Ulster SF: Preliminary round Fermanagh v Monaghan, Enniskillen, 3.30

Last year's win by Fermanagh was their first championship success in eight years despite a number of false dawns along the way. Even 12 months ago, their reward was a thorough trimming by Tyrone. Now, after a creditable league campaign, Fermanagh fit more easily into the role of favourites but given their occasional championship frailties, not overwhelming favourites.

The loss of Tom Brewster is a major blow to the team as he was instrumental in both Enniskillen's run to the Ulster club final and Queen's' Sigerson Cup victory. Shane King and the Gallagher brothers still provide punch up front and Paul Brewster experience and craft in the middle. Monaghan never established the stability necessary to build on some promising performances in the mid-1990s. Tomorrow's line-out reflects the county's hopeful view of the future with six players making debuts. The county completed a disappointing league campaign without securing promotion and it looks a bit early for championship advancement.

SUBSTITUTES: Fermanagh - S Wilson, M Lilly, P Quinn, L Cox, C Courtney, S McDermott, K Cassidy, C Bradley; Monaghan - D McCarville, P McKenna, C McCaul, T Freeman, JP Mone, D McDermott, E Murphy, B McGinnity, P Monaghan.

Ulster SF: First round Cavan v Derry, Breffni Park, 3,30

Teams that do well in the league generally start the championship well before running out of gas. Last Sunday's test gives Derry a head-start over Cavan in terms of match preparedness and, considering they have disclosed no major injury problems, must be hot favourites to repeat last year's early dismissal of the same opponents.

If Derry play poorly and Cavan play particularly well, we could have a match. But outside of such an extreme scenario, it looks like Eamonn Coleman's team.

Cavan have improved since Christmas and their attack is a respectable unit with Mickey Graham providing the cut, Bernard Morris the brawn and Peter Reilly the brains. Unfortunately for them, once Dermot McCabe gets shut down at centrefield, the supply is cut off and this has led to inconsistent performances.

Given that Anthony Tohill and Dermot Heaney won't be long shutting things down and the combative Derry defence will fight for any scraps, the most likely prospect is that Cavan's shaky defence will come under more pressure than they can feasibly bear.

SUBSTITUTES: Cavan - R Keaskin, A Lamb, P Shiels, P Galligan, P Murphy, B Lynch, S Smith, Finbarr Reilly, Fergus Reilly; Derry - M Conlon, R Dougan, N McOscar, C Diamond, S Downey, G McGonigle, C Gilligan, J Cassidy, B Gillis.

Munster SF: First round Clare v Waterford, Cusack Park, 3.30

There have been great strides in Waterford football in recent times: last year's junior AllIreland, the progress at under-age culminating in March's under-21 victory over Kerry, and a little-noticed improvement in the National League which made them competitive in all matches and yielded success over O'Byrne Cup winners Longford and Carlow. Three of those who opted for the juniors last year - including Niall Geary - are included tomorrow.

Clare are, however, indisputably part of Munster's top half. Whatever their limitations, the county has a well-drilled competence which maintained Division One status and in the process broke Sligo's attempts at reaching the semi-finals.

It will be a major surprise if Waterford, for all their emerging merit, can overturn the province's hierarchies.

SUBSTITUTES: Clare - F Maguire, N Hawes, C Considine, J Daly, C Nagle, K Hynes, M O'Connell, D Molaghan, D Russell; Waterford - P Houlihan, R Hennessy, C O'Keeffe, M Ahearn, M Byrne, E Clifford, D Whelan.