It will take some innovative coaching to wrest Sam away

History would suggest that Donegal will fail next year when they set out to retain the Sam Maguire Cup.

Ulster teams just aren’t very good at defending their All-Ireland crowns and only two northern counties, Cavan (1947 and 1948) and Down (1960 and 1961), having won back-to-back titles.

During the modern era, northern sides have specialised in the one-in-a-row (Down 1991 and 1994, Donegal 1992, Derry 1993, Armagh 2002, and Tyrone 2003, 2005 and 2008).