Tyrone's Brian Dooher lifts aloft the Anglo-Celt Cup last season
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Well, we knew that Fermanagh would not lie down, and boy did they show magnificent resolve to haul back the fancied Armagh clan for another crack.
At one stage they were eight points drift early in the second half only to run the show for the remainder of the game and unlucky not to sneak it.
For once, the experience of some of the veteran Armagh players disappeared into the nethersphere.
Many will now think that Fermanagh have lost their chance for a first title.
But do not rule out these Ernemen. They are made of stern stuff down by the lakes and they certainly will not drown in a sea of 'what might have been'.
Armagh will be stung and severely bitten, and they will not want to have a similar feeling on 27 July ... their manager Peter McDonnell will lift them in his own quiet manner.
ANTRIM
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Manager: Jody Gormley
Ground: Casement Park
Last year: Lost to Derry in first round
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The defeat on their home turf by Cavan was not what Antrim needed as they find themselves again confined to the Tommy Murphy Cup.
Missed chances was the pertinent point during the game, but the build-up did not exactly inspire those looking into the Antrim camp.
Maybe they can now take a leaf out of Wicklow's books. The Garden county defeated Antrim in last season's Murphy decider, a result that gave them the momentum to shock Kildare in the Leinster Championship.
Now it is up to the players to prove that they have the passion to follow suit and make a second successive trip to Croke Park.
ARMAGH
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Manager: Peter McDonnell
Ground: Athletic Grounds, Armagh
Last season: Lost to eventual champions Donegal in first round
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If the Armagh supporters were celebrating at half-time in Clones, they must have choked on their apple pie when Fermanagh staged a magnificent comeback.
New boss Peter McDonnell will have some work to do, to get the morale up and running for the replay on 27 July at the same venue.
To let slip an eight-pont lead from the 43rd minute was in some parts criminal. They just could not string together any decent plays as Fermanagh dominated the midfield.
It will be the biggest worry for the Armagh management and backroom staff.
Can those legs of their veteran stars hang on for another intense 70 minute-plus. I suspect they still have more in the locker, and primed to what to expect.
There is one thing for sure, if they get a decent lead next week, they won't let it slip.
Key player: Paul McGrane
CAVAN
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Manager: Donal Keoghan
Ground: Breffni Park
Last season: For the second successive season lost to Down in preliminary round
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It has been a disappointing NFL campaign for Donal Keogan's side making their opening championship clash with Antrim a defining point.
However, Cavan did show some promising signs in the league as they defeated last year's All-Ireland finalists Cork in addition to losing a number of tight games.
The fact that the Division Two wooden spoonists have not been able to field a settled team has not helped Keoghan.
Cavan have been conceding too many scores in the league and still rely rather a lot on players who have been round the block quite a few times - Dermot McCabe, Anthony Forde. Mark McKeever and Jason Reilly.
Paul Grimley's coaching expertise has not been bringing tangible rewards so far, but that could change dramatically in the Championship.
Key player: Seanie Johnston
DERRY
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Manager: Paddy Crozier
Ground: Celtic Park, Derry
Last season: Lost to Monaghan at the semi-final stage
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The beauty of the Ulster provincial title is that he is a true competition and test of a team's credentials as Derry found to their cost.
Those attributes that saw them defeat Kerry to lift the NFL Division One title and again when they dispatched Donegal with a cracking second-half performance, were nullied by the passion of Fermanagh in the semi-final.
Manager Paddy Crozier will be scratching his head and pondering what went wrong with a team that was supposed to come strong in the second half.
But with Paddy Bradley tightly marked, Derry could not release others players to do the damage. They will have to recifiy this if they are to proceed further in the qualifiers.
Key player: Fergal Doherty
DONEGAL
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Manager: Brian McIver
Ground: MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey
Last season: Beaten by Tyrone at the semi-final stage
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The psychological scars suffered during last year's Ulster Championship still remain as Donegal crashed out of the Anglo-Irish Cup.
Brian McIver's side once again fluffed their lines in the second half against Derry when they had the Oak Leaf boys hopes blowing in the wind.
But they fail to add to their three-point lead as Derry over-ran their midfield. Donegal will need to work a little harder to make up for the lack of height when they come to the qualifiers.
Although they showed indifferent form in the NFL, they have enough experience, guile and subtlety to come good - afterall they showed it in the first half against Derry.
Key player: Colm McFadden
DOWN
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Manager: Ross Carr
Ground: Pairc Esler, Newry
Last season: Lost to Monaghan in the first round
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Down threatened, but just did not have the wherewithall to deal with Armagh in Sunday's semi-final.
Ross Carr's side showed they had plenty of guts to hold Tyrone in the first game before covering themsevles in glory in the replay with a waspish reposte as they ushered Tyrone out of the Ulster.
But as Carr was well aware of, his side are inclined to self destruct, and they did that in spades against Armagh with a performance lacking in quality, accuracy and any real urgency.
They had hoped that the passion and panache that dispatched Tyrone would help overcome Armagh, but when the basics go awry, there is little one can do.
Key player: Brendan Coulter
FERMANAGH
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Manager: Malachy O'Rourke
Ground: Brewster Park, Enniskillen
Last season: Lost to Tyrone in the first round
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Fermanagh still fail to read the script! Down, and ready to be counted out against Armagh after a fairly frentic first half, they came off the ropes to scare the life out of the Orchardmen.
Whatever new Erne boss Malachy O'Rourke puts in their water, certainly has a latent effect late into games.
It proves that victories over last year's defeat finalists Monaghan in the first round and then the fancied Derry were certainly no fluke.
You cannot write them off, although one suspects it could be a big chance lost to finally nail their first ever Ulster Championship title.
Key player: Mark Murphy
MONAGHAN
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Manager: Seamus McEnaney
Ground: St Tiernach's Park, Clones
Last season: Lost to Tyrone in the final
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Now we know. Monaghan haven't got what it takes to make the step up to be Ulster champions for the first time since 1988.
Their dynamic surge into the quarter-finals of the All Ireland Championship last year has been followed by a feisty NFL campaign, albeit missing out on promotion, is now consigned to the bin.
Manager Seamus McEnaney may have a very committed squad at his disposal, but they will need toi show that they mean business when they arrive at the back door.
Monaghan do boast a potentially productive midfield, a smart defence and quality forwards in Tommy Freeman and Paul Finlay who can punish defences from play and the placed ball. Admittedly against Fermanagh the Farney men had the ball, unfortunately, there was a Fermanagh man arriving along with it.
Key player: Paul FinlayKey player: Mark Murphy
TYRONE
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Manager: Mickey Harte
Ground: Healy Park, Omagh
Last season: 2007 Champions
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Rumours of Tyrone's fall from grace were rampant, but had they real substance? Definitely, after Down came back from the dead in the replay to knock them out of the Anglo-Irish Cup in extra-time?
That shock result straight away it puts pressure on manager Mickey Harte, who to be fair has had nothing but bad news since he guided the Red Hands to All-Ireland success.
His side, lacking genuine firepower did not cover themselves in squeezing a draw from Down in the first game at Healy Park. They were less convincing in Newry when twice they allowed big leads to evaporate before finally crashing out.
Tyrone, though, will hve learned a lot from both games, and it may be at the quaifying stage that they will awake from their slumber. But don't bet on it.
Key player: Conor Gormley
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