While the ladies' Camogie championships have concluded this weekend, the men's Irish League soccer season has just begun. The Senior camogie decider between Galway and Cork is expected to be closely contested, while Antrim are firm favorites to win the Intermediate title against Laois. Armagh and Cavan will face off in the Junior Final at noon tomorrow, with silverware almost certain to go to another Ulster county.
In soccer, the smart money is on Larne or Linfield winning the Gibson Cup, given their recent successes. Ballymena United, despite being big spenders, remain outsiders for the title. A 93rd championship win for Antrim clubs would be a significant achievement, with Linfield leading the way at 57 titles.
Coleraine's financial boost in recent years has made them favorites to claim the trophy for only the second time since 1974. However, Ballymena United have also been active in transfers and could still pose a challenge. Their derby rivals, Ballymena United, have been big spenders too but are still outsiders.
Glentoran's last championship win was in 2009, making their return to the top tier highly anticipated. Other clubs like Glentoran, Larne, and Linfield are the most likely to claim the 2026/27 NIFL Premiership title. The Gibson Cup has come to north Belfast five times in the last decade, with Crusaders and Cliftonville leading the way.
The real drama is expected at the top end of the table, where Larne finished ahead of Coleraine last season. Linfield's rare finish outside the top three will motivate David Healy and his men to do better this term. Meanwhile, Ballymena United under Ruaidhri Higgins could take the famous trophy to the Oak Leaf county for only the second time since 1965.
