By Michael McMullan

THE prize for the winners of Saturday week’s Ulster final is a mini-Ulster championship in Group One of the All-Ireland SFC group stages.

Wednesday’s draw pits the winners of Donegal and Armagh against Tyrone and Cavan with Connacht runners up as the second seed.

Derry, who have yet to win a game in 2025, face into a group that includes Dublin, the winners of Galway and Mayo with the runner up from the Ulster final.

Monaghan, winners of Division Two, are paired with Down in a group with the winners of Leinster and runners up from the Munster final.

GROUP 1: Winner Armagh/Donegal, Loser Mayo/Galway, Tyrone, Cavan
GROUP 2: inner Kerry/Clare, Loser Meath/Louth, , Roscommon, Cork
GROUP 3: Winner Meath/Louth, Loser Kerry/Clare, Monaghan, Down
GROUP 4: Winner Mayo/Galway, Loser Armagh/Donegal, Dublin, Derry

FIXTURE DATES

Round 1 The first named team plays at home.
May 17/18
Winner Galway Mayo v Dublin,
Loser Galway/Mayo v Cavan
Winner Kerry/Clare v Roscommon
Loser Kerry/Clare v Down

May 24/25
Winner Ulster v Tyrone
Loser Ulster v Derry
Winner Meath/Louth v Monaghan,
Loser Meath/Louth v Cork

May 31/June 1 – Round 2
Seed 3 v Seed 2
Seed 4 v Seed 1
Seeds three and four will play at home.

June 14/15 – Round 3
Seed 1 v Seed 2
Seed 3 v Seed 4
Games will be played at neutral venues.

June 21/11 Preliminary Quarter-Finals
The four second-placed teams from the group stage will play at home against the four third-placed teams, subject in the first instance to the avoidance of repeat provincial final pairings and where possible repeat pairings from the group stage.

June 28/29 – Quarter-Finals
The four first-place teams from the group stage play the four Preliminary Quarter-Finals winners, subject in the first instance to the avoidance of repeat provincial final pairings and where possible repeat pairings from the group stage.

July 12/13 – Semi-Finals
The four quarter-final winners shall play against each other based on a draw, subject to the avoidance of repeat pairings from the championship, where possible.

July 27 – Final (Replay, August 9)

Check out this week’s Gaelic Lives review show, looking back on the Ulster SFC semi-finals.