Dara Ó Cinnéide: Football’s troika can’t dilute our search for small winners

It was only after Donegal beat Armagh a fortnight ago that we realised the men of Tír Chonaill had never before beaten both Tyrone and the Orchard county in the same championship.

The result must have been some comfort to the longer serving members on the Donegal squad, especially those who were around a decade ago when the Tyrone and Armagh duopoly ruled Ulster with a hegemonic grip.

Back then, both Ulster counties were two-thirds of a three-way power struggle and, along with Kerry, they won every available All Ireland title between 2002 and 2010. Cork then emerged from the crazy mixed up year of 2010 when all provincial champions fell on August weekend.