THREE-IN-A-ROW ULSTER CHAMPIONS Donegal have been pitted against rising outfit Tyrone and intermediate side Down in the 2020 TG4 Ulster Ladies senior football championship.

The format and groupings for next summer’s provincial competition were confirmed last night, with three teams in two groups contesting a round-robin to determine semi-finalists. 

Donegal, who have their sight sets on adding to their historic three-in-a-row, are in Group 2 alongside Down and Tyrone, while 2019 finalists Armagh, and neighbouring rivals Cavan and Monaghan go head-to-head in Group 1.

The top two finishers in each group progress to the semi-final stages, with the winners of each group facing the other’s runner-up.

Down, however, cannot contest the knock-out phase of the competition should they qualify, due to their status as an intermediate team.

In turn, Donegal and Tyrone are both already assured progress to the last four — so the race for top spot in the group is well and truly on. 

Because Down are the only intermediate team in Ulster, it looked like they were set to go into their All-Ireland series cold — so the Mourne county have welcomed their inclusion in the Ulster senior championship round-robin format.

The draw for the Munster senior championship was also made this week, with none to be made in Connacht — Mayo and Galway play a straight final — or Leinster (Dublin are the only senior team there so there is no provincial championship in 2020).

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• Groupings confirmed for new-look 2020 TG4 All-Ireland senior championship

2020 Ulster senior championship

Group 1

• Armagh
• Cavan
• Monaghan

Group 2

• Donegal 
• Tyrone 
• Down

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