The Gaa Social Looks Ahead To The Championship

The victor of Sunday's opener faces Fermanagh 13 days later pinch a semi-final against either Donegal aliases Down to look guardant to.

McMahon is "leaning towards Armagh and Donegal" to meet connected 3 May but what of nan different broadside of nan draw?

Derry big Antrim connected 18 April pinch Cavan astatine location to Monaghan nan pursuing time - some games unrecorded connected nan BBC - pinch nan winners gathering successful a 2 May semi-final.

While nan Oak Leafers missed retired connected promotion from Division Two, they recovered shape aft a difficult 18 months and "are decidedly backmost connected nan road" according to nan erstwhile Dublin defender.

Should they flooded nan Saffrons, past who do they look from nan pursuing day's derby?

Monaghan mislaid their Division One position aft a difficult campaign, while Cavan managed to past successful Division Two.

Neither are connected a basking streak, but McManus notes "there's an opening for immoderate squad connected that broadside of nan tie to get to an Ulster final, truthful it's a large game".

"Division One is simply a very unforgiving spot to beryllium erstwhile you person a batch of injuries and you are blooding a batch of young lads astatine 1 time," McManus said of nan Farney men.

"We saw that nan first time against Armagh and it conscionable followed that shape nan full measurement through. They had a bully capacity against Donegal and hopefully they will person 4 aliases 5 lads backmost for illustration Ryan McAnespie, Conor McCarthy, Killian Lavelle, Dylan Byrne, Louis Kelly.

"Cavan aren't firing connected each cylinders either but connected their worst day, Cavan aliases Monaghan tin ever get themselves up for that game.

"Neither squad are coming successful connected nan crest of a wave, truthful if ever location was a 50-50 game, this is it."