Ulster final Sunday in July of 1993 and it rained with doomed finality across the province, sullying the sky and ruining the pitch. All-Ireland champions Donegal fell to old foes Derry after 70 sodden minutes of attrition. Seems hard to believe that it all happened five years ago.

"Judging by the way it's been raining over the past few days, we could well have a repeat," laughs Derry's Kieran McKeever, who swam at corner-back that day. The match proved a catalyst for both counties; Donegal lost the momentum which took them irresistibly towards their first All-Ireland while Derry, shocked by their neighbours the year before, surged towards the Championship and have pretty much sat around the superpowers' table since.

On Sunday against Donegal, McKeever will lead his team along the Clones parade route, one of the few genuinely great marching spectacles in the province.

He will be one of the remaining veterans on either side from the dog-days of the early '90s.

"Aye, I suppose Donegal don't have that many left either. I dunno, when Brian (Mullins) came in, he made a lot of changes from the core of the team that won the All-Ireland in '93. But they have worked for us.

"He has done well in bringing in new lads. Many people felt that lads like Tony Scullion and Damien (Barton) and Damien Cassidy should have stayed on a wee while, but it was their own choice to go. Brian has got us playing a new mix of long and short football and the players have a bit of an input into the game plan as well."

Most expect Derry to advance. Few pundits tip against them, yet the years since 1993 have, despite a couple of League titles, served only to underscore their fallibility.

"I suppose it is fair to say we have under-achieved," McKeever says. "We took a lot of stick last year after getting beaten by Cavan in the Ulster final. But this is a tough section to come out of. It will be the same on Sunday: a fast, open game of football.

"I suppose if we are getting tipped a lot, well fine, you take what bit of credit you get in GAA. But one Ulster title in 11 years, that's the bottom line for Derry."

As usual, Derry were consistent in the League. Although they lost to Donegal early on, they eventually contested the final against Offaly.

"We just went to out to win every game as we played it. We were terrible against Offaly. I won't blame the weather, we just didn't play."

McKeever and the rest of Derry have observed events unfolding in Ulster with keen eyes. Noted the intensity between Donegal and Cavan. They figured Down were slightly over-rated. No real surprise that Armagh out-ran them.

"But we were surprised that Armagh faded against us. They drew level and then we kicked a few points and, in the end, they seemed to have nothing left."

By the last few minutes of Sunday's game, it is likely that both teams will be running on empty. McKeever can't help but tingle a little at the prospect of duelling once more with the boys from across the border. Two teams who preach a short-ball gospel which brought them to the forefront of Ulster's short-lived national preeminence. McKeever, a clever, nimble and flinty defender, shaped by the parish of Dungiven in north Derry, personifies all that Derry football is. Their style is an uninhibited exhibition of their identity. "Yeah, well, Clones will be filled with fanatical supporters the next day - from both sides. This is a tough place to come out of and you have to take your chance."