 4 by defeating Tipperary. Despite losing midfielder Jack Kirwan to a 12th minute dismissal, they still won by nine points. But Limerick snagged the last promotion spot, while a London defeat was another costly result. They’re away to Longford this Sunday but will be feeling confident after winning their league meeting by 2-15 to 0-12. The winners take on Dublin in the quarter-finals.
*****
Munster
Clare
Can count themselves extremely unfortunate not to have claimed promotion from Division 3. Defeated Kildare and Offaly, the two teams who went up, but lost out on scoring difference, with defeats to Antrim and Sligo proving costly. Reached the Munster final last year and will be heavy favourites to return to there, facing Tipperary or Waterford on 19 April.
Peter Keane is in his first year as Banner boss, returning attackers Eoin Cleary and Keelan Sexton significantly strengthen the hand Clare will play with.
Cork
The pattern of inconsistency cropped up again this spring. A bright start with two wins from three, before emphatic defeats to Monaghan and Roscommon threatened to derail things. They fought back impressively, showing the grit to get the wins over Louth and Cavan that likely secures their All-Ireland status this summer.
A tricky trip away to Limerick tonight must be negotiated. Plenty personnel changes last winter, newcomers Neil Lordan, Sean Brady, and Sean McDonnell have all stepped forward to nail down spots in John Cleary’s team.
Kerry
The league could not have concluded better for Kerry. Relegation anxieties were wiped away by wins over Armagh and Galway, they would up in a final to their surprise, and produced a controlled showing in Croke Park to take home the cup.
Diarmuid O’Connor and Sean O’Shea are injury worries, but Paudie Clifford is the most in-form player in the country and they’ve an array of other figures in strong shape. Play Cork or Limerick first up in Munster.
One more spin for a stat that’s got plenty airing this week, Jack O’Connor’s four previous league titles as manager have preceded All-Ireland senior wins.
Limerick
Enter the championship off the back of a terrific league campaign. Jimmy Lee’s side ended the losing streak that has hindered them over the past two seasons, squeezed out Wicklow in the Division 4 promotion race, and then lifted silverware in Croke Park last Saturday night as Darragh Ó Siochrú, Tommie Childs, and Peter Nash hit the valuable goals.
James Naughton and Emmet Rigter have impressed this spring, and they should be in a buoyant mood hosting Cork tonight. Lost by 11 when the teams met in last year’s Munster quarter-final, but Limerick led at half-time and will seek to build on that.
Tipperary
Finished fifth in the league in Division 4. Made a brilliant start, earning five points from a possible six, but were edged out by two by London and that started a run of four successive defeats. Injuries have impacted preparations for new manager Philly Ryan as he filters new players into their ranks.
Must contend with Thurles as the venue for this Munster quarter-final, despite having requested Clonmel initially. Were stunned by Waterford in Munster last year, but had eight points to spare when the teams met in this year’s league.
Waterford
A tough league with six losses leaving them rooted at the bottom of Division 4. Did manager a first league win in 728 days when they saw off London in mid-March. Jason Curry inspired them that night with 0-11, while his Rathgormack clubmate Conor Murray is back this season from Australia.
Player turnover has again been an issue for manager Paul Shankey to contend with since last year. Travel to Thurles tonight, hoping to repeat last year’s milestone victory when they defeated Tipperary.
*****
Ulster
Antrim
Got off to a flyer in the league with an opening round league win over Clare in Corrigan Park and followed it with a one point loss away to Fermanagh. Thereafter they gained only one more win, over Leitrim. Drawn against All-Ireland champions Armagh, their Ulster build-up was dominated by their refusal to play the game anywhere but Corrigan Park, with the Ulster Council seeking to move it. Antrim won that battle, but an Armagh win looks on the cards.
Armagh
The All-Ireland champions avoided relegation by virtue of their head-to-head win over Tyrone, the two joined on seven points. A big win over Dublin showed what they were capable of, but were less impressive in defeats to Kerry, Galway and Donegal. Losing Rian O’Neill will be an enormous blow to them for his ability to make big-game plays at critical times. They are away to Antrim in the first round with the winners of Tyrone-Cavan the likely semi-final.
Cavan
Can be reasonably happy with their Division 2 campaign, four wins out of seven games after a poor start that featured losses to Monaghan and Meath before they strung together four wins. Had Darragh McVeety’s two-point effort in the final play of the league went over, they would have been promoted. Enjoying having Gearoid McKiernan back in an advanced role, but free-scoring Paddy Lynch is still some way off a return. Haven’t beaten Tyrone in championship since 1983.
Derry
Started their season late after the protracted appointment of Paddy Tally as Mickey Harte’s successor. Since then, they lost narrowly to Tyrone and lost to a late avalanche of Kerry goals when they appeared to have victory assured. From last year’s team they could be missing four All-Stars against Donegal; Conor McCluskey, Gareth McKinless and Brendan Rogers to injury and Chrissy McKaigue (retired). 2025 has been a year of rotten luck and it could get ugly for them in the preliminary round against Donegal.
Donegal
Tipped widely to win the All-Ireland after last year’s good form that brought a Division 2 league title and the Ulster title then on penalties against Armagh. A pre-season training camp in Abu Dhabi also heralded the return of Michael Murphy to the fold, but his addition was bolstered by the inclusion of man-marker Odhran McFadden-Ferry and the spritely Eoin McHugh. Did what they needed to do to survive in Division 1 and then downed tools.
Down
Relegated from Division 2 with three wins to their name, going down due to the head-to-head loss against Louth. There are certain similarities with the job Conor Laverty is doing, with the early days of Kieran McGeeney in Armagh, which included a couple of spells in Division 3. Leaking goals is a concern with the new rules and overly-reliant on Pat Havern’s ability to kick two pointers. However, they could really be doing with the directness of Liam Kerr – now domiciled in Australia.
Fermanagh
Only beaten twice, the opening round walloping by Kildare followed by a narrow loss away to Clare, but edged league winners Offaly by a point. Kildare, Offaly and Clare all finished a point ahead and they were robbed of a chance to boost the confidence when Leitrim pulled out of their league meeting. Finished the league exceptionally strong and have adopted well to the new rules with a lot of height being introduced around the middle. Have ramped up preparations for Down in Portugal.
Monaghan
Have to be very content with their work over the spring. Losing Conor McManus wasn’t as catastrophic as he had been absent for the most part of recent league campaigns and a season in Division 2 has done no harm for their development and Rory Beggan has shown his worth with a string of two-pointers as they beat Roscommon in the final. A decent break ahead for them as they get ready for likely preliminary round winners Donegal in Clones.
Tyrone
Slow to adopt to the changes of the new rules and there was some early-season slippage. However, but for a three-man infraction against Galway they would have survived, relegated instead on seven points and falling foul to the head-to-head against Armagh. With Mark Bradley and Rory Brennan returning, they have found Pete Teague as an able deputy in Padraig Hampsey’s absence. Have the Indian Sign over Cavan in championship football and Malachy O’Rourke has a spectacular early-round record in Ulster.
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