Armagh and Donegal are set to meet in the Ulster final for the second consecutive year, with the highly anticipated clash scheduled for 10 May in Clones.
The losing side from this year’s Ulster SFC final—either Armagh or Donegal—faces a particularly challenging path, as they will enter what has already been labelled the ‘Group of Death’ in the upcoming All-Ireland series.
Whichever team comes up short in the Ulster final will join Group Four alongside the Connacht runners-up—Galway or Mayo—along with Dublin and Derry.
“Can I be the first to call it the ‘Group of Death’, please?” remarked Feargal McGill, the GAA’s Director of Player, Club and Games Administration, during Wednesday’s group stage draw.
The Ulster champions, meanwhile, will be placed in Group One, which also features the Connacht champions (Galway or Mayo), Tyrone, and Cavan.
On paper, Group Four stands out as the most formidable, with all six prospective teams from that pool having advanced to last year’s knockout phases.
Derry and Dublin are confirmed in Group Four, with both counties eager to recover from early exits in their respective provincial competitions.
Derry’s campaign ended with a loss to Donegal in the Ulster preliminary round, while Dublin were eliminated by Meath in a surprise Leinster semi-final result, marking the first Leinster final without Dublin’s presence since 2010.
The opening round of Sam Maguire fixtures will take place on the weekend of 17/18 May, featuring the Connacht and Munster finalists among others.
Finalists from Ulster and Leinster will commence their All-Ireland campaigns the following week.
Armagh, aiming to defend their All-Ireland crown after securing the title for the second time last year, seek to build on their remarkable run.
Following a penalty shootout defeat to Donegal in last year’s Ulster final, the Orchard County progressed from a difficult group containing Galway, Derry, and Westmeath, before overcoming Roscommon, Kerry, and Galway in the knockout rounds to clinch the Sam Maguire.
Down, who qualified for the Sam Maguire series by winning last season’s Tailteann Cup, will compete in Group Three against the Leinster champions, the Munster runners-up, and Monaghan.
In the Tailteann Cup, Antrim will take on 2022 champions Westmeath, as well as Limerick and London, while Fermanagh are set to face Wexford, Carlow, and Longford.
Although Antrim were relegated to Division Four before a quarter-final defeat to Armagh in Ulster, they have nevertheless reached the Tailteann Cup semi-finals in consecutive seasons.
This year marks the final season under the current All-Ireland format, with group stages scheduled for removal in 2026.
All-Ireland SFC
Group One: Armagh/Donegal winners, Galway/Mayo losers, Tyrone, Cavan
Group Two: Kerry/Clare winners, Louth/Meath losers, Roscommon, Cork
Group Three: Louth/Meath winners, Kerry/Clare losers, Monaghan, Down
Group Four: Galway/Mayo winners, Armagh/Donegal losers, Dublin, Derry
Tailteann Cup
Group One: Kildare, Sligo, Leitrim, Tipperary
Group Two: Offaly, Laois, Wicklow, Waterford
Group Three: Westmeath, Limerick, Antrim, London
Group Four: Fermanagh, Wexford, Carlow, Longford