Ulster Club IFC/JFC 2025

[Armagh18]

I thought both JFC & IFC in Armagh were poor, couldn't see anyone doing any damage in Ulster - probably Seniors included as well as there'll be partying there whoever wins. Clonoe have to be the Cullyhanna of the season - really a strong Senior team playing in IFC.

Been Intermediate for 2 out of the last 3 seasons. Would hardly call them a strong senior team

If Tyrone separated league and championship like most counties do, Clonoe would be nowhere near the IFC based on their SFC results. Senior semi-finalists in 2022 losing by 3 points to Carrickmore but relegated to IFC based on their league status, then last year beat Coalisland and then lost narrowly to Errigal Ciaran after a replay, yet somehow got relegated again to Intermediate via the league. They were massive favourites to win Tyrone IFC in 2023 but got ambushed by Moy in the semi-finals and they made sure they did not get caught out like that this year.

Yeah you're right but it's just further examples of how Tyrone are rigging the system.

I'd say it's the opposite in Tyrone.. What's that saying doing the rounds these days, accusations are usually confessions. Arva has to be the biggest shit show in club history

How can you have a team that were two games away from winning the Senior Championship relegated to Intermediate based off their performance in glorified challenge games / league campaign.

Arva were rightly relegated to junior based of abysmal performances in league and Championship were they barely scored in some games.

Simple really you take the league seriously and as a proper competition...

[laceer]

I don't get the whole "ignore the league" attitude. Sure, championship takes priority, but why would you scoff at one of the two competitions you can win in a year, and what likely makes up 80% of your matches?

[Duine Inteacht Eile]

They did play a playoff game against a Division 2 team (who didn't win Intermediate). They lost it and were subsequently relegated.

I could understand how a team may seriously underperform in a league if they were without their county players for a long period. As far as I'm aware, Clonoe don't have any.

Championships are maxed at 16 teams. There were 16 teams deservedly placed ahead of them.

[SouthOfThe Bann]

I thought both JFC & IFC in Armagh were poor, couldn't see anyone doing any damage in Ulster - probably Seniors included as well as there'll be partying there whoever wins. Clonoe have to be the Cullyhanna of the season - really a strong Senior team playing in IFC.

Been Intermediate for 2 out of the last 3 seasons. Would hardly call them a strong senior team

If Tyrone separated league and championship like most counties do, Clonoe would be nowhere near the IFC based on their SFC results. Senior semi-finalists in 2022 losing by 3 points to Carrickmore but relegated to IFC based on their league status, then last year beat Coalisland and then lost narrowly to Errigal Ciaran after a replay, yet somehow got relegated again to Intermediate via the league. They were massive favourites to win Tyrone IFC in 2023 but got ambushed by Moy in the semi-finals and they made sure they did not get caught out like that this year.

Yeah you're right but it's just further examples of how Tyrone are rigging the system.

I'd say it's the opposite in Tyrone.. What's that saying doing the rounds these days, accusations are usually confessions. Arva has to be the biggest shit show in club history

How can you have a team that were two games away from winning the Senior Championship relegated to Intermediate based off their performance in glorified challenge games / league campaign.

Arva were rightly relegated to junior based of abysmal performances in league and Championship were they barely scored in some games.

Simple really you take the league seriously and as a proper competition...

If your issue is taking the league seriously why do you guys put so much stock on Arva's league position in a county where you argue it's not taken seriously?

[DownFanatic]

2025 AIB Ulster Club Football Intermediate Championship

Round 1 – 1st/2nd November

(Glenullin) Derry V (Moneyglass) Antrim at Celtic Park

Quarter Finals – 8th/9th November

(Cuchulainns) Cavan V (Irvinestown) Fermanagh at Kingspan Breffni
(Clonoe) Tyrone V (Saval) Down at O'Neills Healy Park
(Carrickmacross, Killanny) Monaghan V (Naomh Columba) Donegal at Clones
(Sarsfields) Armagh V Derry/Antrim

If Armagh V Derry, at Box-It Athletic Grounds
If Antrim V Armagh, at Corrigan Park

Semi Finals – 22nd/23rd November

Winner (a) V Winner (b)
Winner (c) V Winner (d)

Final – 6th/7th December


2025 AIB Ulster Club Football Junior Championship

Round 1 – 25th/26th October

(Munterconnaught) Cavan v (Ardglass) Down at Kingspan Breffni

Quarter Finals – 1st/2nd November

(Donagh) Fermanagh v (St Agnes) Antrim at Brewster Park
(Slaughtmanus) Derry v (Clogher) Tyrone at Owenbeg
(Emyvale) Monaghan v (Carndonagh) Donegal at Clones
(Clonmore, Middletown) Armagh V Cavan/Down

If Armagh V Cavan, at Box-It Athletic Grounds
If Down v Armagh, at Páirc Esler

Semi Finals – 15th/16th November
Winner (a) V Winner (b)
Winner (c) V Winner (d)

Final – 22nd /23rd November

Twinning Final (Home) – 6th/7th December

[general_lee]

I thought both JFC & IFC in Armagh were poor, couldn't see anyone doing any damage in Ulster - probably Seniors included as well as there'll be partying there whoever wins. Clonoe have to be the Cullyhanna of the season - really a strong Senior team playing in IFC.

Been Intermediate for 2 out of the last 3 seasons. Would hardly call them a strong senior team

If Tyrone separated league and championship like most counties do, Clonoe would be nowhere near the IFC based on their SFC results. Senior semi-finalists in 2022 losing by 3 points to Carrickmore but relegated to IFC based on their league status, then last year beat Coalisland and then lost narrowly to Errigal Ciaran after a replay, yet somehow got relegated again to Intermediate via the league. They were massive favourites to win Tyrone IFC in 2023 but got ambushed by Moy in the semi-finals and they made sure they did not get caught out like that this year.

Yeah you're right but it's just further examples of how Tyrone are rigging the system.

I'd say it's the opposite in Tyrone.. What's that saying doing the rounds these days, accusations are usually confessions. Arva has to be the biggest shit show in club history

How can you have a team that were two games away from winning the Senior Championship relegated to Intermediate based off their performance in glorified challenge games / league campaign.

Arva were rightly relegated to junior based of abysmal performances in league and Championship were they barely scored in some games.

Simple really you take the league seriously and as a proper competition...

If your issue is taking the league seriously why do you guys put so much stock on Arva's league position in a county where you argue it's not taken seriously?

Doesn't matter how serious or unserious the league is taken (btw I refuse to believe that every Sunday is a collection of kickabouts in Cavan football). The fact all three Cavan winners were Division 1 is a pisstake. And then Arva came back into Ulster competition the following year to reach the intermediate final only losing by a point to fellow Division 1 club Ballinderry!

Cavan people will argue it's an anomaly, just like Derry people will argue it's an anomaly when their Division 1 teams win the Intermediate competition, just like like Donegal people will say their last two junior winners playing in Division 2 is just an anomaly.

[JoG2]

I thought both JFC & IFC in Armagh were poor, couldn't see anyone doing any damage in Ulster - probably Seniors included as well as there'll be partying there whoever wins. Clonoe have to be the Cullyhanna of the season - really a strong Senior team playing in IFC.

Been Intermediate for 2 out of the last 3 seasons. Would hardly call them a strong senior team

If Tyrone separated league and championship like most counties do, Clonoe would be nowhere near the IFC based on their SFC results. Senior semi-finalists in 2022 losing by 3 points to Carrickmore but relegated to IFC based on their league status, then last year beat Coalisland and then lost narrowly to Errigal Ciaran after a replay, yet somehow got relegated again to Intermediate via the league. They were massive favourites to win Tyrone IFC in 2023 but got ambushed by Moy in the semi-finals and they made sure they did not get caught out like that this year.

Yeah you're right but it's just further examples of how Tyrone are rigging the system.

I'd say it's the opposite in Tyrone.. What's that saying doing the rounds these days, accusations are usually confessions. Arva has to be the biggest shit show in club history

How can you have a team that were two games away from winning the Senior Championship relegated to Intermediate based off their performance in glorified challenge games / league campaign.

Arva were rightly relegated to junior based of abysmal performances in league and Championship were they barely scored in some games.

Simple really you take the league seriously and as a proper competition...

If your issue is taking the league seriously why do you guys put so much stock on Arva's league position in a county where you argue it's not taken seriously?

Doesn't matter how serious or unserious the league is taken (btw I refuse to believe that every Sunday is a collection of kickabouts in Cavan football). The fact all three Cavan winners were Division 1 is a pisstake. And then Arva came back into Ulster competition the following year to reach the intermediate final only losing by a point to fellow Division 1 club Ballinderry!

Cavan people will argue it's an anomaly, just like Derry people will argue it's an anomaly when their Division 1 teams win the Intermediate competition, just like like Donegal people will say their last two junior winners playing in Division 2 is just an anomaly.

8/10 teams and the rest dads and lads in Cavan?

[SouthOfThe Bann]

I thought both JFC & IFC in Armagh were poor, couldn't see anyone doing any damage in Ulster - probably Seniors included as well as there'll be partying there whoever wins. Clonoe have to be the Cullyhanna of the season - really a strong Senior team playing in IFC.

Been Intermediate for 2 out of the last 3 seasons. Would hardly call them a strong senior team

If Tyrone separated league and championship like most counties do, Clonoe would be nowhere near the IFC based on their SFC results. Senior semi-finalists in 2022 losing by 3 points to Carrickmore but relegated to IFC based on their league status, then last year beat Coalisland and then lost narrowly to Errigal Ciaran after a replay, yet somehow got relegated again to Intermediate via the league. They were massive favourites to win Tyrone IFC in 2023 but got ambushed by Moy in the semi-finals and they made sure they did not get caught out like that this year.

Yeah you're right but it's just further examples of how Tyrone are rigging the system.

I'd say it's the opposite in Tyrone.. What's that saying doing the rounds these days, accusations are usually confessions. Arva has to be the biggest shit show in club history

How can you have a team that were two games away from winning the Senior Championship relegated to Intermediate based off their performance in glorified challenge games / league campaign.

Arva were rightly relegated to junior based of abysmal performances in league and Championship were they barely scored in some games.

Simple really you take the league seriously and as a proper competition...

If your issue is taking the league seriously why do you guys put so much stock on Arva's league position in a county where you argue it's not taken seriously?

Doesn't matter how serious or unserious the league is taken (btw I refuse to believe that every Sunday is a collection of kickabouts in Cavan football). The fact all three Cavan winners were Division 1 is a pisstake. And then Arva came back into Ulster competition the following year to reach the intermediate final only losing by a point to fellow Division 1 club Ballinderry!

Cavan people will argue it's an anomaly, just like Derry people will argue it's an anomaly when their Division 1 teams win the Intermediate competition, just like like Donegal people will say their last two junior winners playing in Division 2 is just an anomaly.

Fair point but Arva got relegated on merit due to the fact they were missing players through injury and emigration and the following year got a good crop of 3 or 4 young players and the return of the injured and some of the emigrated lads back.

They would have found it hard to win a game at junior they were that bad the year they got relegated. Theyd have been relegated in the league too aswell only it was a covid year with no relegation.

Most people knew Arva were too good for junior when they got these players back; but you have to prove it on the pitch. And they failed at their first attempt losing to Drumlane in 2022 who are a yoyo club between division 2 and 3 and junior and intermediate in recent years.

It was a perfect storm from Arva; which meant they made dramatic improvements in a short space of time subsequently getting promoted to division 1 in 2022; which would not have been possible had there been relegation in 2021 as they would have been a division 3 team on merit after finishing bottom of the league the year previous.

Should we just regrade teams we know are too good for a given level or should we let them prove it on the pitch?

[GoldCoastRossie]

Can a Mod in the name of God please pin Official Guide Rule 6.21 to the thread.

6.21 County Championships
(1)  A County Committee shall organise its Championships on a Knock-Out, League, or a Combination of League and Knock-Out basis.
(2)  A County may be divided into districts for these Competitions.
(3)  The Committee-in-Charge shall draw up and approve all other Regulations governing the Organisation of a Championship, in advance of its commencement. A Regulation once adopted shall remain in force unless altered or deleted by a simple majority of those present, entitled to vote and voting. Alterations may be considered only on an annual basis.


If other counties are unhappy bring a rule change to Congress, and the simple fact is a lot of counties don't take their league seriously due to a lack of county players etc.

[general_lee]

Should we just regrade teams we know are too good for a given level or should we let them prove it on the pitch?

I'm not sure what the answer is, each county will have whatever system in place that works for their clubs and what their people are happy with. It's at provincial level where it becomes lopsided and maybe the Ulster Council could look at barring Division 1 & 2 clubs from playing in Junior competitions, the same way they bar IIs teams.

[ardtole]

It's difficult to adopt a one size fits all approach, counties like Fermamagh and Monaghan have smaller number of clubs. Emyvale in particular look very strong for junior level this year.

Down have top 16 teams at senior, next 16 at intermediate and bottom 10 in Junior. It works well within the county but probably to our detriment at provincial level in the intermediate and junior grades.

[general_lee]

It's difficult to adopt a one size fits all approach, counties like Fermamagh and Monaghan have smaller number of clubs. Emyvale in particular look very strong for junior level this year.

Down have top 16 teams at senior, next 16 at intermediate and bottom 10 in Junior. It works well within the county but probably to our detriment at provincial level in the intermediate and junior grades.

You're right there's no one size fits all but measures can be taken at provincial level to eliminate anomalies as much as possible.

Monaghan do it fairly (10, 10 & 10) as do Armagh, Tyrone, Down and Antrim. For some other counties it's a bit of a free for all

[oakleaflad]

It's difficult to adopt a one size fits all approach, counties like Fermamagh and Monaghan have smaller number of clubs. Emyvale in particular look very strong for junior level this year.

Down have top 16 teams at senior, next 16 at intermediate and bottom 10 in Junior. It works well within the county but probably to our detriment at provincial level in the intermediate and junior grades.

You're right there's no one size fits all but measures can be taken at provincial level to eliminate anomalies as much as possible.

Monaghan do it fairly (10, 10 & 10) as do Armagh, Tyrone, Down and Antrim. For some other counties it's a bit of a free for all

So Monaghan do it fairly at 10, 10 and 10 for example. But Derry do 16, 12 and 9 and we're not doing it fairly?

[general_lee]

It's difficult to adopt a one size fits all approach, counties like Fermamagh and Monaghan have smaller number of clubs. Emyvale in particular look very strong for junior level this year.

Down have top 16 teams at senior, next 16 at intermediate and bottom 10 in Junior. It works well within the county but probably to our detriment at provincial level in the intermediate and junior grades.

You're right there's no one size fits all but measures can be taken at provincial level to eliminate anomalies as much as possible.

Monaghan do it fairly (10, 10 & 10) as do Armagh, Tyrone, Down and Antrim. For some other counties it's a bit of a free for all

So Monaghan do it fairly at 10, 10 and 10 for example. But Derry do 16, 12 and 9 and we're not doing it fairly?

Aw god I dunno. The team that finished 10th in Derry division 1 won your intermediate championship (again). The team that finished 10th (2nd in 1B) in the Armagh leagues is in the senior championship final this weekend

[oakleaflad]

It's difficult to adopt a one size fits all approach, counties like Fermamagh and Monaghan have smaller number of clubs. Emyvale in particular look very strong for junior level this year.

Down have top 16 teams at senior, next 16 at intermediate and bottom 10 in Junior. It works well within the county but probably to our detriment at provincial level in the intermediate and junior grades.

You're right there's no one size fits all but measures can be taken at provincial level to eliminate anomalies as much as possible.

Monaghan do it fairly (10, 10 & 10) as do Armagh, Tyrone, Down and Antrim. For some other counties it's a bit of a free for all

So Monaghan do it fairly at 10, 10 and 10 for example. But Derry do 16, 12 and 9 and we're not doing it fairly?

Aw god I dunno. The team that finished 10th in Derry division 1 won your intermediate championship (again). The team that finished 10th (2nd in 1B) in the Armagh leagues is in the senior championship final this weekend

If we did it 'fairly' and put a third of our clubs in each championship, clubs stronger than Glenullin would be winning Intermediate every year.