I don't want this thread descending into yet another borefest about the relative merits and drawbacks of each provincial championship. But the headline on this morning's Hoganstand page got me thinking. Eoin Bradley's possible return to the Derry setup will be a major boost to them as he is one of the best forwards in Ulster on his day. Derry also have strength with the likes of McKaigue, Lynch, Doherty and the Bradleys.

Down will have the lads back from Oz and can give any team in Ireland a game on their day. Will Danny Hughes be making himself available? If you have forwards like Clarke, Hughes, Poland, O'Hare, Coulter etc to call on you'll always have a chance.

Armagh have McGeeney on board so they will be stronger again. Expect to see Armagh become a lot more physical.

Monaghan will fancy their chances from the other side of the draw and will be keen to regain their Ulster title. I'd say by their own admission they didn't perform as well as they could in last years final.

Cavan certainly have good players coming through. Is Seanie Johnston going to be back? Again, like Monaghan, they may fancy their chances from their side of the draw.

Tyrone I don't know what to expect from them. Maybe the new management set-up can get some more out of what are undoubtedly talented players. That wee change in the background can make all the difference. Ronan O'Neill is playing great stuff for Omagh too. It'll certainly be a tricky test for Donegal in the preliminary.

As for ourselves - it is going to be very interesting to see what kind of shape Rory Gallagher will have us in. There have been no retirements. Yet. I guess we'll know more in the coming months. But any team capable of reaching an All-Ireland the year before cannot be discounted from the reckoning.

Apologies to Fermanagh and Antrim but nothing has shown me in the last couple of seasons that they are any closer to winning an Ultser title.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9116 - 18/11/2014 10:51:33    1672980

you've summed it up pretty well.

from a cavan point of view, i understand johnson is doing weights training with the panel at the minute, so i would assume he will rejoin the panel. cant look past the monaghan game (and i dont think any team can look past their first game - that's the beauty of USFC, especially next year.)

I would make Monaghan favourites for the title, given the simple fact they will be favourites to beat us and whoever they meet in the semi final should that happen.

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5010 - 18/11/2014 11:34:45    1672995

Armagh, Monaghan, Donegal. That's it. Don't think Tyrone will be up to the level required in 2015, but they are the only other team who may compete. Rest of the teams are also-rans. Ulster is more competitive than the other provinces but there are only 3 teams (4 at an outside shot) who can win the title.

pdempsey (Mayo) - Posts: 1313 - 18/11/2014 11:43:19    1672999

Maybe so pdempsey.

But the likes of Down and Derry could pick off any team in Ulster on a given day. You can't really say the same about other provinces. I'm not necessarily talking about quality here, more so the intensity of the competition.

Current odds listed below:

Monaghan 3/1
Donegal 4/1
Armagh 9/2
Derry 9/2
Tyrone 6/1
Cavan 15/2
Down 15/2
Fermanagh 25/1
Antrim 50/1

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9116 - 18/11/2014 11:58:45    1673006

Great post and well summed up. Genuinely wouldn't be surprised if 7 of 9 won it. It's going to be some war to get out of Ulster.

GetOverTheBar (Tyrone) - Posts: 1388 - 18/11/2014 12:33:22    1673012

Antrim 50/1 - get your house on it.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 18/11/2014 12:35:14    1673014

Can't see ourselves making much of an impact. Too many question marks hanging over the abysmal championship we had this year. Armagh to win it. Can't see Tyrone being the force they once were, too light up front. Derry and the championship are just not compatible it seems. League team. Monaghan runners up.

Ned_Stormcrow (Cavan) - Posts: 1071 - 18/11/2014 12:40:34    1673016

pdempsey
County: Mayo
Posts: 871

1672999
Armagh, Monaghan, Donegal. That's it. Don't think Tyrone will be up to the level required in 2015, but they are the only other team who may compete. Rest of the teams are also-rans. Ulster is more competitive than the other provinces but there are only 3 teams (4 at an outside shot) who can win the title.

it's strange how you could claim that a division 3 team would be one of only 3 teams in with a shout while ignoring 4 other teams who will be playing at a higher level in the forth-coming league.

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 18/11/2014 12:42:19    1673017

pdempsey
County: Mayo
Posts: 871

1672999 Armagh, Monaghan, Donegal. That's it. Don't think Tyrone will be up to the level required in 2015, but they are the only other team who may compete. Rest of the teams are also-rans. Ulster is more competitive than the other provinces but there are only 3 teams (4 at an outside shot) who can win the title.

Only three teams works out at 33% of the overall competition, how many other competitions have that high a percentage of likely winners? If you push that to 4 likely winners you are moving towards 50% . Yes there are also rans, but nowhere near as many as in other provinces

frankbhoy77 (Antrim) - Posts: 1300 - 18/11/2014 12:49:08    1673019

Very competitive Ulster Championship and I would only rule Fermanagh and Antrim out at this moment. Very important that the main contenders have a good run in the National League as prepartion and Division One should be a good watch with four Ulster teams battling it out.

Byanthon (Tyrone) - Posts: 1780 - 18/11/2014 12:51:18    1673020

Armagh are decent but not as good as Donegal made them look in the quarter final this year. Don't write Tyrone off, they are still dangerous and I'd predict that the winners of Donegal and Tyrone will beat Armagh. Really hard to call for 2015 but should be tight games all around. Donegal at 4/1 won't get too many punters as they have a minefield just to reach the final. These odds will be all over the place by the end of the league.

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1671 - 18/11/2014 13:25:19    1673028

Down 15/2, that has possibilities.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 18/11/2014 14:18:55    1673048

s goldrick - do you seriously think the league is relevant to the Ulster Championship? Wake up call. It's not!

pdempsey (Mayo) - Posts: 1313 - 18/11/2014 15:57:43    1673085

If Cavan overcome Monaghan which is in Breffni then they have a reasonable chance of beating the winners of Fermanagh / Antrim. That puts us into an Ulster Final. Then anything can happen!! Maybe Cavans Odds are a bit too generous. Get on them early !!!

Brownred (Cavan) - Posts: 229 - 18/11/2014 16:11:45    1673088

Ulster's competitiveness is it's strength and advantage. Probably 4 All-Ireland quarter-finalists next year.

legendzxix (Kerry) - Posts: 7823 - 18/11/2014 18:54:20    1673143

Every year it is the same story on here ulster posters saying that seven out of nine teams are capable of winning ulster which is rubbish, Frankboy you say that ulster has less also rans then other provinces but both Munster and Connacht have less also rans teams. It is a bit like last year when ulster posters were complaining about ulster teams been on the harder side of the draw and how the ulster teams were going to knock each other teams out ignoring the fact the ulster teams on the easier side of the draw all lost there first qualifier games and the ulster teams on the harder side of the draw had to play non ulster teams which in most cases the lost.

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 18/11/2014 21:47:34    1673214

Yet an ulster team sent Roscommon packing very easily

shaggylegend (Monaghan) - Posts: 1928 - 18/11/2014 21:53:43    1673216

ROS1, off the top of my head I can give you a few examples of defending AI Champions from Ulster being unceremoniously dumped out in the following year's provincial.
- 2003 Monaghan beat Armagh
- 2004 Donegal beat Tyrone
- 2006 Derry beat Tyrone
- 2013 Monaghan best Donegal

The title of my thread was discussing the competitiveness. I said nothing about what happens outside of Ulster.

Do you think your lads will topple Mayo this year?

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9116 - 19/11/2014 10:16:24    1673269

Shaggy we were a lot closer then your county was against Dublin and unfortunately we did not have as a friendly of a ref as yee had against Kildare, in any case Armagh were the second best Ulster team last year. Lock i have learned a long time ago never to expect anything with ros, when we do something it is usually unexpected. My point was while Ulster is competitive i don't think as many teams are capable of winning it as some posters think.

ros1 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1211 - 19/11/2014 21:35:45    1673515

To say 7 of the 9 have a chance of winning is a bit fanciful to say the least.

Monaghan 3/1 - rightly favourites because they have the easy side of the draw
Donegal 4/1 - Won 3 of the last 4 so won't be far away and a fresh manager should keep them interested
Armagh 9/2 - Coming team but McGeeney has failed on the big days with Kildare so will hardly deliver with Armagh
Derry 9/2 - Way to flaky to have any chance
Tyrone 6/1 - Never won many ulsters even when they were winning all Irelands and are not as good now - no chance with the tough draw they have
Cavan 15/2 - haven't the physicality of forwards to deliver in a bi Ulster championship game
Down 15/2 - Play way to nice a brand of football to win Ulster, would take a whole mindset change in the county to win next year

Fermanagh and Antrim are just making up the numbers and would be better off is there was a B competition

At the risk of some angry responses from all of Ulster, heres what I think of the others.

Leinster - Dublin to win at a canter as usual - no real point running this championship
Munster - Kerry to win - Corks exodus of dual player will set them back - rest have no need to tog out
Connaught - Mayo should win, may get surprised by Galway in Salthill which would give Roscommon a chance at the title. If Mayo beat Galway then Roscommon need not bother togging out for the final in Castlebar. All other counties just making up the numbers

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1105 - 20/11/2014 08:42:57    1673533