MEATH. If you were to sum up 2021 in one word, it's Meath. The Royal County proved that dreams can come true as they were crowned All-Ireland Senior Champions in September, and deservedly so.
Not many were giving Meath a chance of beating champions Dublin - why should they have - as Mick Bohan's side had dominated the competition for the last few years and were seeking five-in-a-row. However, Eamonn Murray's side produced a top drawer performance, played with a heart, passion and desire that Dublin could not match to land their first ever Brendan Martin Cup in their first ever senior final, winning 1-11 to 0-12.
A huge amount of work went into putting Meath top of the pile in the country, this success was not manufactured overnight. It has been years in the making and there have been plenty of trials and tribulations along the way, but they are evidence that if you believe in yourself, you have the talent and you put in the effort, then you can achieve.
Think back to 2015, they were beaten by 40 points by Cork in an All-Ireland senior championship qualifier game. Six years later they are the All-Ireland champions. They went back down to intermediate level but even then, they had to work hard to get back up to senior, enduring two successive years of All-Ireland intermediate final heartache before they finally joined the top table again just 12 months ago.
Their progress also included two league titles, coming from Division Three in 2019 to win Division Two this year and heading into 2022 as All-Ireland champions they will no doubt attempt to shake up Division One.
Ulster's counties, every one of them, can take hope from seeing what Meath have achieved. Their results might not come instantly - Meath's certainly didn't although this year their foot was clearly on the accelerator - but those dreams of All-Ireland glory, at any level, are not impossible.
For our nine counties in the province it was a mixed year but there was still silverware to be won. With Covid restrictions still dictating when collective training could begin, it was April before teams could train together and the leagues did not begin until May. Its format was a split one with each division split into 'A' and 'B' with the top two in each qualifying for the semi-finals.
There was no league silverware for the province with Dublin taking the Division One title defeating Cork in the final, Meath clinching Division Two with victory over Kerry, Laois winning Division Three at Kildare's expense and Louth moving out of Division Four after defeating Leitrim in the decider.
Donegal did reach the Division One semi-finals after winning all three of their group games to finish top and set up a meeting with Cork in the last four, but they bowed out at that stage in a high-scoring game that was there for the taking. Tipperary lost out to Westmeath in the Division One relegation play-off.
Monaghan and Cavan both reached the Division Two semi-finals. The Farney lost out to Kerry after extra-time in an epic encounter while Cavan were second best against eventual league champions Meath.
Tyrone came through a relegation play-off against Wexford, hitting 11 goals, to save their Division Two status for next season. Armagh, Ulster's other Division Two side, neither found themselves in the semis nor in a relegation battle.
In Division Three, Down and Fermanagh had a tough campaign, each losing to Sligo and Roscommon in their group meaning their game against one another would determined who would avoid a relegation game. It was Down who prevailed sending Fermanagh into a play-off against Wicklow, where the Erne County lost by the narrowest of margins and two years after winning the 2019 Division Four title they found themselves returning back there.
Antrim and Derry both failed to reach the Division Four knockout stages. With both in the same group, bragging rights between the two neighbours went to Antrim but it wouldn't be the last time they would meet in the year.
ULSTER was the only province to run its provincial championship in 2021 with silverware at all three grades – junior, intermediate and senior – up for grabs.
In June, Antrim clinched the Junior title in emphatic style with a 4-17 to 1-8 victory over Derry in a straight final between the two making it two from two for the Saffrons with the sides due to meet again in the All-Ireland series.
Down edged a closely fought and exciting Ulster Intermediate final against Fermanagh winning 2-10 to 2-7 for their first provincial title since 2014.
The senior competition began in June as well with a preliminary round exit for Monaghan at the hands of defending champions Armagh, who also proved too strong for Tyrone in the semi-final while in the other side of the draw, Donegal, who did not participate in the 2020 provincial championship, saw off Cavan to set up a final clash with the Orchard County.
The game was level four times over the 60 minutes even though Donegal found themselves nine points adrift in the first half. But they fought their way back into it, levelling matters at the second water break to sent up an epic finish. Armagh moved three in front but Donegal’s Geraldine McLaughlin, who finished with 1-10 and received the Player of the Final award, tied up the game again before McKenna popped up with the winner.
That final did not take place until late August after the participation of the two counties in the All-Ireland series was over.
It began in July with 13 teams split into four groups in the senior competition. Armagh, Monaghan and Cavan were pitted into one group together along with Mayo, Tyrone found themselves in the same group as then reigning champions Dublin while Donegal were in with Galway and Kerry.
Armagh and Donegal finished top and runners-up in their respective groups to qualify for the quarter-finals but it was there that involvement for both ended, the Orchard County losing out to eventual winners Meath and Donegal bowing out to Dublin.
Monaghan neither reached the knock-out stages nor found themselves fighting for their senior status while Tyrone and Cavan were. They met each other in the relegation qualifier with Cavan securing their place in the senior championship for next season with a 2-11 to 0-14 victory after extra-time.
Tyrone did have another chance to save theirs against Tipperary in the relegation play-off but a 7-10 to 3-16 defeat means they will return to intermediate grade for 2022.
The Mary Quinn Memorial Cup for the All-Ireland Intermediate Championship resides in Westmeath, the early championship favourites seeing off Wexford in the final 4-19 to 0-6. Down's championship trail ended in a quarter-final defeat to Wexford while Fermanagh saw a disappointing year end without victory as they lost their intermediate status in a relegation play-off to Longford, 0-9 to 0-8.
Antrim may have lost their opening group game of the All-Ireland Junior series to Derry – a first win for the Oak Leaf County since 2019 – but they regrouped to reach the All-Ireland final against hot favourites Wicklow. The Garden County put last year's final defeat to Fermanagh behind them to win 2-17 to 1-9 on All-Ireland Finals Day in Croke Park at the beginning of September. Derry missed out on a semi-final spot after losing to Wicklow after extra-time in their final group game.
DONEGAL'S Geraldine McLaughlin finally got her hands on a coveted Ladies All Star award when she was named at corner forward on the 2021 All Star Team of the Year.
McLaughlin had missed out on five previous occasions and was the only Ulster player on this year's team that included eight players, including Players' Player of the Year Vicki Wall, from All-Ireland senior champions Meath.
THIRD Level football made a welcome return to action for the first time in almost 18 months in October as did secondary level schools' football and the province's underage intercounty championships got underway once again after missing out in 2020.
CLUB football brings the curtain down on the year but for now the 2021 club season is not quite finished with the All-Ireland series to be played early next year.
It was as you were in Donegal, Monaghan, Down, Armagh, Fermanagh and Derry with Glenfin, Donaghmoyne, Bredagh, Armagh Harps, Kinawley and Steelstown Brian Ogs all retaining their county titles. Carrickmore emerged from Tyrone to topple St Macartans while St Ergnats Moneyglass ended St Paul's 10 year reign in Armagh and Crosserlough took the Cavan crown.
Donaghmoyne clinched their 13th Ulster Senior Club title with a final replay victory over Bredagh 2-10 to 1-5 while Kinawley finally landed the Ulster Intermediate Club title putting previous final heartache behind them when they beat Steelstown Brian Ogs 1-8 to 1-7 with a late winning point from Roisin O'Reilly and Carrickmacross were crowned junior club champions with a similarly late winning point from Sarah Capaldi to deny Moortown 0-11 to 1-7.
The provincial club season ended on the Sunday before Christmas with Carrickmore being crowned Ulster minor club champions after seeing off Emmet Og (Monaghan) 2-6 to 1-5.
