How to follow the Ulster Championship on BBC Sport NI

Reigning champions Donegal face Derry in the preliminary round of the 2025 Ulster Championship

The Ulster Championship is back and you can follow it right across BBC Sport NI.

The 2025 edition begins with a tasty rivalry as reigning champions Donegal host Derry in front of the BBC cameras.

That will be one of six matches shown live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two NI, including the showpiece final on Sunday, 11 May.

Here's all you need to know about this year's Ulster Championship.

What games are live on the BBC?

You'll be able to watch six of this year's Ulster Championship matches on BBC Two NI, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website with analysis and in-play clips available on the website too.

As well as the preliminary round and three of the quarter finals, BBC Sport will also show one semi-final and the decider.

Sunday 6 April

Preliminary round: Donegal v Derry (14:00 BST) - Live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two NI

Saturday 12 April

Quarter-final: Antrim v Armagh (12:30 BST) - Live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two NI

Sunday 13 April

Quarter-final: Cavan v Tyrone (16:15 BST) - Live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two NI

Saturday 19 April

Quarter-final: Down v Fermanagh - Live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two NI

Sunday 20 April

Quarter-final: Monaghan v Donegal/Derry

Saturday 26 April

Semi-final: Antrim/Armagh v Cavan/Tyrone

Sunday 27 April

Semi-final: Down/Fermanagh v Donegal/Derry/Monaghan - Live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two NI

Sunday 11 May

Ulster Senior Football Championship final - Live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two NI

Who is part of the BBC pundit team?

We have some new faces to join some familiar ones in the BBC studio and pitchside for this year's Championship.

Monaghan's recently retired Conor McManus is joining the panel alongside former Derry captain Chrissy McKaigue and both will be part of our opening fixture coverage of Donegal against Derry alongside Philly McMahon and former Donegal man Mark McHugh.

They'll be joined later in the campaign by Oisin McConville and Mickey Harte with some special guests joining the team as the tournament progresses.

Sarah Mulkerrins and Mark Sidebottom will present the action with Thomas Niblock in the commentary box.

What happened last year?

It was a fairytale return for Jim McGuinness as he guided Donegal to Ulster Championship glory in his first season back as manager.

After a 0-20 to 0-20 draw after extra time in Clones, Donegal defeated Armagh in a tense penalty shootout in the final, although Kieran McGeeney's side rebounded brilliantly to lift the All-Ireland title later in the summer.

Down had a strong run to the semi-finals being falling to Armagh by a single point, while Tyrone were pipped to a spot in the decider by old rivals Donegal.

Monaghan were the first team to exit the Championship after a preliminary round defeat by neighbours Cavan, who then lost to the Red Hands in the last eight, while Fermanagh, Antrim and Derry were also knocked out in the quarter-finals.

Derry lost to old foes Donegal in their quarter-final tie, and the sides will meet again in the hotly-anticipated preliminary round of this year's Championship.