And away we go! Brendan Cawley is the referee for this one.

There was a minute's silence there in memory of those we have recently lost, including the legendary former Kerry player and manager Mick O'Dwyer, who passed away earlier this week aged 88

John Haughey
BBC Sport NI at MacCumhaill Park

Image source, Getty Images

Derry are seemingly going to risk Brendan Rogers even though the rumour mill is suggesting that he is only 60% fit.

The Slaughtneil man hasn't played since sustaining an ankle injury in Derry's defeat by Donegal five weeks ago when the Oak Leafers led by eight well into the third quarter only to eventually lose by three.

Rogers won his battle with Michael Murphy in the 2022 Ulster Final and with Murphy's inclusion among the three late Donegal changes, they could be set for another duel today.

Philly McMahon
Eight-time All-Ireland winner with Dublin on BBC Sport

They (Derry) have to make this a dog fight, disrupt Donegal's kick-out strategy, keep the key men quiet and you have a chance.

Will it be Donegal's year again?

Chrissy McKaigue
Former Derry captain on BBC Two NI

It will be difficult (for Derry) because the league hasn't gone well and momentum is a big thing in sport. They will be looking to get their first win of the campaign today, which is a difficult task. Jim McGuinness has a flawless record in Ballybofey - Donegal's record is pretty good anyway - but Jim has methodically planned the charge right to today and Donegal look set for a big performance.

Last year's championship tussle between these two was memorable, but for all the wrong reasons from a Derry perspective as Donegal scored four goals at Celtic Park to end the Oak Leafers' hat-trick bid at the first hurdle.

Daire O Baoill chipped Derry goalkeeper Odhran Lynch for two of Donegal's goals. Lynch is one of several Derry players not involved today.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Mark McHugh
Former Donegal forward on BBC Two NI

Murphy will not start in midfield. Paddy McBrearty didn't do the initial warm-up and has been going through his paces on his own so I'm intrigued to see what will happen there.

Conor McManus
Two-time Ulster winner on BBC Two NI

There is defintely scope for Derry. Although they finished the league with one point, their league probably wasn't as bad as that suggests. Derry haven't won a game since they beat Westmeath in the All-Ireland series and it's very hard to turn that around.

John Haughey
BBC Sport NI at MacCumhaill Park

Jim McGuinness has repeated his strategy from last year's All-Ireland SFC game against Tyrone by saying that the media will have to make their way from MacCumhaill Park to the Donegal GAA Centre in Convoy to hear the thoughts of the management and players on today's game.

It's only a seven-mile journey but it's fair to say the news hasn't been greeted by universal enthusiasm in the press box as the hacks face the prospect of trying to rattle out their match reports before rushing to Convoy for 17:00 BST.

Chrissy McKaigue
Former Derry captain on BBC Two NI

Another recent departure from the inter-county scene, former Derry captain Chrissy McKaigue - an Ulster winner in 2022 and 2023 - said Donegal are "overwhelming favourites" this afternoon.

You can label it as excuses or whatever but there is a very simple reality that Derry are missing a lot of players this year due to injury and unavailability which hasn't given Paddy Tally an easy start.

[And] it seems from the outside that Jim McGuinness has methodically planned his way right to this point where he did his work early in the league and primed himself for a massive performance in the first round of the championship.

John Haughey
BBC Sport NI at MacCumhaill Park

Sun glasses are much in evidence here in Ballybofey and I saw new BBC Championship pundit Chrissy McKaigue removing one of his layers as he sat down for rehearsals in the corporation's outdoor studio situated just below me.

With the sun shining, the long terrace on the Stranorlar side of the ground was close to full some 90 minutes before the throw-in with people taking the opportunity to get some rays.

In contrast, there were only a few dozen folk in the covered stand at that stage with it in the much cooler shade.

It may only be the first weekend in April but the blue sky above us makes today feel like a real championship Sunday.

Conor McManus
Two-time Ulster winner on BBC Two NI

Recently-retired Monaghan legend Conor McManus is part of the BBC's coverage this year. In his first column, the three-time All-Star said that while Derry's situation isn't as bad as some people are making out, Donegal should win this one.

Derry have had a rough time lately. They haven't won a game in regulation since they beat Westmeath in the round-robin last year. It's a long time to go without winning a game of any description.

Looking at it purely on the league table, you'd say they're in trouble heading to Ballybofey, but I don't think it's as bad as that.

They should have beaten Kerry bar two late goals and a catastrophe at the end, they drew with Galway who were arguably the in-form team at that point, and were five or six points up after 65 minutes of their defeat by Donegal.

I don't think their situation is as bad as the league table would have you believe, but they are missing a lot of key players. Look at the defence, for example. Conor McCluskey is out, Gareth McKinless is out and Chrissy McKaigue is retired. That's three All-Star defenders out of the picture.

Then there are the question marks over Brendan Rogers' fitness. I'd expect him to play on Sunday, but how fit is he? At the other end, they're heavily reliant on Shane McGuigan and if Donegal keep him quiet, it's hard to see where Derry's scores are coming from.

You put all that together and the fact they're away to Donegal, who were the form team in the early rounds of the league before putting the handbrake on, it's hard to see how Derry can lift it to a level where they can beat Donegal.

A quick reminder of this year's Ulster Championship fixtures after today (times BST).

Quarter-finals

Saturday 12 April

Antrim v Armagh (12:15) - Live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two NI

Sunday 13 April

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

Saturday 19 April

Down v Fermanagh (15:45) - Live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two NI

Sunday 20 April

Monaghan v Donegal/Derry

Semi-finals

Saturday 26 April

Antrim/Armagh v Cavan/Tyrone

Sunday 27 April

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

Final

Sunday 11 May

Live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Two NI

John Haughey
BBC Sport NI at MacCumhaill Park

Well surprise, surprise...Michael Murphy's inclusion is among three late Donegal changes while Derry play as selected with Brendan Rogers wearing the number three jersey.

Murphy replaces Michael Langan in the number nine jersey with skipper Patrick McBrearty taking over from Aaron Doherty and Odhran McFadden Ferry in for Niall O'Donnell.

Championship weather. Hard to beat.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

BBC iPlayer

You can watch this one on BBC Two NI, the BBC iPlayer or at the top of this page from 13:40 BST.

Let's get the team news in early before any last-minute changes...

For Donegal, Michael Murphy - nearly three years on from his last championship appearance - is named on the bench.

Skipper Patrick McBrearty and Oisin Gallen were also named among the subs when the team was announced on Friday.

Defender Finnbarr Roarty is set for his championship debut after being named at right full-forward while Hugh McFadden will partner Michael Langan at midfield.

Ciaran Thompson, who top-scored in March's league win over Derry in Ballyshannon, is selected at centre half-forward.

Donegal: S Patton; F Roarty, B McCole, C Moore; R McHugh, C McGonagle, P Mogan; H McFadden, M Langan; D O Baoill, C Thompson, S O'Donnell, C O'Donnell, A Doherty.

Subs: G Mulreany, M Curran, S McMenamin, K McGettigan, J Brennan, J Mac Ceallabhui, M Murphy, O McFadden Ferry, O Gallen, P McBrearty (capt), J McGee.

Injury-hit Derry are without several well-established names, including All-Stars Gareth McKinless and Conor McCluskey, goalkeeper Odhran Lynch and Anton Tohill.

With Lynch unavailable, Neil McNicholl is set for a championship debut between the posts. Martin Bradley and Dan Higgins are also named to start.

Derry: N McNicholl; D Baker, B Rogers, M Bradley; C Doherty, P McGrogan, E McEvoy; C Glass (capt), D Higgins; E Doherty, Paul Cassidy, C McFaul; N Toner, S McGuigan, L Murray.

Subs: B McKinless, N Loughlin, P McGurk, D Cassidy, B McCarron, M Doherty, C Devlin, C McMonagle, R Mulholland, C Diamond, K Quinn.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Inpho

Just six days after the conclusion of the Allianz League finals, the championship returned yesterday with games in Munster, Connacht and Leinster.

Today, the return of the Ulster Championship takes centre stage - and it's not a bad curtain-raiser either as holders Donegal host Derry in Ballybofey.

The northwest neighbours are seemingly on contrasting trajectories. Jim McGuinness' Donegal - boosted by the returning Michael Murphy and co - are being talked about as serious All-Ireland contenders and are firm favourites to advance today.

A couple of years ago, Derry were the team to beat in Ulster, but they have endured a rough start to life under Paddy Tally with a winless Division One campaign culminating in relegation.

The Oak Leafers are missing a sizeable cohort of their Ulster-winning panels from 2022 and 2023 and face an uphill task in the Ballybofey sunshine this afternoon.

Will it be tighter than predicted? Stay with us as we take you the first act of this year's Ulster series.