FOR some, Ulster is in the peripheral vision. Others begin the year with unspoken ambitions that lie beyond their native borders.
In senior football, four of the nine that lined up for the starting gun last year are gone. Derrygonnelly, Gowna, Naomh Conaill and Crossmaglen have all been deposed.
The other five remain but none are yet guaranteed to be there. Kilcoo have Burren to come, Cargin face Portglenone on Sunday and Trillick have a final against Errigal Ciaran, the only Tyrone club ever to have won it. Both of last year’s provincial finalists, Scotstown and eventual All-Ireland champions Glen, still have waters left to wade at home.
If St Eunan’s emerge as expected from Donegal this weekend, they will be away to the Tyrone champions on the first weekend of November. That ought to provide a start befitting of the GAA’s greatest competition.
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The winners of that will face the Antrim champions on the same side of the draw as the winners from Derry and Armagh, with the latter’s representatives coming from Lurgan in the shape of either Clan na Gael or Clann Eireann.
The Monaghan winners are away to Fermanagh while the winners of Kilcoo-Burren this weekend will meet either Crosserlough or Ramor United from Cavan.
It is too early for synopsises but within the draw, Glen and Scotstown couldn’t meet again until the final if they were both to get there.
The winners of Ulster will play the Munster champions in the All-Ireland semi-finals across the board.
Ulster’s intermediate draw is the same as the senior draw, with the junior following a different path that begins with Derry’s champions hosting Tyrone’s on October 26/27.
With Slaughtneil widely expected to secure a 12th consecutive Derry hurling title, they would quickly run into the Antrim champions at the semi-final stage.
They’ve encountered plenty of both Dunloy and Cushendall in recent years to add some spice to a Saturday evening game that will be shown live on RTÉ in mid-November – recognition for the quality and excitement the northern hurling championship has offered in recent seasons.
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Ulster Club SFC & IFC
Preliminary round (November 2/3)
Tyrone v Donegal
Quarter-finals (November 9/10)
(A) Fermanagh v Monaghan
(B) Down v Cavan
(C) Derry v Armagh
(D) Antrim v Tyrone/Donegal
Semi-finals (November 23/24)
A v B
C v D
Final (December 7/8)
All-Ireland semi-final (January 4/5)
Munster v Ulster
Connacht v Leinster
All-Ireland final
January 18/19
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Ulster Club JFC
Preliminary round (October 26/27)
Derry v Tyrone
Quarter-finals (November 2/3)
(A) Donegal v Antrim
(B) Down v Armagh
(C) Fermanagh v Monaghan
(D) Cavan v Derry/Tyrone
Semi-finals (November 16/17)
A v B
C v D
Final (November 23/24)
Twinning final (v British champions away from home) (November 7/8)
All-Ireland semi-final( January 4/5)
Munster v Ulster
All-Ireland final (January 11/12)
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Ulster Club SHC
Semi-final (November 16/17)
Derry v Antrim
Final (November 30 / December 1)
Derry/Antrim v Down
All-Ireland semi-final (December 14/15)
Munster v Ulster
Connacht v Leinster
All-Ireland final (January 18/19)