Ulster Championship 2026

[imtommygunn]

I wouldn't guarantee 5-10 years. What if Jimmy leaves? Look what happened last time.

[EoinW]

What's going on in Tyrone?  I ask because, with all the great youth teams and the strong Senior base, I thought Tyrone would be on the rise - certain to dominate Ulster in the near future.  Like the high expectations for the Cork hurlers.

Instead they seem to be "spinning their wheels".  Are people expecting future Tyrone teams to be at Kerry's consistent level, maybe even a Tyrone dynasty?  Just wondering how relevant youth success is to senior football.

Any predictions?

[Armagh18]

What's going on in Tyrone?  I ask because, with all the great youth teams and the strong Senior base, I thought Tyrone would be on the rise - certain to dominate Ulster in the near future.  Like the high expectations for the Cork hurlers.

Instead they seem to be "spinning their wheels".  Are people expecting future Tyrone teams to be at Kerry's consistent level, maybe even a Tyrone dynasty?  Just wondering how relevant youth success is to senior football.

Any predictions?

Maybe not getting the right "type" of player? Seem to be producing a pile of small nippy forwards. Although those top u20's teams would be all cubs yet, takes a good while to develop from u20 barring freaks like Clifford etc to senior at the highest level.

[tbrick18]

What's going on in Tyrone?  I ask because, with all the great youth teams and the strong Senior base, I thought Tyrone would be on the rise - certain to dominate Ulster in the near future.  Like the high expectations for the Cork hurlers.

Instead they seem to be "spinning their wheels".  Are people expecting future Tyrone teams to be at Kerry's consistent level, maybe even a Tyrone dynasty?  Just wondering how relevant youth success is to senior football.

Any predictions?

Underage success now, more than ever, is less of an indicator of future senior success due to the age groups.
There's a huge gap between u20 and senior football.
Tyrone have lots of small skillfull forwards and that's not the physical profile needed for the new rules game. Tyrone still relying on old heads, I can see them falling back a bit further before being realistic challengers again.
There's a few "big" u20s at the minute, like O'Neill, who looks like he is almost ready to step up, but not many more. So as the likes of Donnelly, McCurry, Morgan etc retire, there's no obvious replacements coming through.

[Armagh18]

What's going on in Tyrone?  I ask because, with all the great youth teams and the strong Senior base, I thought Tyrone would be on the rise - certain to dominate Ulster in the near future.  Like the high expectations for the Cork hurlers.

Instead they seem to be "spinning their wheels".  Are people expecting future Tyrone teams to be at Kerry's consistent level, maybe even a Tyrone dynasty?  Just wondering how relevant youth success is to senior football.

Any predictions?

Underage success now, more than ever, is less of an indicator of future senior success due to the age groups.
There's a huge gap between u20 and senior football.
Tyrone have lots of small skillfull forwards and that's not the physical profile needed for the new rules game. Tyrone still relying on old heads, I can see them falling back a bit further before being realistic challengers again.
There's a few "big" u20s at the minute, like O'Neill, who looks like he is almost ready to step up, but not many more. So as the likes of Donnelly, McCurry, Morgan etc retire, there's no obvious replacements coming through.

He looks the easiest replaced tbf with what they have coming through. Donnelly is still a superb player for them, if not for him and Kilpatrick we'd have tanked Tyrone.

[Armamike]

It's not just about underage success and player quality coming through, it's also about the culture, structure and set up that they're going into at senior level.  The likes of Armagh and Donegal have a great system in place for developing players at senior level through managers that get total buy-in from players (who are willing to bide their time and be part of a squad).  Not saying Malachy O'Rourke can't or won't achieve that in time, but it's a culture and environment that needs to be developed.

[J70]

That's J70s Donegals version of the 'yerra', 'Donegal haven't been tested yet with tough games ahead, yerra anything could happen'.

Maybe it's years and years of disappointment outside of when McGuinness has been in charge. It's hard to shake off the pessimistic fatalism.

And let's face it, we literally squeaked past Armagh in the last two Ulster finals. Both of those games could just as easily have gone their way. We suffered a systems breakdown in last year's AI final. Who's to say one of the better Ulster teams won't have something up their sleeves that we're not prepared for? I've seen Donegal lose far too many games that they were supposed to win over the years to ever be complacent.

[Armagh18]

That's J70s Donegals version of the 'yerra', 'Donegal haven't been tested yet with tough games ahead, yerra anything could happen'.

Maybe it's years and years of disappointment outside of when McGuinness has been in charge. It's hard to shake off the pessimistic fatalism.

And let's face it, we literally squeaked past Armagh in the last two Ulster finals. Both of those games could just as easily have gone their way. We suffered a systems breakdown in last year's AI final. Who's to say one of the better Ulster teams won't have something up their sleeves that we're not prepared for? I've seen Donegal lose far too many games that they were supposed to win over the years to ever be complacent.

That's fair, Donegal will rightly go in as heavy favourites vs Down, favourites against Armagh just given performances to date and the men we're missing, (but no one would be madly shocked if Armagh won it) will 100% be favourites against Derry/Monaghan and would be a fair surprise if either of those beat Donegal.

[Armamike]

A lot of Donegal folk I know are looking at the 4-in-a-row Ulster - which would be a remarkable achievement in the current age. They jokingly say when is the draw for Ulster 2028. Like anything else in life, sometimes you have to rein in the exuberance.

There is a natural confidence in Donegal people though and this is enveloped by being solid top table contenders. That top table slot will be there for at least 5-10 years.

Hmmm.  Wouldn't want to place a bet on what would happen any given summer never mind 5-10 years down the road! People can end up looking very foolish.

[Ethan Tremblay]

What's going on in Tyrone?  I ask because, with all the great youth teams and the strong Senior base, I thought Tyrone would be on the rise - certain to dominate Ulster in the near future.  Like the high expectations for the Cork hurlers.

Instead they seem to be "spinning their wheels".  Are people expecting future Tyrone teams to be at Kerry's consistent level, maybe even a Tyrone dynasty?  Just wondering how relevant youth success is to senior football.

Any predictions?

Underage success now, more than ever, is less of an indicator of future senior success due to the age groups.
There's a huge gap between u20 and senior football.
Tyrone have lots of small skillfull forwards and that's not the physical profile needed for the new rules game. Tyrone still relying on old heads, I can see them falling back a bit further before being realistic challengers again.
There's a few "big" u20s at the minute, like O'Neill, who looks like he is almost ready to step up, but not many more. So as the likes of Donnelly, McCurry, Morgan etc retire, there's no obvious replacements coming through.

I think with underage teams, they would have less time to develop tactics/structures the same way senior teams would, kids would lapse a bit more with these things also. 

Tyrone seem to produce highly skilful underage players year in year out, which always makes them formidable at underage as generally tactics aren't as strict, its more skill v skill, best players win.   

If football was played the way it was 20years ago, Tyrone seniors would be entering another golden generation.  As it is, having a good structure in place is a vital cog to a good team.  You only have to look at how mcguniness has Donegal operating at the highest level again.

[Mario]

That's J70s Donegals version of the 'yerra', 'Donegal haven't been tested yet with tough games ahead, yerra anything could happen'.

Maybe it's years and years of disappointment outside of when McGuinness has been in charge. It's hard to shake off the pessimistic fatalism.

And let's face it, we literally squeaked past Armagh in the last two Ulster finals. Both of those games could just as easily have gone their way. We suffered a systems breakdown in last year's AI final. Who's to say one of the better Ulster teams won't have something up their sleeves that we're not prepared for? I've seen Donegal lose far too many games that they were supposed to win over the years to ever be complacent.

That's fair, Donegal will rightly go in as heavy favourites vs Down, favourites against Armagh just given performances to date and the men we're missing, (but no one would be madly shocked if Armagh won it) will 100% be favourites against Derry/Monaghan and would be a fair surprise if either of those beat Donegal.

I'll be shocked if Armagh beat Donegal because they never do

[JoG2]

That's J70s Donegals version of the 'yerra', 'Donegal haven't been tested yet with tough games ahead, yerra anything could happen'.

Maybe it's years and years of disappointment outside of when McGuinness has been in charge. It's hard to shake off the pessimistic fatalism.

And let's face it, we literally squeaked past Armagh in the last two Ulster finals. Both of those games could just as easily have gone their way. We suffered a systems breakdown in last year's AI final. Who's to say one of the better Ulster teams won't have something up their sleeves that we're not prepared for? I've seen Donegal lose far too many games that they were supposed to win over the years to ever be complacent.

That's fair, Donegal will rightly go in as heavy favourites vs Down, favourites against Armagh just given performances to date and the men we're missing, (but no one would be madly shocked if Armagh won it) will 100% be favourites against Derry/Monaghan and would be a fair surprise if either of those beat Donegal.

I'll be shocked if Armagh beat Donegal because they never do

They don't get beat either by Donegal, they draw no matter what the history books say 😬

[tonto1888]

That's J70s Donegals version of the 'yerra', 'Donegal haven't been tested yet with tough games ahead, yerra anything could happen'.

Maybe it's years and years of disappointment outside of when McGuinness has been in charge. It's hard to shake off the pessimistic fatalism.

And let's face it, we literally squeaked past Armagh in the last two Ulster finals. Both of those games could just as easily have gone their way. We suffered a systems breakdown in last year's AI final. Who's to say one of the better Ulster teams won't have something up their sleeves that we're not prepared for? I've seen Donegal lose far too many games that they were supposed to win over the years to ever be complacent.

That's fair, Donegal will rightly go in as heavy favourites vs Down, favourites against Armagh just given performances to date and the men we're missing, (but no one would be madly shocked if Armagh won it) will 100% be favourites against Derry/Monaghan and would be a fair surprise if either of those beat Donegal.

I'll be shocked if Armagh beat Donegal because they never do

have to beat Fermanagh first

[tonto1888]

That's J70s Donegals version of the 'yerra', 'Donegal haven't been tested yet with tough games ahead, yerra anything could happen'.

Maybe it's years and years of disappointment outside of when McGuinness has been in charge. It's hard to shake off the pessimistic fatalism.

And let's face it, we literally squeaked past Armagh in the last two Ulster finals. Both of those games could just as easily have gone their way. We suffered a systems breakdown in last year's AI final. Who's to say one of the better Ulster teams won't have something up their sleeves that we're not prepared for? I've seen Donegal lose far too many games that they were supposed to win over the years to ever be complacent.

That's fair, Donegal will rightly go in as heavy favourites vs Down, favourites against Armagh just given performances to date and the men we're missing, (but no one would be madly shocked if Armagh won it) will 100% be favourites against Derry/Monaghan and would be a fair surprise if either of those beat Donegal.

I'll be shocked if Armagh beat Donegal because they never do

They don't get beat either by Donegal, they draw no matter what the history books say 😬

LOL. Are some of our fans still clinging to that?

[JoG2]

That's J70s Donegals version of the 'yerra', 'Donegal haven't been tested yet with tough games ahead, yerra anything could happen'.

Maybe it's years and years of disappointment outside of when McGuinness has been in charge. It's hard to shake off the pessimistic fatalism.

And let's face it, we literally squeaked past Armagh in the last two Ulster finals. Both of those games could just as easily have gone their way. We suffered a systems breakdown in last year's AI final. Who's to say one of the better Ulster teams won't have something up their sleeves that we're not prepared for? I've seen Donegal lose far too many games that they were supposed to win over the years to ever be complacent.

That's fair, Donegal will rightly go in as heavy favourites vs Down, favourites against Armagh just given performances to date and the men we're missing, (but no one would be madly shocked if Armagh won it) will 100% be favourites against Derry/Monaghan and would be a fair surprise if either of those beat Donegal.

I'll be shocked if Armagh beat Donegal because they never do

They don't get beat either by Donegal, they draw no matter what the history books say 😬

LOL. Are some of our fans still clinging to that?

😁...I'm not sure, hopefully not