The true start of summer isn't marked by a date on the calendar, but by the throw-in of the GAA Championships. That time is now, and in Ulster, the road to the Anglo-Celt Cup begins with a heavyweight clash that sets the tone for the entire province.

This Sunday, the Athletic Grounds will host a preliminary round blockbuster as Armagh welcomes Tyrone. It's the perfect, explosive start to a five-week saga where nine counties will battle for supremacy, each dreaming of a final day in Clones.

While the league provided thrilling action, the championship is a different beast. The stakes are higher, the hits are harder, and every play is etched with the history of this fiercely competitive province. Let's break down the contenders beginning their journey.

Antrim enters as the lowest-ranked side, still stinging from a slow start that cost them promotion from Division Four. Under first-year manager Mark Doran, the Saffrons found form late, winning their final four league games. However, they'll be without the influential Patrick McBride, whose scoring prowess was key in their gallant performance against Armagh last year.

The challenge is monumental: a trip to Celtic Park on April 18th to face a Derry side that has rediscovered its formidable rhythm. Antrim, massive underdogs, will rely on the scoring threats of Adam Loughran and Dominic McEnhill, while Doran's intimate knowledge of Derry club football could be a tactical wild card. They carry the hope of ending a long Ulster Championship winless drought.