Win or lose in the Ulster Championship Final against Armagh in two weeks’ time – Donegal are set for a tough draw in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship group phase.
Should they repeat last year’s Ulster title success, Donegal would be placed in Group 1 alongside the runner up in Connacht between Galway and Mayo – and two of their fiercest provincial rivals in fellow Ulster sides Tyrone and Cavan.
However, defeat in the Ulster Final won’t give Jim McGuinness’ side any easier of a draw – in fact a loss to Armagh would see Donegal placed in the dreaded “group of death” in the draw, Group 4.
It sees the losing side in Ulster play the winners between Galway and Mayo in Connacht, as well as Donegal and Derry.
The full group phase draw is below:
Group 1: Ulster winners (Armagh/Donegal), Connacht runner-up (Galway/Mayo), Tyrone, Cavan
Group 2: Munster winners (Kerry/Clare), Leinster runner-up (Meath/Louth), Roscommon, Cork
Group 3: Leinster winners (Meath/Louth), Munster runner-up (Kerry/Clare), Monaghan, Down
Group 4: Connacht winners (Galway/Mayo), Ulster runner-up (Armagh/Donegal), Dublin, Derry
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