Ulster Club IFC/JFC 2018

[Mourne Red]

Senior - Crossmaglen 3rd Div 1A (3/45)
Inter - St Peters 1st Div 2A (17/45)
Junior - Keady 1st Div 3 (33/45)

Think Armagh have it more or less spot on in dividing teams equally relative to ability, had 49 clubs competing across 3 grades with 16/16/17 but over last few years a few clubs folded or withdrew from junior which now only has 13 teams.

Cheers, that's Derry, Down, Tyrone, Monaghan and Armagh accounted for. Could anyone throw up Antrim, Fermanagh, Cavan and Donegal?
Possibly should also have asked how many clubs compete in each championship but it's interesting to see the responses so far.

Fermanagh SFC Winners Derrygonelly - 1st in Division 1 ( 1st out of 20 clubs)     
Fermanagh IFC Winners Belnaleck - 4th in Division 2 (14th out of 20 clubs)   
Fermanagh JFC Winners Aghadrumsee - 6th in Division 2 (16th out of 20 clubs)

[Christmas Lights]

The Ulster representatives from Tyrone would definitely surpirses. Don't think many would have picked them out as winners. Coalisland should give Cross a good rattle but Tattyreagh are in their furst year of intermediate football and may struggle in Ulster. Eglish were the standout team in Intermediate this year but were knocked out in QFs.

Clogher and Eskra would have been big favourites for the junior.

No they wouldn't have been.  Emyvale massive favourites for Ulster Junior.  They just hammered Newtownstewart at the weekend who won the Tyrone Junior championship.

[square_ball]

The Ulster representatives from Tyrone would definitely surpirses. Don't think many would have picked them out as winners. Coalisland should give Cross a good rattle but Tattyreagh are in their furst year of intermediate football and may struggle in Ulster. Eglish were the standout team in Intermediate this year but were knocked out in QFs.

Clogher and Eskra would have been big favourites for the junior.

No they wouldn't have been.  Emyvale massive favourites for Ulster Junior.  They just hammered Newtownstewart at the weekend who won the Tyrone Junior championship.

I think he means those two were big favourites for the tyrone junior.

[Christmas Lights]

Apologies, I misunderstood.

[square_ball]

Who would be the favourites for the intermediate crown?

[Milltown Row2]

Do Antrim still have the option of picking what championship you want to play in?

They do, St.Endas a senior team in league entered the Intermediate Championship this year

In the history of the club, they've never won an IFC title, that's the way it works in Antrim, you keep trying until you win at a particular grade and you move up. Next year it'll be SFC. Nothing to see here.

In fairness I can see why St.Endas entered the IFC....they only got promoted last year and I believe had also participated in the 2017 IFC.  No big deal, but they have obviously improved.

Wasn't having a dig at them - just know they are in senior league and playing IFC.. Have heard they haven't won a County championship before and doesn't matter what level it is at developing that winning mentality with the work that's going on within the club is a big positive for the future players coming through the ranks.. fair play to them

No issues at all, it's a very tough level at intermediate in Ulster, the North Belfast team will not get it easy, and they will come up against teams as fit and as mobile as them.. they will be Antrim's best hope at getting past the first round

[general_lee]

Senior - Crossmaglen 3rd Div 1A (3/45)
Inter - St Peters 1st Div 2A (17/45)
Junior - Keady 1st Div 3 (33/45)

Think Armagh have it more or less spot on in dividing teams equally relative to ability, had 49 clubs competing across 3 grades with 16/16/17 but over last few years a few clubs folded or withdrew from junior which now only has 13 teams.

Which clubs folded?

St Michael's killean, Phelim Brady's, also Dromintee and Clann Eireann stopped fielding reserves in junior league

[Sleater]

Who would be the favourites for the intermediate crown?

Hard to call this year. Tyrone clubs are usually contenders each year but Tattyreagh don't seem like a Moy  yet Boyle Sports have them as favourites to beat St Peter's. Mullahoran have tradition and were cavan senior champs 6 years ago and while not the force they were, they will still be strong.  Would Glenfin be regarded as good Donegal champs? St Enda's look like especially strong antrim champs with county talent across their attack but they'll meet a very tough Doohamlet team who are far too good for intermediate in Monaghan but lack squad depth to last in senior football (4 IFC's in 9 years i think shows how much they yo-yo between divisions).

Boyle Sports odds
St Enda's 15/8  v Doohamlet 1/2
Mullahoran 5/6  v Bredagh 6/5
St Peter's 15/8 v Tattyreagh 8/15
Glenfin 11/8 v Banagher 8/11

[Milltown Row2]

Who would be the favourites for the intermediate crown?

Hard to call this year. Tyrone clubs are usually contenders each year but Tattyreagh don't seem like a Moy  yet Boyle Sports have them as favourites to beat St Peter's. Mullahoran have tradition and were cavan senior champs 6 years ago and while not the force they were, they will still be strong.  Would Glenfin be regarded as good Donegal champs? St Enda's look like especially strong antrim champs with county talent across their attack but they'll meet a very tough Doohamlet team who are far too good for intermediate in Monaghan but lack squad depth to last in senior football (4 IFC's in 9 years i think shows how much they yo-yo between divisions).

Boyle Sports odds
St Enda's 15/8  v Doohamlet 1/2
Mullahoran 5/6  v Bredagh 6/5
St Peter's 15/8 v Tattyreagh 8/15
Glenfin 11/8 v Banagher 8/11

St Endas are good value, but very hard to gauge against a team I haven't seen in fairness, 2/1 with Paddy Power, topped the 1b league this year I think but haven't been tested at intermediate level at all if I'm being honest...

They have played lots of teams which had defensive set ups, players behind the ball, but they've found space or shot from distance, Corrigan would be 'home' advantage having won the final there and no doubt played the Johnnies there in the league... I said before they'd be the best from our county to progress

[yellowcard]

Monaghan and Tyrone are traditionally the strongest counties when it comes to competing successfully outside their own county at intermediate and junior level. There doesn't appear to be any one standout team this year at intermediate level but Emyvale should win the junior championship. 

[Milltown Row2]

Monaghan and Tyrone are traditionally the strongest counties when it comes to competing successfully outside their own county at intermediate and junior level. There doesn't appear to be any one standout team this year at intermediate level but Emyvale should win the junior championship.

St Endas I said would be great value .. 2/1 and 100/30 in places.. great win. At least someone from Antrim put the effort into playing in Ulster

[oakleaflad]

Banagher beat Glenfin 2-13 to 0-08.

Red Hughs beat Emyvale in the Junior.

[Milltown Row2]

I think looking at where other clubs are at in their counties compared to which championship they are playing it, it is fairly even (apart from St Enda's actually if I'm totally honest).

Was disappointed with Doohamlet. Had heard that they were tasty but St Enda's controlled it and looked like a senior team playing an intermediate team. Eastwood and Maskey two brilliant players. Only the goals for Doohamlet seemed to keep them half in it but result didn't ever look in doubt.

Cargin match was intriguing in the second half. They looked a bit timid in the first half and Gaoth Dobhair were well worth their lead. Cargin will be kicking themselves because their 2nd half efforts was much more aggressive and it worked for them. Gaoth Dobhair the better team though although that defensive structure makes for crap viewing. Their number 11 was so clever.  Kieran Close showed well in 2nd half making at least 6 good runs and not once was he given the ball? Couldn't understand that. Thought the referee bottled one or two that went against Cargin. Gaoth Dobhair sideline mouthy enough but the best team won.

That makes a change from the Cargin bench being the quietest, they lost their manager in the county final for mouthing... look some teams are happy enough to win the county final.

St Endas are a decent team, they are where they are and not the first team to be playing a championship in the wrong level. I'd £30 on them at 2/1 but was in Donegal all weekend so didn't see it other than twitter updates, will be a tougher semi and teams won't be 'surprised' next day!

[oakleaflad]

Limavady win to set up a place in the Junior final vs Red Hugh's

A good day for the Derry clubs

[DownFanatic]

Ulster Football Intermediate Club Championship

20th / 21st October: First Round:
(a) Doire (Banagher) 2-11 V Fear Manach (Belnaleck) 0-09

3rd / 4th November: Quarter Finals:
(b) Aontroim (St Enda's) 2-15 V Muineachan (Doohamlet) 3-05
(c) Ard Mhacha (St Peter's) 2-13 V Tir Eoghain (Tattyreagh) 3-11
(d) An Cabhan (Mullahoran) 3-13 V An Dun (Bredagh) 2-11
(e) Dun na nGall (Glenfin) 0-08 V (a) Doire (Banagher) 2-13

17th / 18th November: Semi Finals:
Aontroim (St Enda's) V Tir Eoghain (Tattyreagh)
An Cabhan (Mullahoran) V Doire (Banagher)

1st / 2nd December: Final


Ulster Football Junior Club Championship

13th October: First Round:
(a) An Cabhan (Drumlane) 3-07 V Muineachan (Emyvale) 5-13

20th / 21st October: Quarter Finals:
(b) Ard Mhacha (Keady) 2-10 V Fear Manach (Aghadrumsee) 1-15
(c) Doire (Limavady) 2-09 V An Dun (Teconnaught) 0-11
(d) Aontroim (Glenravel) 0-08 V Dún na nGall (Red Hughs) 3-08
(e) Tir Eoghain (Newownstewart) 1-09 V Muineachan (Emyvale) 2-15

3rd / 4th November: Semi Finals:
Fear Manach (Aghadrumsee) 1-09 V Doire (Limavady) 1-13
Dún na nGall (Red Hughs) 1-13 V Muineachan (Emyvale) 0-12

17th / 18th November: Final

Dún na nGall (Red Hughs) v Doire (Limavady)

8th / 9th December: Twinning Final V British champions (Home)