Donegal to begin Ulster title defence with preliminary round clash against Derry

Draws made for next year’s senior provincial football championships

Donegal beat Armagh to win the 2024 Ulster Senior Football Championship. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

Reigning Ulster champions Donegal will begin their title defence against Derry in the preliminary round of the 2025 Ulster Senior Football Championship.

The provincial draws were made on RTÉ Radio 1 on Saturday.

The winner of Donegal v Derry will go on to meet Monaghah in the quarter-finals, which will also see All-Ireland champions Armagh up against Antrim. The to remaining quarter-final pair Tyrone with Cavan and Fermanagh with Down.

In Connacht, the travel rotation meant Galway’s trip to New York and London’s visit to Roscommon for their respective quarter-finals were already known. Mayo and Sligo will meet in the remaining quarter-final, the winner of which will play Leitrim in one semi-final, leaving the winners of New York v Galway and London v Roscommon to meet in the second semi-final.

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Munster may see a Kerry v Clare final for a third year running after they were drawn in seperate semi-finals.

The Munster Championship will begin with Waterford v Tipperary, a pairing that ended in a historic win for the Déise last season, with the winner going on to play the Banner in the semi-final.

Meanwhile, the Kingdom will await the winner of Limerick v Cork in the other semi-final.

And finally, in Leinster, three first round fixtures will bring together Wexford and Laois, Carlow and Meath, and Wicklow and Longford.

James McCarthy lifts the Delaney Cup after Dublin's victory over Louth in the 2024 Leinster Senior Football final at Croke Park. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho

Reigning Leinster champions Dublin will meet the winner of Wicklow v Longford (quarter-final B), Offaly wait on Carlow or Meath (quarter-final A), and Louth will have Wexford or Laois (quarter-final D). In the remaining quarter-final, Kildare will face Westmeath (quarter-final C).

The winner of quarter-final A will play their counterpart from quarter-final B, and the winner of quarter-final C will meet quarter-final D’s winner.

Connacht Senior Football Championship:

Quarter-final A: New York v Galway

Quarter-final B: London v Roscommon

Quarter-final C: Mayo v Sligo

Semi-final A: Leitrim v Winner of quarter-final C (Mayo/Sligo)

Semi-final B: Winner of quater-final A (New York/Galway) v Winner of quarter-final B (London/Roscommon)

Leinster Senior Football Championship:

Round one A: Wexford v Laois

Round one B: Carlow v Meath

Round one C: Wicklow v Longford

Quarter-final A: Offaly v Winner of round one B (Carlow/Meath)

Quarter-final B: Dublin v Winner of round one C (Wicklow/Longford)

Quarter-final C: Kildare v Westmeath

Quarter-final D: Louth v Winner of round one A (Wexford/Laois)

Semi-final A: Winner of quarter-final A v Winner of quarter-final B

Semi-final B: Winner of quarter-final C v Winner of quarter-final D

Munster Senior Football Championship:

Quarter-final A: Waterford v Tipperary

Quarter-final B: Limerick v Cork

Semi-final A: Winner of quarter-final B (Limerick/Cork) v Kerry

Semi-final B: Winner of quarter-final A (Waterford/Tipperary) v Clare

Ulster Senior Football Championship:

Preliminary round: Donegal v Derry

Quarter-final A: Antrim v Armagh

Quarter-final B: Tyrone v Cavan

Quarter-final C: Fermanagh v Down

Quarter-final D: Winner of preliminary round (Donegal/Derry) v Monaghan

Semi-final A: Winner of semi-final A v Winner of semi-final B

Semi-final B: Winner of semi-final C v Winner of semi-final D

Muireann Duffy

Muireann Duffy

Muireann Duffy is a sports journalist with The Irish Times