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Beaten Ulster finalists face All-Ireland 'Group of Death'

Beaten Ulster finalists face All-Ireland 'Group of Death'

BBC News30-04-2025

This year's beaten Ulster SFC finalists - Armagh or Donegal - will drop into the so-called 'Group of Death' in the All-Ireland series. The losers of the Ulster final on 10 May will be placed into Group Four alongside the Galway/Mayo losers, Dublin and Derry. "Can I be the first to call it the 'Group of Death', please?" said GAA Director of Player, Club and Games Administration Feargal McGill during Wednesday's draw.The Ulster champions will drop into Group One with the winners of Sunday's Connacht final between Galway and Mayo, Tyrone and Cavan if they beat Donegal in the Ulster SFC final on 10 May. On paper, Group Four certainly looks to be the toughest on paper with all eight potential teams having reached last year's knockout rounds. Derry and Dublin are guaranteed to be a part of it with both counties hoping to rebound from disappointing provincial campaigns. Derry lost to Donegal in the Ulster preliminary round, while Dublin were stunned by Meath in last weekend's Leinster semi-finals, setting up a first Leinster final without the Dubs since 2010. The first round of Sam Maguire games will be played on the weekend of 17/18 May, with the Connacht and Munster finalists among those in action. The Ulster and Leinster finalists will begin their campaigns the following week. Armagh are hoping to retain their All-Ireland title after winning Gaelic football's biggest prize for the second time last summer. Down, who earned a spot in the Sam Maguire series by winning last year's Tailteann Cup, will face the Leinster winners, the Munster runners-up and Monaghan in Group Three.All-Ireland SFCGroup One: Armagh/Donegal winners, Galway/Mayo losers, Tyrone, CavanGroup Two: Kerry/Clare winners, Louth/Meath losers, Roscommon, CorkGroup Three: Louth/Meath winners, Kerry/Clare losers, Monaghan, DownGroup Four: Galway/Mayo winners, Armagh/Donegal losers, Dublin, DerryTailteann CupGroup One: Kildare, Sligo, Leitrim, TipperaryGroup Two: Offaly, Laois, Wicklow, WaterfordGroup Three: Westmeath, Limerick, Antrim, LondonGroup Four: Fermanagh, Wexford, Carlow, Longford

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