Outside of the usual suspects of Dublin, Kerry and Mayo, Tyrone are the team being touted as potential All-Ireland champions. Having been in rebuilding mode for the past few years, the Red Hands are primed to challenge for major prizes and the Anglo-Celt Cup must be high on their agenda after going six years without provincial silverware.

Tyrone have built on their backdoor run to last year's All-Ireland semi-final by remaining unbeaten in the interim. With members of last year's All-Ireland U21 winning team making their presence felt, they completed a five-in-a-row of McKenna Cups in January before adding the Allianz League Division 2 title last month. Indeed, promotion was wrapped up with two rounds to spare.

But Mickey Harte has been around long enough to know that the Ulster championship is the most competitive and hardest of all to win, and that Tyrone will be doing well to come out of Celtic Park in a few weeks' time with their ambitions still intact. Derry are long overdue a win over their neighbours and won't be lacking in motivation for that one.

If Tyrone can clear that hurdle, they will face either Cavan or Armagh in the last four. Cavan are another team who are on the up, having achieved promotion to Division 1 alongside the Red Hands. They hammered Armagh in the early stages of the league, but the Orchard finished the campaign strongly, and will be an entirely different proposition for Terry Hyland's men in the championship.

Tyrone's main rivals for provincial success would appear to be holders Monaghan and Donegal, who are on course to meet in the other semi-final. Last year's surprise packets Fermanagh should take care of Antrim in the preliminary round to set up a quarter-final meeting with Donegal. Monaghan will meet a Down team who endured a torrid league campaign, albeit in exalted company in Division 1, in the other quarter-final.

Despite being a fading force, Donegal should overcome Rory Gallagher's native Fermanagh, while Monaghan are taken to beat Down. That would pave the way for a repeat of last year's final and provide Donegal with the chance to gain revenge. There may be one last kick left in this Donegal team and we could see it in the semi-final. But it will be a big ask of them to maintain their recent impressive championship record against Tyrone in the decider, if it comes to pass.

Predictions:

Champions: Tyrone; Runners-up: Donegal.

Odds (supplied by Paddy Power)

Donegal 9/4; Tyrone 9/4; Monaghan 4/1; Derry 7/1; Cavan 7/1; Armagh 18/1; Down 20/1; Fermanagh 33/1; Antrim 150/1.

Fixtures

May 15: Preliminary Round: Fermanagh v Antrim, Brewster Park.

May 22: Quarter-final: Derry v Tyrone, Celtic Park

May 29: Quarter-final: Cavan v Armagh, Kingspan Breffni Park.

June 5: Quarter-final: Monaghan v Down, Clones

June 12: Quarter-final: Donegal v Antrim/Fermanagh

June 19: Semi-final: Derry v Tyrone v Cavan/Armagh

June 25: Semi-final: Down/Monaghan v Fermanagh/Antrim/Donegal

July 17: Final, Clones

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