If ever the much-maligned provincial series needed a shot in the arm, it is now and Tyrone and Monaghan delivered a classic encounter at O’Neills Healy Park in Omagh on Sunday.
The fact that just over 10,000 were in attendance to watch the game live says a lot about the state of the provincial series and the sense of confusion surrounding the new Championship format.
Many have suggested that the provincial Championships are more than a little diluted by the new format as the likes of Tyrone and Mayo will be at the same stage of the All-Ireland series as the teams who fight out the provincials finals next month.
Read more: Tyrone vs Monaghan: Player ratings from Sunday's Ulster SFC quarter-final
However, the Ulster Championship often throws up the most entertaining games of all the provincial Championships and Sunday’s breathless encounter in Omagh was one of the very best in recent years.
Here's five modern classics from the Ulster Championship, starting with Sunday's epic battle in Omagh . . .
2023 Ulster SFC quarter-final: Tyrone 1-18 Monaghan 2-17
Take your points and the goals will come? Not for Ryan O’Toole. Fisting the ball over the bar to force extra-time was the easy option. Perhaps the wise option, but O’Toole was rewarded for his bravery as he cut in behind the Tyrone rearguard to fire a low shot past Niall Morgan to give Monaghan a famous-two point victory.
Only moments earlier, Darren McCurry thought he’d salvaged a win for the Red Hands after they surrendered a five-point half-time lead.
Darragh Canavan plundered 1-4 in the first half as the home side ran riot before Stephen O’Hanlon’s second half major put Monaghan into the lead for the first time.
The manic finish to proceedings highlighted why the Ulster Championship still matters - Tyrone didn’t want to lose to Monaghan and Monaghan were just that bit more determined to beat Tyrone.
2021 Ulster SFC semi: Monaghan 4-17 Armagh 2-21
Tragedy struck Monaghan on the eve of their 2021 Ulster SFC semi-final against Armagh with the news that their U20 captain, Brendan Óg Duffy, had been killed in a car accident.
It would have been understandable if the Farney sought a postponement, but Seamus McEnaney’s side more than fulfilled the fixture - they honoured Brendan Óg Duffy in the best possible manner.
Monaghan scored four goals in a remarkable first half via Conor McManus, Jack McCarron, Micheál Bannigan and Darren Hughes.
Yet, they needed a hat-trick of late frees from McManus to see off Armagh, who’d taken the lead on the hour mark after Tiernan Kelly’s goal.
On a baking hot day in Newry, both Monaghan and Armagh deserved immense credit for delivering what was one of the best games of that year’s Championship and, indeed, one of the best games of the last decade.
2017 Ulster SFC semi-final: Down 1-14 Monaghan 0-15
Another cracking Ulster Championship contest involving Monaghan. This time though, they came out on the wrong side of the result.
The Farney were Ulster champions in 2013 and 2015 and were expected to set up a provincial final meeting with Tyrone - Down had other ideas.
The Mournemen lost by 19 points when the sides met in 2016, but turned the tables on Monaghan in spectacular fashion at the Athletic Grounds.
With Monaghan duo Conor McManus and Jack McCarron off target with several chances, Down took the game by the scuff of the neck and were 0-10 to 0-8 ahead at the break.
However, they stole a march on their opponents when Darragh O’Hanlon scored a penalty to put them seven clear.
Monaghan rallied late on and it was a nervy finish for Down, managed by the late Eamonn Burns at the time, and they sealed the two-point victory thanks to a late effort from Donal O’Hare.
Some five weeks later, Monaghan had their revenge when they defeated Down 1-24 to 1-16 in the Qualifiers after the Mournemen lost their Ulster final to Tyrone.
2016 Ulster SFC final: Tyrone 0-13 Donegal 0-11
Admittedly, not one for the purists. The 2016 Ulster final brought together two teams with no love lost between them and with a fair share of history.
In the Jim McGuinness era, Donegal defeated Tyrone in three successive Ulster Championship games between 2011 and 2013.
Mickey Harte’s side were due a victory over Donegal, then managed by Rory Gallagher, and they had to do it the hard way.
An intriguing, tactical battle of wits was played out on a hot afternoon in front of 33,433 fans in Clones.
With Ryan McHugh in brilliant form, Donegal should have been further than three points ahead at the break while Tyrone lost Mattie Donnelly and Cathal McShane to black cards before half-time.
With packed defences the order of the day, both teams were forced to shoot from distance and some of the scores in the second half were outstanding.
Sean Cavanagh’s effort from distance seemed to hang in the air for eternity before dropping over the Donegal crossbar, but Peter Harte’s effort from 50 metres out off the outside of the boot was like watching Brian Dooher in his prime.
2008 Ulster Senior Football Championship quarter-final replay: Down 1-19 Tyrone 0-21
Down appeared to have missed the boat when they drew with Tyrone 2-8 each in Omagh in the first round of the 2008 Ulster Championship.
With home advantage and no shortage of heroic performances from the likes of Benny Coulter, Danny Hughes, Liam Doyle, Ambrose Rodgers and Dan Gordon, they turned over the Red Hands after a brilliant comeback in extra-time.
Tyrone needed a last-gasp free from Tommy McGuigan to force extra-time in Páirc Esler and Mickey Harte’s side then surged four clear in the first period.
The game turned on its head with one quickly-taken sideline from Paul McComiskey and Aidan Carr’s long ball in on top of the Tyrone defence.
A rare error from Ryan McMenamin saw the ball slip between his hands and Coulter was at the back post to fist the ball past John Devine.
Down held on to claim a 1-19 to 0-21 victory, although Tyrone ended the season with a third senior All-ireland title after another few classic encounters later in the campaign.
READ NEXT:
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