County board officials in Ulster have been furnished with the provisional dates and venues for next year's provincial senior football championship.

It's understood that Tyrone won't object to the venue for their preliminary round clash with holders Donegal. The mouth-watering tie has been fixed for MacCumhaill Park on May 17, with the Ballybofey venue having also staged the 2012 quarter-final meeting of the counties after Tyrone had raised concerns about the ground's capacity.

As it transpired, the Red Hands' concerns were unfounded and they failed to sell their full allocation of tickets, so they will have no grounds for objecting to the venue this time around.

A week later, on May 24, Kingspan Breffni Park will stage the first of the quarter-finals between neighbours Cavan and Monaghan. The Fermanagh v Armagh quarter-final will take place in Brewster Park on May 31, with Derry hosting Down in Celtic Park on June 7. Remarkably, it will be the Oak Leafers' seventh successive home championship game since Brian McIver became manager.

The winners of the Donegal v Tyrone preliminary round tie will face Armagh in the last of the quarter-finals on June 14. If Donegal win, they will travel to the Athletic Grounds, but Tyrone will have home advantage in Healy Park if they come through.

The venues and dates will be confirmed on November 3.

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