Replying To Oldtourman:  "England and Ireland played in Calgary in 1990 and Limerick and Tipp played in LK the same day. MOM was the commentator and he said he went to Limerick the night before and called into various hostelries to sample the atmosphere. He said memorably that all the talk in the pubs was about the upcoming game and 'it was not the one in Calgary'"

Replying To Galway9801:  "Accommodating club players, and club fixtures is a great way to celebrate our games. They do after all make up 99% of the players."

Replying To Fairplayalways:  "of course, but there is also many many fans out there who follow the county sides of all counties not just their own (unlike the club set up I would say)...in fairness now TG4 do great coverage of the club championships...God be with the days see 1985 Ulster football championship dates and fixtures below, played from 19th May until the 21st July - Derry dethroning the then Ulster champions Tyrone was the shock and at least they were not out 7 days or even two weeks after again and the novelty of the win wasnt lost..I hear the club thing debate, but at what expense...I am an avid hurling follower and had to take two the other day when I seen the 2 semi finals and it was announced that the all Ireland hurling final was a repeat of last years, I was equally sort of surprised to be unable to recall Kilkenny beat Clare in the All Ireland semi final for 2nd year in a row...like games are getting lost in the pile up (outside of their own counties) no more novel fixtures now really in either codes..imagine in 1980's an All Irleand semi final between both Dublin and Monaghan and Kerry and Derry, firstly two Ulster teams wouldnt be in them for obvious reasons...its all very well having extra games and what have you, but at what price..there is no time anymore to savour a minnow that does create a shock, they are out again the next week and beaten mostly...

Preliminary round

19 May 1985
Preliminary round- Donegal 2-12 - 2-8 Down MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey

Quarter-finals
26 May 1985 Quarter-final Cavan 0-9 - 0-5 Antrim Breffni Park, Cavan
2 June 1985 Quarter-final Derry 1-9 - 1-8 Tyrone Dean McGlinchey Park, Ballinascreen
9 June 1985 Quarter-final Armagh 2-13 - 0-5 Fermanagh Athletic Grounds, Armagh
16 June 1985 Quarter-final Monaghan 1-14 - 0-7 Donegal St. Mary's Park, Castleblayney

Semi-finals
23 June 1985 Semi-final Cavan 0-7 - 0-11 Derry Athletic Grounds, Armagh
30 June 1985 Semi-final Monaghan 0-10 - 0-10 Armagh Breffni Park, Cavan
7 July 1985 Semi-final replay Monaghan 1-11 - 2-7 Armagh Breffni Park, Cavan

Final
21 July 1985
Monaghan 2-9 - 0-8 Derry St. Tiernach's Park, Clones"

Replying To Fairplayalways:  "of course, but there is also many many fans out there who follow the county sides of all counties not just their own (unlike the club set up I would say)...in fairness now TG4 do great coverage of the club championships...God be with the days see 1985 Ulster football championship dates and fixtures below, played from 19th May until the 21st July - Derry dethroning the then Ulster champions Tyrone was the shock and at least they were not out 7 days or even two weeks after again and the novelty of the win wasnt lost..I hear the club thing debate, but at what expense...I am an avid hurling follower and had to take two the other day when I seen the 2 semi finals and it was announced that the all Ireland hurling final was a repeat of last years, I was equally sort of surprised to be unable to recall Kilkenny beat Clare in the All Ireland semi final for 2nd year in a row...like games are getting lost in the pile up (outside of their own counties) no more novel fixtures now really in either codes..imagine in 1980's an All Irleand semi final between both Dublin and Monaghan and Kerry and Derry, firstly two Ulster teams wouldnt be in them for obvious reasons...its all very well having extra games and what have you, but at what price..there is no time anymore to savour a minnow that does create a shock, they are out again the next week and beaten mostly...

Preliminary round

19 May 1985
Preliminary round- Donegal 2-12 - 2-8 Down MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey

Quarter-finals
26 May 1985 Quarter-final Cavan 0-9 - 0-5 Antrim Breffni Park, Cavan
2 June 1985 Quarter-final Derry 1-9 - 1-8 Tyrone Dean McGlinchey Park, Ballinascreen
9 June 1985 Quarter-final Armagh 2-13 - 0-5 Fermanagh Athletic Grounds, Armagh
16 June 1985 Quarter-final Monaghan 1-14 - 0-7 Donegal St. Mary's Park, Castleblayney

Semi-finals
23 June 1985 Semi-final Cavan 0-7 - 0-11 Derry Athletic Grounds, Armagh
30 June 1985 Semi-final Monaghan 0-10 - 0-10 Armagh Breffni Park, Cavan
7 July 1985 Semi-final replay Monaghan 1-11 - 2-7 Armagh Breffni Park, Cavan

Final
21 July 1985
Monaghan 2-9 - 0-8 Derry St. Tiernach's Park, Clones"

Replying To KnockaineyAbú:  "for many years the Ulster council staggered their championship to try and maximise attendances. when UTV came on board with live coverage in the 1990s it made sense for TV purposes to have just one match each Sunday."

Replying To Seanfanbocht:  "5 teams got 1 game. ..."

Replying To Seanfanbocht:  "5 teams got 1 game. ..."

Replying To KnockaineyAbú:  "one thing we didn't have in the 80s were these frivolous and utterly pointless "championship launches"."

Replying To Jack L:  "That was when championship football was, 'One bite of the cherry'."

Replying To Jack L:  "I think with the troubles in the north, they could only accommodate one Ulster championship match per weekend. Back then there were no Saturday matches."

Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "The one thing that should have been 'launched' this year was GaaGo, but it wasn't. The GAA went for the sneaky silent approach instead.

Many people had missed Tipp/Clare Clare/Limerick and Cork/Tipp, before they even realised the route required to see those games on a TV, or device of some sort."