Antrim

Managers: Aidan Thornbury, Dermot Graham, Brian Coyle, Roy McLarnon.

All-Irelands: 0 Ulster: 10 (1946).

1996: first round, btn by Cavan, 1-15/1-11.

1997: first round, btn by Donegal, 2-12/1-13.

1998: first round, btn by Donegal, 0-11/1-11.

1996-98: P3 W0 D0 L3 0%.

1999: First round v Down, June 20th, Newry.

Little has happened since last year's annual championship outing to suggest that Antrim have begun to shake themselves free of the lucklessness and wretched results which have characterised their seasons in recent years.

They can take precious little solace from the league, having lost six games out of the eight in a fairly mediocre division. Although Down, the team they face on June 20th, looked distinctly brittle over the winter, it is impossible to imagine anything other than an Antrim loss.

Armagh

Managers: Brian Canavan and Brian McAlinden.

All-Irelands: 0

Ulster: 7 (1982).

1996: Ulster first round, btn by Derry, 1-13/1-6.

1997: Ulster first round, btn by Tyrone, 1-12/0-12.

1998: Ulster semi-final, btn by Derry, 2-13/0-12.

1996-98: P4 W1 D0 L3 25%.

1999: First round v Donegal, June 6th, Ballybofey.

Many felt that Armagh were the one spiralling side in a province on the wane last year, yet they withered against Ulster's most consistent force, Derry. A solid and cohesive league campaign has led to a re-emergence of the whispers about this being Armagh's year.

They have already proven their durability, scrapping fiercely for two points in their backyard against Tyrone, which secured a play-off berth, and forcing a draw against Dublin in the semi-final. Yet last Sunday's loss in the replay of that game leaves them in a quandary; Diarmuid Marsden may now miss their first round outing against Donegal and without him, their attack is a fitful thing. Still, they have based a decent team around Kieran McGeeney, Paul McGrane and Marsden. If they do make it to an Ulster final, they'll be hard to stop.

Cavan

Manager: Val Andrews.

All-Irelands: 5 (1952)

Ulster: 37 (1997).

1996: Ulster semi-final, btn by Down, 0-13/1-13.

1997: All-Ireland semi-final, btn by Kerry, 1-10/1-17.

1998: Ulster semi-final, btn by Donegal, 0-13/0-15.

1996-98: P9 W5 D1 L3 61%.

1999: First round v Derry, June 13th, Casement Park.

Whatever optimism had remained from Martin McHugh's spell in Cavan dissolved early in the new year when Liam Austin resigned from the managerial post after something of a players' putsch. Ironically, their league results up to that had been fairly respectable.

Val Andrews came on board laden with glittering Sigerson qualifications yet Cavan do not appear to have undergone any revolution in terms of results, snatching a late and controversial win against Wexford to finish fifth in Division 2B. With a fit Dermot McCabe and with Jason and Larry Reilly on song, they may put it up to Derry on June 13th. But the chances are their summer will be short.

Derry

Manager: Eamonn Coleman.

All-Irelands: 1 (1993)

Ulster: 7 (1998).

1996: Ulster semi-final, btn by Tyrone, 1-13/1-08.

1997: Ulster final, btn by Cavan, 1-14/0-16.

1998: All-Ireland semi-final, btn by Galway, 0-16/1-8.

1996-98: P10 W6 D1 L3 65%.

1999: First round v Cavan, June 13th, Casement Park.

The Brian Mullins era ended on a dismal day in Croke Park last August, Eamonn Coleman was sworn in with the minimum of fanfare and Derry took to the league, so often their stomping ground this decade, very queasily. Yet after the break, they began showing some of the old form and even though Cork walloped them in the quarter-finals, it's hard to overlook them now.

Henry Downey shone in a recent challenge game against Tyrone and should return to bolster an already reputable defence. an Martin Lockhart and Paul McFlynn. Coleman has midfield options in Anthony Tohill, Ruairi Boylan, Enda Muldoon and Dermot Heaney and Their forwards, while rarely a bunch to embark on scoring sprees, have talent and poise enough to burn teams in smiling Joe Brolly, Joe Cassidy, Seamus Downey and Dermot Dougan. You think of Ulster and it's still hard to look beyond them.

Donegal

Manager: Declan Bonner.

All-Irelands: 1 (1992)

Ulster: 5 (1992).

1996: Ulster preliminary round, btn by Down, 1-9/0-12.

1997: Ulster semi-final, btn by Cavan, 2-16/2-10.

1998: Ulster final, btn by Derry, 0-8/1-7.

1996-98: P6 W3 D0 L3 50%.

1999: First round v Armagh, Ballybofey, June 6th.

Although Declan Bonner has done exceptionally well in a season and a half, there remains the niggling feeling that Donegal have lost some games they should have won. The question is, can they go and win a match many people feel they should lose against Armagh?

It would be foolhardy to write them off. They have problems - Mark Crossan will probably have to deputise for suspended full back John Joe Doherty, midfielder Jim McGuinness needs a regular bulky anchor and they need to identify a team leader in the McHugh mould. That said, they have defensive savvy in the likes of Noel Hegarty and Niall McCready, a workhorse in McGuinness and attacking diamonds in Tony Boyle and Brendan Devenney. No team will relish facing them.

Down

Manager: Pete McGrath.

All-Irelands: 5 (1994)

Ulster: 12 (1994).

1996: Ulster final, btn by Tyrone 0-9/1-9.

1997: Ulster final, btn by Tyrone (replay) 1-11/3-8 (2-9/ 0-15).

1998: Ulster first round, btn by Armagh, 0-11/0-16.

1996-98: P8 W4 D1 L5 55%.

1999: First round v Antrim, June 20th, Newry.

Can the summer specialists mastermind another spectacular raid on the jewels? In theory, Down have made little progress since last summer when they only occasionally displayed the dash which brought them two All-Irelands and looked creaky throughout. The loss of Greg McCartan to injury is inestimable. Still, the bones of that 1994 team are still about. We will see Ross Carr this summer and Mickey Linden will be back while Paul Higgins and Micheal Magill still cut it defensively. Shane Ward and Shane Mulholland feature among the new finds but Down aren't the force they once were.

Yet, they will almost certainly beat Antrim and then face either Fermanagh, Monaghan or Tyrone in the semi-final. It is not the most pessimistic situation in the world.

Fermanagh

Manager: Pat King.

All-Irelands: 0

Ulster: 0.

1996: Ulster first round, btn by Tyrone, 1-18/0-9.

1997: Ulster first round, btn by Cavan, (replay) 0-14/011 (1-12/1-12).

1998: Ulster first round, btn by Cavan, 0-11/0-13.

1996-98: P4 W0 D1 L3 13%.

1999: Preliminary round v Monaghan, May 30th, Clones.

Fermanagh have pushed themselves through an admirable learning curve over the past two years, being unfortunate not to beat eventual Ulster champions Cavan in 1997 (and again last year) and gaining promotion with just one loss from Division 2B. And for once, the championship draw has been reasonably kind to them in the sense that they have avoided the bigger hitters in the province.

With Paul Brewster as ever the spiritual leader at midfield, a solid defence and an improving forward unit revolving around Shane King and Raymond Gallagher, there is reason to think they can at least progress to a second outing.

Monaghan

Manager: Eamonn McEneaney.

All-Irelands: 0

Ulster: 13 (1988).

1996: Ulster first round, btn by Down, 0-9/0-14.

1997: Ulster first round, btn by Derry (replay) 0-10//215 (2-8/1-11).

1998: Ulster first round, btn by Derry, 0-11/0-13.

1996-98: P4 W0 D1 L3 13%.

1999: Preliminary round v Fermanagh, May 30th, Clones.

After spending a season in top-flight league football, Monaghan have slipped down again, despite a notable draw against Derry and a win against Kildare. Their three defeats included slumps against Mayo and Clare, but still they were unfortunate to drop. They have scoring forwards in Stephen McGinnity and Peter Duffy and Damien Freeman keeps them in games through frees but come the dry days in Ulster, they neither have the muscle or depth to compete with the stronger sides. Their opening match against a rejuvenated Fermanagh is tricky.

Tyrone

Manager: Danny Ball.

All-Irelands: 0 Ulster: 6 (1996).

1996: All-Ireland semi-final, btn by Meath, 0-12/2-15.

1997: Ulster semi-final, btn by Derry, 2-3/2-15.

1998: Preliminary round v Down, 2-17/0-15.

1996-98: P9 W5 D 1 L3 61%.

1999: First round v Fermanagh or Monaghan, June 27th, venue t.b.a.

That Tyrone can make it to an Ulster final without having to face Armagh or Derry has to be regarded as a positive thing for them. They lost a dogfight against Armagh on the last league day of the season and thus missed out on the play-offs. Yet they acquitted themselves well overall, losing just twice. That they have been learning to play without Peter Canavan won't have done them any harm at all.

Adrian Cush and Eoin Gormley are enjoying a revival, both in open play and with free-kicks, and for once Peter Canavan seems to be in robust health at the right time. They may suffer for size defensively - a burly forward unit could beat up on their backs a little - but they are a solid team. Have the experience and craft to mount a serious challenge for the provincial title.