The Ulster Senior Football Championship is an inter-county competition for Gaelic football teams in the province of Ulster. It is organised by the Ulster Council of the

Gaelic Athletic Association The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include the traditional ...

(GAA) and begins in early May. The final is usually played on the third Sunday in July. All nine Ulster counties participate. It is regarded as hardest to win of the four provincial football championships. At a referee conference in January 2015, David Coldrick said about officiating in the competition: "Ulster makes or breaks you. It can be a graveyard. The games are different. There is an extra dimension and intensity, and you must be at your best. If you aren't prepared physically and mentally, the chances are you will be caught out. But when you are appointed for your first Ulster championship match, that's making progress". Derry are the current champions after beating

Donegal Donegal may refer to: County Donegal, Ireland * County Donegal, a county in the Republic of Ireland, part of the province of Ulster * Donegal (town), a town in County Donegal in Ulster, Ireland * Donegal Bay, an inlet in the northwest of Ireland b ...

in 2022. The winners receive the Anglo-Celt Cup, which was presented to the Ulster Council in 1925 by John F. O'Hanlon, who was editor of ''

The Anglo-Celt ''The Anglo-Celt'' () is a weekly local newspaper published every Thursday in Swellan, Cavan, Ireland, founded in 1846. It exclusively contains local news about Cavan and surroundings. The news coverage of the paper is mainly based on the pa ...

'' newspaper based in Cavan. Cavan are the most successful team in Ulster Championship history, having won the competition on 40 occasions. Cavan maintain the record for consecutive appearances in Ulster Finals. During the 1930s and 1940s, they appeared in and won seven consecutive Ulster titles.

Fermanagh Historically, Fermanagh ( ga, Fir Manach), as opposed to the modern County Fermanagh, was a kingdom of Gaelic Ireland, associated geographically with present-day County Fermanagh. ''Fir Manach'' originally referred to a distinct kin group of a ...

remain the only team not to have won an Ulster title. The Ulster Senior Football Championship celebrated its 125th year in 2013. For many decades, winning the Ulster Senior Football Championship was considered as much as a team from Ulster could hope for, as the other provinces were usually much stronger and more competitive. Before 1990, only Cavan in 1933, 1935, 1947, 1948 and 1952, and Down in 1960, 1961 and 1968, had won the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship title. In the 1990s however, a significant sea change took place, as the Ulster Champions won the All-Ireland in four consecutive years from 1991 to 1994. Since then Ulster has produced more All-Ireland winning teams than any other province. Currently the Ulster Senior Football Championship is considered one of the toughest provinces to compete in. Ulster teams have gained considerable dominance on the All-Ireland scene, having won three All-Irelands from four in the early 2000s, including in 2003 when for the first time ever, the All-Ireland football final was competed for by two teams from one province. The Ulster football final is normally played on the third Sunday in July, usually at

St Tiernach's Park St Tiernach's Park is the principal GAA stadium of Ulster GAA located in County Monaghan, Ireland. It is used mainly for Gaelic football. Such is its association with the town of Clones ( ), which is located to the south, the venue itself is of ...

in Clones. From 2004 until 2006, it was staged at Croke Park in

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 ...

. The 2007 final—contested by

Monaghan Monaghan ( ; ) is the county town of County Monaghan, Ireland. It also provides the name of its civil parish and barony. The population of the town as of the 2016 census was 7,678. The town is on the N2 road from Dublin to Derry and Let ...

and Tyrone—marked a return to Clones, with Tyrone emerging victorious. The Athletic Grounds in Armagh hosted the 2020 final, as the fixture was played behind closed doors due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games. The final was last played in

Belfast Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdom ...

in 1971. In the 2000s, Armagh were a dominant force in Ulster, winning six titles in eight years between 1999 and 2006.

won consecutive Ulster titles from the preliminary round in 2011 and 2012 (a feat achieved by no other county) and added the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in 2012. The 2019 final had the highest score for the winning team in the final (Donegal that year) since 1933 when Cavan won, and the second highest score ever. It also had the highest Ulster final score for the losing team ever (Cavan on this occasion).

Current team details

The Ulster championship is contested by the nine traditional counties in the Irish province of Ulster. The province comprises the six counties of

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label=Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is #Descriptions, variously described as ...

plus the counties of Cavan,

and

in the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. ...

. It is the only provincial championship which is mostly composed of UK teams.

Format

The Ulster Senior Football Championship is a straight knock-out competition. Seven of the nine teams are drawn in the quarter-finals, while the other two teams contest a preliminary match to determine the final quarter-final place. The winners of the championship enter the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship at the quarter-final group stage, while the other eight teams compete in the All-Ireland qualifiers. Before the introduction of the qualifiers in 2001, the winners of the Ulster Championship went straight to the semi-final stage of the All-Ireland Championship, along with the winners of the

Leinster Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of ...

, Munster and

Connacht Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms ( Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and ...

Championships.

List of winners by county

A golden background denotes years in which the Ulster champions also won the All-Ireland Championship.

List of finals by year

;Notes: * 2020 No crowd attendance due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games * 1939 Game abandoned – replay ordered * 1907 No official final result in records * 1901-1902 championship was played over two seasons and only counts as one Ulster Title * 1900 Antrim were to have represented Ulster but gave walkover to

Galway Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...

. * 1892–1900 No championship. Cavan played in Leinster Senior Football Championship in 1895. * 1891 Cavan Slashers, ( Cavan) v Armagh Harps, ( Armagh) game Abandoned Smithboro Co Monaghan game replayed Cavan 1-11 Armagh 0-00 * 1890 Armagh Harps, ( Armagh) v Owen Roe O'Neill's ( Tyrone) * 1889 No Ulster championship * 1888 Ulster Senior Football Championship Inniskeen Grattans of (Monaghan) v Maghera MacFinns of (Cavan) game went to a Replay * 1887 No Ulster championship

Managers

Manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activitie ...

s in the Ulster Championship are involved in the day-to-day running of the team, including the training, team selection, and sourcing of players from the club championships. Their influence varies from county-to-county and is related to the individual county boards. From 2018, all inter-county head coaches must be Award 2 qualified. The manager is assisted by a team of two or three selectors and an extensive backroom team consisting of various coaches. Prior to the development of the concept of a manager in the 1970s, teams were usually managed by a team of selectors with one member acting as chairman.

Scoring records

On 9 July 2006,

Oisín McConville Oisín McConville ( ga, Oisín Mac Conmhaoil; born 13 October 1975) is an Irish Gaelic football manager and former player. He has been manager of the Wicklow county team since 2022. McCoville played at senior level for the Armagh county team ...

became the record point scorer in the history of the Ulster Senior Football Championship in that year's final at Croke Park.

All-time top Ulster scorers

As of 3 June 2008 according to the BBC. Updated list (2012) Notes: *Includes Ulster Championship, All-Ireland Championship and Qualifiers.

All-time top Ulster goalscorers

As of 15 June 2008, according to the '' Sunday Tribune''. Notes: *Includes Ulster Championship, All-Ireland Championship and Qualifiers. *Since the records have been done

Brendan Coulter Brendan "Benny" Coulter is an Irish Gaelic football manager and player who plays for his local club Mayobridge and, previously, for the Down senior football team until his retirement in 2014; he also teaches kids about Gaelic in different schoo ...

has become the top goal scorer with 18. **Paddy Bradley scored 4 more goals and finished on 17.

Ulster top scorers by year

* 2019 Rian O'Neill ( Armagh) 0-18 * 2018 Paddy McBrearty (

) 0-19 * 2017

Conor McManus Conor McManus (born 1987) is a Gaelic footballer who plays at senior level for the Monaghan county team. Often referred to as his county's best ever player, he is Monaghan's top scorer in National Football League history. After winning the 20 ...

(

) 2-13 * 2016

(

) 1-20 * 2015

(

) 1-19 * 2014

(

) 1-14 * 2013 Colm McFadden (

) 2-12 * 2012 Colm McFadden (

) 2-15 * 2011

Martin Clarke Martin "Marty" Clarke ( ga, Máirtín Ó Cléirigh; born 13 November 1987) is a Gaelic and former Australian rules footballer who played for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) from 2007 to 2009 and again from ...

( Down) &

Seán Cavanagh Seán Cavanagh (born 16 February 1983) is an Irish former Gaelic footballer who played for the Moy Tír Na nÓg club and for the Tyrone county team. He is a five-time All Star winner. He won All-Ireland Championships for Tyrone at minor leve ...

( Tyrone) 2-16 * 2010

( Down) 1-30 * 2009

Paddy Bradley Patrick Bradley (born 23 May 1981) is an Irish sportsman who plays Gaelic football for John Mitchel's Glenullin and the Derry county team. With the county he has won two National League titles, and individually an All Stars Award for his perf ...

( Derry) 3–12 * 2008 Steven McDonnell ( Armagh) 1-17 * 2007 Tommy Freeman (

) 1-15 * 2006

( Armagh) 3–25 * 2005 Stephen O'Neill ( Tyrone) 1–26 * 2004 Colm McFadden (

) &

( Armagh) 1–13 * 2003

Peter Canavan Peter Canavan (born 9 April 1971) is an Irish former Gaelic footballer, manager and pundit. He played inter-county football for Tyrone, and is one of the most decorated players in the game's history, winning two All-Ireland Senior Football Ch ...

( Tyrone) 1–38 * 2002 Rory Gallagher (

) 4–12 * 2001 Rory Gallagher (

) 0–16 * 2000 Rory Gallagher (

) 1–19 * 1999

( Armagh) 3–18 * 1998 Joe Brolly ( Derry) & Tony Boyle (

) 0–13 * 1997 Joe Brolly ( Derry) 3–15 * 1996

( Tyrone) 3–13 * 1995

( Tyrone) 0–20 * 1994

( Tyrone) 1–17 * 1993 John Toner ( Armagh) 0–23 * 1992

Enda Gormley Enda Gormley (born 8 March 1966) is a Gaelic footballer who played for the Derry county team in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. He played club football with Maghera club Glen, and currently plays with Belfast club Bredagh. Gormley was part ...

( Derry) 0–25 * 1991 Ross Carr ( Down) 0–21 * 1990 Manus Boyle (

) 1–16 * 1989 Martin McHugh (

) 2–16 * 1988 Stephen Conway ( Tyrone) 0–17 * 1987

( Derry) 0–20 *1986 Brendan Mason ( Down) 3–17 *1985 Eamonn McEneaney (

) 3–16 *1984

Frank McGuigan Frank McGuigan is a former Gaelic footballer who played for the Ardboe O'Donnovan Rossa club and the Tyrone county team. Despite his playing career being cut short by a car crash, which broke his leg, he is considered a legend in Tyrone foot ...

( Tyrone) 0–19 *1983 Derek McDonnell ( Cavan) 4–11 *1982 John Corvan ( Armagh) &

Peter McGinnity Peter McGinnity (born October 1953) is a Gaelic football manager and former player who hails from Roslea in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. He also had past convictions within the Provisional Irish Republican Army(PIRA) Career Peter McGi ...

(

) 1–9 *1981 Eamonn McEneaney (

) & Brendan McGovern ( Down) 1–17 *1980 Patsy Hetherington ( Tyrone) & Patsy Kerlin ( Tyrone) 4–3 *1979

Kieran Finlay Kieran "Jap" Finlay (died 2012) was a Gaelic footballer who played for Ballybay Pearse Brothers and at senior level for the Monaghan county team and the father of Paul Finlay. He had two Ulster Championship medals in his back pocket (from 19 ...

(

) 1–18 *1978 Donal Donohoe ( Cavan) 0–12 *1977 Brendan Kelly ( Derry) 2–10 *1976 Steve Duggan ( Cavan) 1–22 *1975 Willie Walsh ( Down) 3–8 *1974 Seamus Bonner (

) 6–4 *1973 Patsy Hetherington ( Tyrone) 0–17 *1972 Joe Winston (

) 0–26 *1971

Sean O'Connell Sean O'Connell was a Gaelic football manager and player who featured for the Derry county team in the late 1950s, 1960s and 1970s and was on the Derry side that finished runners-up to Dublin in the 1958 All-Ireland Championship – winning an ...

( Derry) 1–18 *1970 Andy McCallin ( Antrim) 3–15 *1969 Sean Woods (

) & Gene Cusack ( Cavan) 3–7 *1968 Paddy Doherty ( Down) 1–17 *1967 Charlie Gallagher ( Cavan) 0-*19 *1966 PT Treacy (

) 4–13 *1965 Charlie Gallagher ( Cavan) 2–29 *1964 Charlie Gallagher ( Cavan) 0-*19 *1963 Harry Laverty (

) 2–10 *1962 Seamus McMahon ( Cavan) &

Frankie Donnelly Frankie Donnelly was a Gaelic footballer, who was part of Tyrone's breakthrough era in the mid-fifties, claiming two Ulster Championships in a row, with Donnelly being Ulster's top scorer in both those years. His prolific scoring has passed i ...

( Tyrone) 0–11 *1961 Paddy Doherty ( Down) 1–16 *1960 Con Smith ( Cavan) 1–17 *1959 Paddy Doherty ( Down) 1–17 *1958 Paddy Doherty ( Down) 3–14 *1957

( Tyrone) 1–14 *1956

( Tyrone) & Victor Sherlock ( Cavan) 2–7 *1955 Peter Donohoe ( Cavan) 0–14 *1954 Brian Gallagher ( Cavan) 0–14 *1953 Art O'Hagan ( Armagh) 3-04 *1952 John Joe Cassidy ( Cavan) 1-07 *1951 Joe McCallin ( Antrim) 3–14 *1950 Peter Donohoe ( Cavan) 3–18 *1949 Peter Donohoe ( Cavan) 4–10 *1948 Peter Donohoe ( Cavan) 3–12 * Scores only include Ulster Championship. All-Ireland Championship and Qualifiers are not included.

Gallery

Broadcasters

In the late 1990s, matches were broadcast in

by UTV before moving to BBC Northern Ireland.

Team progress since 2001

Below is a record of each county's performance since the introduction of the qualifier system to the All-Ireland series in 2001. Qualifiers did not occur from 2020 onwards due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games. ;Key

By Semi-Final Appearances (Since 2020)

''Bold indicates years reached to final.''

Notes

References

External links

"Anglo Celt Cup winners"
BBC. 2009.
Do you remember the last Ulster SFC final before the back door arrived?
{{Ulster Council 1888 establishments in Ireland Recurring sporting events established in 1888 3 1