Errigal Ciaran will begin the defence of their Tyrone SFC title in a tough first round clash with Ardboe
The draw for the 2025 series, held on Wednesday evening at the premises of competition sponsors Connollys of Moy, paired last year鈥檚 beaten finalists Trillick with 2020 champions Dungannon for the third year in a row.
A parish derby sees Donaghmore take on Galbally, while another of the fancied sides, Dromore, will play Edendork.
Carrickmore, the last team to retain the title, back in 2005, are to take on newly promoted Moortown.
Errigal went on to win Ulster and reach the All-Ireland final last year, losing to Cuala of Dublin, but they face a huge task in retaining their county title, a feat that no club has achieved in the past two decades.
County chairman Martin Sludden said he expects to see another riveting series and a resounding affirmation of the Tyrone Championship鈥檚 reputation as the best in the country.
鈥淓verybody knows it鈥檚 the best club championship in Ireland. There鈥檚 parish derbies, there鈥檚 the rivalry that that brings, there鈥檚 just everything in that championship and everything that every other county in Ireland is envious of.
鈥淚t鈥檚 very hard to defend it. I believe there鈥檚 seven or eight teams that are capable of winning the O鈥橬eill Cup. And there鈥檚 always shocks. It鈥檚 2005 now, but it was 2004-2005 since the last team, Carrickmore, did back-to-back Championships.
鈥淎ll our three divisions are competitive, senior, intermediate and junior.
And the competition will once again be played off in its traditional straight knock-out format, another aspect that sets the Red Hand championship apart
鈥淚t鈥檚 the players who want it. They want the knock-out, they just want one crack at it,鈥 said Sludden.
鈥淓verybody鈥檚 all in for that 60 minutes and everybody gives it their all. But it鈥檚 the players who want that.
I don鈥檛 think a group stage format would work. We鈥檝e seen in our neighbouring counties it鈥檚 not working. They鈥檙e trying everything, but the best teams will still come through to the quarter-finals.鈥
And the Tyrone chairman believes Errigal Ciaran鈥檚 success will inspire other clubs in the county to believe that they can aspire to achieve success at provincial and national level.
鈥淥ur senior winners last year, Erigal Ciaran, were so unfortunate in the All-Ireland Final and just fell short on the day by a couple of points. They lost a few men early in the game through injury, which had a serious bearing on the result.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no question about it that Errigal raised the flag for Tyrone last year in Ulster and the All-Ireland Series. They did, by their high-level performances.
鈥淓very team will be thinking that if they can beat Errigal, they鈥檒l believe they can beat the Kilcoos, they can beat the Slaughtneils, the St Eunan鈥檚, all these other teams that are hoping to come out of their own counties. There鈥檚 no reason why Tyrone teams can鈥檛.
鈥淏ut when you play four competitive matches and you play them very close together, it does take a lot out of the players.鈥
Sludden expects Errigal Ciaran to make a fierce defence of their title, thanks their attacking firepower.
鈥淭here鈥檒l be a target on their back, but they have some outstanding footballers, and probably the one thing that goes for Errigal is that they have some outstanding forwards, and forwards who can score with ease.鈥
Connollys of Moy Tyrone SFC
Errigal Ciaran v Ardboe
Dromore v Edendork
Omagh v Derrylaughan
Carrickmore v Moortown
Gortin v Pomeroy
Galbally v Donaghmore
Killyclogher v Loughmacrory
Dungannon v Trillick
Connollys of Moy Tyrone IFC
Greencastle v Clonoe
Killeeshil v Rock
Stewartstown v Owen Roes
Moy v Aghyaran
Eglish v Coalisland
Beragh v Drumquin
Aghaloo v Fintona
Naomh Eoghan v Kildress
Connollys of Moy Tyrone JFC
Tattyreagh v Brackaville
Derrytresk v Donaghmore III
Augher v Eskra
Castlederg v Strabane
Clann na nGael v Urney
Cookstown v Killyman
Drumragh v Glenelly
Prelim 1 v Brocagh
Errigal Ciaran III v Prelim 2
Omagh III v Clogher