Football

Derry and Down champions to meet in Ulster club preliminary

Could Slaughtneil and Kilcoo renew rivalries in the preliminary round of the Ulster Club series in 2017? Picture by Philip Walsh
Could Slaughtneil and Kilcoo renew rivalries in the preliminary round of the Ulster Club series in 2017? Picture by Philip Walsh Could Slaughtneil and Kilcoo renew rivalries in the preliminary round of the Ulster Club series in 2017? Picture by Philip Walsh

THE Seamus McFerran Cup has barely settled into a groove in Slaughtneil but the draws have already been made for next year’s provincial club championships.

And if the Emmet’s were to hold on to their Derry crown for what would be the fourth season in-a-row, they will meet the Down champions away from home in the preliminary round – which could potentially bring a repeat of this year’s Ulster final, where Mickey Moran’s side beat five-in-a-row Down winners Kilcoo.

That’s a long way off yet but regardless of who comes through Derry or Down, the winners of the preliminary round will also face a tough quarter-final against the Tyrone champions.

Derry’s winners, were they to win the preliminary game, would host the winners of the unpredictable Red Hand championship, but it would be in Tyrone were the Down champions to emerge from the opener.

Maghery will be desperate to hold on to their Armagh crown in the face of what will be a renewed challenge from Crossmaglen, and the Orchard county champions will be buoyed by their presence on the smoother-looking side of the draw.

They would be away to the Fermanagh champions and then face the winners of either Cavan or Antrim for a place in the final, which will take place on November 26.

The Ulster Senior Hurling Championship draw works on a rotational basis and this year will see the champions of Derry and Antrim clash in the semi-final.

Slaughtneil this year became the first club from the Oak Leaf county ever to win the Four Seasons Cup, beating Loughgiel in the final.

The other side of the draw currently pairs the Down champions with Fermanagh side Lisbellaw, though that could potentially change later in the year.

Middletown are yet to confirm their bid for senior provincial status for 2017, but are expected to do so, and if they were to retain the Armagh title they would meet Lisbellaw in a preliminary round game on October 1.

Having provided the four finalists in the Ulster intermediate and junior football Championships this autumn, the winners of Tyrone and Monaghan will meet at the quarter-final stage in both grades next year.

It was a double success for Tyrone as Pomeroy and Rock overcame Donaghmoyne and Blackhill respectively.

Derry have suffered the worst draw across the grades, away from home in senior, intermediate and junior and pulled out in the preliminary round in two of them.

2017 Ulster Club Championship draws

Ulster SFC

Preliminary round, October 15

(a) Down v Derry

Quarter-finals, October 28/29

(b) Fermanagh v Armagh

(c) Cavan v Antrim

(d) Monaghan v Donegal

(e) Tyrone v Down / Derry

Semi-final, November 12

Fermanagh / Armagh v Cavan / Antrim

Monaghan / Donegal v Tyrone / Down / Derry

Final, November 26

Ulster IFC

Preliminary round, October 15

(a) Cavan v Derry

Quarter-finals, October 28/29

(b) Armagh v Donegal

(c) Antrim v Down

(d) Tyrone v Monaghan

(e) Fermanagh v Cavan / Derry

Semi-final, November 12

Armagh / Donegal v Antrim / Down

Tyrone / Monaghan v Fermanagh / Cavan / Derry

Final, November 25/26

Ulster JFC

Preliminary round, October 15

(a) Cavan v Antrim

Quarter-finals, October 28/29

(b) Armagh v Derry

(c) Down v Fermanagh

(d) Tyrone v Monaghan

(e) Donegal v Cavan / Antrim

Semi-final, November 12

Armagh / Derry v Down / Fermanagh

Tyrone / Monaghan v Donegal / Cavan / Antrim

Final, November 25/26

Ulster SHC

Semi-finals, October 8

Antrim v Down

Derry v Lisbellaw (Fermanagh)

Final, October 22