For 16 years now, Kieran McKeever has carried a mantle that he doesn’t want any more.

Monaghan were one of the success stories last year, but Colin Walshe is convinced they can achieve even bigger things in 2014.

Jim McGuinness has turned to three former players - Damian Diver, John Duffy and Paul McGonigle - to fill the vacant positions in the Donegal senior football management team for 2014.

Donegal's All-Ireland winning captain Michael Murphy is quite comfortable admitting that Dublin are 'the team to beat' as the race for the Sam Maguire Cup hots up.

2012 All-Star Mark McHugh will line out for Donegal in Sunday's Ulster SFC semi-final showdown with Down at Kingspan Breffni Park (throw-in 2pm).

Last week, work took me to the German capital Berlin, where I spent four days in the company of cement kiln refractory specialists from around the globe.

Peter Harte claims Brian McGuigan is a ‘genius’ and his return on the eve of Tyrone’s championship opener has been warmly welcomed.

ARE Tyrone playing possum or are they actually dead? With just four days to go until the start of the Ulster Championship, this is the question that remains to be answered.

AS the game wound down yesterday one journalist turned to his son, who was wearing an Antrim jersey and was sitting next to him in the press box, and told him that this was a moral victory.

Antrim captain Paddy Cunningham is hoping to lift the Anglo Celt Cup this Sunday in Antrim's first Ulster Senior Football Championship final appearance since 1970.c

OWEN MULLIGAN has described the criticism of Sunday’s Ulster Championship tie between Derry and Monaghan as “over the top”.

After guiding Armagh to the Ulster SFC title in his first season in charge, Peter McDonnell hailed his side's determination to see out a 1-11 to 0-08 win in yesterday's replayed final against Fermanagh.

PRIDE of place last weekend goes to two counties whose days in the sun have been few and far between — Fermanagh and Wexford.

Down manager Ross Carr will patrol the sideline at Healy this afternoon after he was granted 'interim relief' in his appeal to an eight-week suspension.

As his side prepare for their Ulster SFC opener against Down this weekend, Tyrone midfielder Sean Cavanagh knows that expectations are high as they try to replicate last year's Anglo Celt Cup success.

Fermanagh manager Malachy O'Rourke has plumped for Ronan Gallagher between the posts for the Ernesiders' Ulster SFC quarter-final clash with Monaghan (Enniskillen, throw-in 4pm).

Derry midfielder Fergal Doherty was yesterday honoured as the last ever Vodafone Footballer of the Month, following an awards ceremony in Dublin.

Damien Freeman is in his third season as Monaghan captain and is keen to put his leadership qualities to good use this Sunday when the Farney men contest their first Ulster SFC decider since 1988.

Tyrone manager Mickey Harte has made three changes for Sunday's Ulster SFC semi-final showdown with Donegal (Clones, throw-in 2.15pm).

Paddy Bradley has not been included in the Derry side for Sunday's Ulster SFC quarter-final against Antrim (Casement Park, throw-in 4.15pm).

Cavan manager Donal Keoghan has his players primed to reverse the result of the corresponding fixture in last year's Championship, when the Breffni men open their 2007 Ulster SFC campaign against Down tomorrow afternoon.

Martin O'Rourke and John McEntee have been brought into the Armagh attack for Sunday's Ulster SFC final against Donegal (Croke Park, throw-in 2.15pm).

Armagh manager Joe Kernan has ruled defender Tony McEntee out of his plans for Sunday's Ulster SFC final against Donegal.

Donegal corner forward Michael Doherty is to learn later this week if he can take any part in the upcoming Ulster SFC final against Armagh.

The Ulster SFC final could be held at Croke Park next month but only if reigning champions Armagh come through their semi-final replay against Fermanagh on Sunday.

Wing back Paul Duffy has given Armagh a boost ahead of their Ulster SFC semi-final replay against Fermanagh on Sunday.

Monaghan 0-10 Armagh 1-13, Clones

Today's draw for the 2006 Ulster Senior Football Championship has paired All-Ireland champions Tyrone with Derry in a mouth-watering quarter-final.

MICKEY HARTE accepts Tyrone will face a “different” Kerry in the Bank of Ireland football final in three weeks to the one they easily overcame in the 2003 semi-final.

Derry have been forced to leave a vacancy at corner forward this weekend following Paul Bradley's cruciate knee injury.