Ulster Championship 2026

[EoinW]

Is there a curse on Ulster teams winning the league?  Two years ago it was Derry crashing out at the starting gate.  Now Donegal.  The silver lining is extra rest for the AI championship...though that was no help to Derry in 2024.

I know how much Armagh want to win Ulster, and must feel opportunity knocking now, but would they be better off with an extra two week's rest?  Especially considering how injury prone the team has become.

For an Ulster neutral fan, Down qualifying for the AI and Armagh getting rest appears to be the ideal hope.

[Armagh18]

I don't think I even want to go to the Ulster final if it's going to be Derry v Armagh.
Those big Armagh games are essentially just big student parties. At the 2023 final the hill was full of young women covered in make up and wearing skimpy outfits who spent the full game flirting with the young men with bowl hair cuts.
If I have to stand on the hill with Armagh fans again I would rather not go at all.

Cry more.

There is unfortunately a LARGE group of Armagh fans who love to treat these games as an excuse to get drunk and act the fool. Moreso than any other county.

I blame all the headers from Lurgan. I can't say it annoys me that much. We were all young once.

It would annoy you if you had kids at the game and they were surrounded by that. No doubt Down will have their share also of these fair weather fans. With it being a bank holiday weekend id say the booze buses will be at a maximum. No problen.with youngsters enjoying themselves but the behaviour can be veey questionable. And how they get thr booze in. What do the Garda be at. I will be avoiding the hill 

They do have bag checks heading up towards the ground but wouldn't take James Bond to get drink past them. Gaurds need to be doing more and drag anyone acting the bollix out, does be a scummy soccer feel at times

[Ethan Tremblay]

The condensed season would have a lot to answer for.  A 1 week turnaround between matches is going to hammer teams in terms of injuries.  The game has got faster, the turnaround less, which is mad from a player welfare perspective. 

We are actually having conversations about whether it is worthwhile progressing into a league final/provincial final at the risk of hampering preparations for the AI series. 

Personally, I think Armagh will be aiming for an Ulster title, it has been too long for them, giving they are performing quite well in recent times. 
The big question this weekend is whether Down can match that intensity they brought the other day. 

[ranch]

I don't think I even want to go to the Ulster final if it's going to be Derry v Armagh.
Those big Armagh games are essentially just big student parties. At the 2023 final the hill was full of young women covered in make up and wearing skimpy outfits who spent the full game flirting with the young men with bowl hair cuts.
If I have to stand on the hill with Armagh fans again I would rather not go at all.

Cry more.

There is unfortunately a LARGE group of Armagh fans who love to treat these games as an excuse to get drunk and act the fool. Moreso than any other county.

I blame all the headers from Lurgan. I can't say it annoys me that much. We were all young once.

It would annoy you if you had kids at the game and they were surrounded by that. No doubt Down will have their share also of these fair weather fans. With it being a bank holiday weekend id say the booze buses will be at a maximum. No problen.with youngsters enjoying themselves but the behaviour can be veey questionable. And how they get thr booze in. What do the Garda be at. I will be avoiding the hill 

They do have bag checks heading up towards the ground but wouldn't take James Bond to get drink past them. Gaurds need to be doing more and drag anyone acting the bollix out, does be a scummy soccerfeel at times

Ahh wise up ffs!

[Armagh18]

I don't think I even want to go to the Ulster final if it's going to be Derry v Armagh.
Those big Armagh games are essentially just big student parties. At the 2023 final the hill was full of young women covered in make up and wearing skimpy outfits who spent the full game flirting with the young men with bowl hair cuts.
If I have to stand on the hill with Armagh fans again I would rather not go at all.

Cry more.

There is unfortunately a LARGE group of Armagh fans who love to treat these games as an excuse to get drunk and act the fool. Moreso than any other county.

I blame all the headers from Lurgan. I can't say it annoys me that much. We were all young once.

It would annoy you if you had kids at the game and they were surrounded by that. No doubt Down will have their share also of these fair weather fans. With it being a bank holiday weekend id say the booze buses will be at a maximum. No problen.with youngsters enjoying themselves but the behaviour can be veey questionable. And how they get thr booze in. What do the Garda be at. I will be avoiding the hill 

They do have bag checks heading up towards the ground but wouldn't take James Bond to get drink past them. Gaurds need to be doing more and drag anyone acting the bollix out, does be a scummy soccerfeel at times

Ahh wise up ffs!

Was only looking a bite of BB2.

But there definitely is that element of ones acting the bollix that you wouldn't be comfortable having children around for

[Brendan]

I was stood next to an Armagh young fella on the hill at the Derry Armagh final, spent the whole game shouting "McEvoy you w**ker" everytime he touched the ball despite being about 100 yards from the pitch

[jb77]

His school probably got knocked out in the MacRory cup by him then had to watch him again

[Armagh18]

I was stood next to an Armagh young fella on the hill at the Derry Armagh final, spent the whole game shouting "McEvoy you w**ker" everytime he touched the ball despite being about 100 yards from the pitch

Gobshites from every county.

[mackers]

I was stood next to an Armagh young fella on the hill at the Derry Armagh final, spent the whole game shouting "McEvoy you w**ker" everytime he touched the ball despite being about 100 yards from the pitch

Gobshites from every county.

Correct. The worst behaviour I have seen was a crowd of Derry ones at the same game. Pished out of their heads and kept singing "I wish I was back home in Derry" (that one line of the song) all the way through the game.  When they won the penalty shootout they knocked my daughter off her feet jumping around. I got out of there before I did something I would have regretted.

[Wildweasel74]

Well to be honest there was a derry cub(early 20's) behind me stone drunk mouthing curse words the whole game Ulster final 2023, had tell him to be quite, making a bollix out of himself But that support in the centre of the hill that day, i presume from Lurgan direction, from accents, simply awful.  All hammered, not sure they know half the players

[naka]

Back to the games
Armagh and Derry to win
Both by at least 4

[Orior]

His school probably got knocked out in the MacRory cup by him then had to watch him again

You could try the "Hey, that's my younger brother" line then see how brave they are.

[armaghniac]

His school probably got knocked out in the MacRory cup by him then had to watch him again

You could try the "Hey, that's my younger brother" line then see how brave they are.

Bit of an implausible age gap, if you or I said that.

[snoopdog]

The condensed season would have a lot to answer for.  A 1 week turnaround between matches is going to hammer teams in terms of injuries.  The game has got faster, the turnaround less, which is mad from a player welfare perspective. 

We are actually having conversations about whether it is worthwhile progressing into a league final/provincial final at the risk of hampering preparations for the AI series. 

Personally, I think Armagh will be aiming for an Ulster title, it has been too long for them, giving they are performing quite well in recent times. 
The big question this weekend is whether Down can match that intensity they brought the other day. 

The condensed season would have a lot to answer for.  A 1 week turnaround between matches is going to hammer teams in terms of injuries.  The game has got faster, the turnaround less, which is mad from a player welfare perspective. 

We are actually having conversations about whether it is worthwhile progressing into a league final/provincial final at the risk of hampering preparations for the AI series. 

Personally, I think Armagh will be aiming for an Ulster title, it has been too long for them, giving they are performing quite well in recent times. 
The big question this weekend is whether Down can match that intensity they brought the other day. 



[/quote
Derry and Monaghan got an extra week as did the Leinster semi finalists and im sure munster and connacht also . To quick to run the championship off. Very unfair on Down and Armagh.

[thewobbler]

The condensed season would have a lot to answer for.  A 1 week turnaround between matches is going to hammer teams in terms of injuries.  The game has got faster, the turnaround less, which is mad from a player welfare perspective. 

We are actually having conversations about whether it is worthwhile progressing into a league final/provincial final at the risk of hampering preparations for the AI series. 

Personally, I think Armagh will be aiming for an Ulster title, it has been too long for them, giving they are performing quite well in recent times. 
The big question this weekend is whether Down can match that intensity they brought the other day. 

Ethan I'd suggest this is mostly a perspective issue than a real issue.

Because e.g. Down have known for months who their first round opponent would be, they've had months to prepare for it. They know only have 7 days for Armagh.

Here's the thing though, 7 days is plenty. It just looks a little warped by the preparation time available for the openers.

Personally, I believe the less time managers have to overtrain and prepare themselves to serve up doses of shite, the better it is for our sport.