Ulster Club SFC 2023

[general_lee]

Round 1
4ú / 5ú Samhain
(a) Derrygonnelly V Kilcoo at Brewster Park

Quarter Finals
11ú / 12ú Samhain
(b) Glen V Cargin at Celtic Park

(c) Gowna V Naomh Conaill at Kingspan Breffni

(d) Trillick V Crossmaglen at O'Neills Healy Park

(e) Scotstown V Derrygonnelly/Kilcoo
If Muineachán V Fear Manach at Clones If An Dún V Muineachán at Páirc Esler

Semi Finals
25ú /26ú Samhain
Winner (b) V Winner (c) Winner (d) V Winner (e)

Final
9ú / 10ú Nollaig

All Ireland Semi Final 6ú /7ú Eanair 2024

All Ireland Final
20ú /21ú Eanair 2024

[general_lee]

State of affairs as it stands:

Antrim
Final:
Cargin v Dunloy

Armagh
Final:
Clan na Gael v Crossmaglen

Cavan
Final:
Kingscourt v Gowna

Derry
Final:
Magherafelt v Glen 

Donegal
Final:
Gaoth Dobhair v Naomh Conaill

Down
Final:
Burren v Kilcoo

Fermanagh
Final:
Derrygonnelly v Erne Gaels

Monaghan
Final:
Scotstown v Inniskeen

Tyrone
Final:
Errigal v Trillick

[general_lee]

Armagh Championship this year hasn't been overly exciting due to the tedious group stages followed by the completely unnecessary preliminary quarter finals.

The QFs proper did produce a couple of minor shocks, notably Harps almost proving the whole county wrong and toppling Cross despite being massive outsiders. Clans and Madden winning their ties while not totally unexpected, the manner of both victories will have caught the attention of their semi final opponents.

Clann Éireann and Cross are the bookies' favourites to make the final and it will be a major shock if either are caught on the hop. Cross have  stuttered slightly through league and championship this year, Clann Éireann have impressive from start to finish and are my tip to reclaim the title they relinquished last year.

[Armagh18]

Armagh Championship this year hasn't been overly exciting due to the tedious group stages followed by the completely unnecessary preliminary quarter finals.

The QFs proper did produce a couple of minor shocks, notably Harps almost proving the whole county wrong and toppling Cross despite being massive outsiders. Clans and Madden winning their ties while not totally unexpected, the manner of both victories will have caught the attention of their semi final opponents.

Clann Éireann and Cross are the bookies' favourites to make the final and it will be a major shock if either are caught on the hop. Cross have  stuttered slightly through league and championship this year, Clann Éireann have impressive from start to finish and are my tip to reclaim the title they relinquished last year.

Should be 2 very good semi finals, big Lurgan derby with both sides as strong as they have been in a long while, Clann Eireann flying but McPartlan of Clanns has been playing out of his skin, one of the best players in the county at the minute and a few younger lads are super players as ell. Cross and Madden will be an interesting one, thought Cross would have tanked the Harps but almost left it behind them and with Rico Kelly being called in from the seconds team gives me a feeling something isn't right there.

Still predicting a Cross and CE final though with Cross to win it. 

[bennydorano]

Cross have probably got their annual championship kick up the arse warning now and will knuckle down and push on up through the gears. I thought Madden the most impressive team of the quarter winners and will give Cross all they want tho. I didn't see our performance v Cross coming tbh, I was a bit fearful but a lot of credit due to all involved as we're just not as strong as recent years. Clans,  a team & club definitely on the up and certainly won't fear Clann Eireann but a year or 2 too early imo to go all the way.

[Orior]

Dizzy heights for Glenn in Down and Dunloy in Antrim.

[ClubScene13]

Good man General cheers for this

[tbrick18]

Derry
Still f**king about with their groups AFAIK

Couldn't have put it better...

[Eire90]

do all 16 teams still qualify from derry group stages.

[Jimmy]

14 teams in Derry senior championship this year.

2 groups of 7 with top 4 qualifying for quarter finals. Games will be 1 v 4 and 2 v 3.

Glen Magherafelt and Slaughtneil guaranteed 1/4 final spots with Lavey more or less guaranteed a place.

Bottom 2 in each group face relegation playoff. Coleraine definately in that with Ballinderry and Loup likely to join them.

[Rufus T Firefly]

Armagh Championship this year hasn't been overly exciting due to the tedious group stages followed by the completely unnecessary preliminary quarter finals.

If you are going to have group stages - and I accept there are many who don't want this - then preliminary quarter-finals are absolutely necessary, to ensure there are no dead rubbers, and every team has something to play for up to and including the third game.

I'll caveat that by saying that unbelievably, Mullabawn actually had nothing to play for in their third game this year, due to the previous results in their group and in particular the draw between Rangers and Clans, but this was very much an exception.

I've no figures to back it up, but my sense is that there has been excellent attendances at this year's Championships to date, and this was alluded to by the County Chairman at last Monday's County Board meeting. So the public seem to be buying into it.   

[Estimator]

I've no issue at all with the group stages in Derry. All remaining games in the groups have something to play for (final postponed group game-Loup/Ballinderry might not have, based on how this weekends results pan out)

Group A - Glen only team in the QFs.  Next 5 teams could all end up on 6pts if results go a certain way.
Which means that 3 clubs would qualify for the QFs on 6pts, another clubs season would be over on 6pts, (neither QF or Relegation) and the last club would be in a relegation match on 6pts. Coleraine definitely in one of the relegation spots

Group B - Magherafelt and Slaughtneil are in the QFs. With 3 teams in the running for the last two spots in that group. Newbridge, Steelstown and Kilrea. Slim chance that Kilrea could end up in the relegation match. Ballinderry definitely in one of the relegation spots.

And even though we are still in the group stages, our county final is scheduled for the same day as the Tyrone county final. Which still gives two weeks until the first round in Ulster. Really its only the Fermanagh and Down finals need to be wrapped up before the 29th.

[general_lee]

Armagh Championship this year hasn't been overly exciting due to the tedious group stages followed by the completely unnecessary preliminary quarter finals.

If you are going to have group stages - and I accept there are many who don't want this - then preliminary quarter-finals are absolutely necessary, to ensure there are no dead rubbers, and every team has something to play for up to and including the third game.

I'll caveat that by saying that unbelievably, Mullabawn actually had nothing to play for in their third game this year, due to the previous results in their group and in particular the draw between Rangers and Clans, but this was very much an exception.

I've no figures to back it up, but my sense is that there has been excellent attendances at this year's Championships to date, and this was alluded to by the County Chairman at last Monday's County Board meeting. So the public seem to be buying into it. 

The group stages are horrible.
Zero intensity and no atmosphere for supporters.

Teams getting hammered by 15+ points and still getting rewarded with a knockout match.

Some teams even getting beat twice and still getting another bite at the cherry. Preliminary QFs are not necessary - they could easily be relegation play-offs instead with 3rd playing 4th - no dead rubbers then.

Gimme straight knockout and doubleheaders any day of the week. Maybe something closer to what Down have with a back door system.

[Armagh18]

Armagh Championship this year hasn't been overly exciting due to the tedious group stages followed by the completely unnecessary preliminary quarter finals.

If you are going to have group stages - and I accept there are many who don't want this - then preliminary quarter-finals are absolutely necessary, to ensure there are no dead rubbers, and every team has something to play for up to and including the third game.

I'll caveat that by saying that unbelievably, Mullabawn actually had nothing to play for in their third game this year, due to the previous results in their group and in particular the draw between Rangers and Clans, but this was very much an exception.

I've no figures to back it up, but my sense is that there has been excellent attendances at this year's Championships to date, and this was alluded to by the County Chairman at last Monday's County Board meeting. So the public seem to be buying into it. 

The group stages are horrible.
Zero intensity and no atmosphere for supporters.

Teams getting hammered by 15+ points and still getting rewarded with a knockout match.

Some teams even getting beat twice and still getting another bite at the cherry. Preliminary QFs are not necessary - they could easily be relegation play-offs instead with 3rd playing 4th - no dead rubbers then.

Gimme straight knockout and doubleheaders any day of the week. Maybe something closer to what Down have with a back door system.

Far rather straight knockout myself. Didn't Harps get a tanking in the group stage and then almost beat Cross in the knockout game?

[J70]

Oisin Gallen with 1-9 for McCumhaills against Glenswilly (Michael Murphy scored 1-5).

Glenswilly were seven points up at one point, but McCumhaills are through to the semis.

Eunans through as well.