Can Down spring the latest provincial surprise?

The 2026 provincial football championships have not been short on drama.

In Connacht, Leitrim caused a stir with victory over Sligo to set up a semi-final against Galway, while last weekend in Leinster, Westmeath stunned Meath and Dublin just about survived a scare in Wicklow, so is it Ulster or Munster's turn this weekend?

Should All-Ireland champions Kerry fail to get past Clare in Ennis or Tipperary take down Cork in Thurles - both Saturday 14:00 BST throw-in - it may well be bigger than the previous week's upsets.

Likewise in Ulster, Armagh travel to Brewster Park on Saturday [17:30 BST] as hot favourites to reach the semi-final stage, while Donegal have the same tag for their quarter-final against Down in Letterkenny on Sunday [15:00 BST].

It's difficult to make a case for the underdogs, but as the previous weeks have shown, not impossible and can those shocks inspire this week's hopefuls?

"Rightly or wrongly, Down have always went in with that swagger in the back of their head where if we get our line-up and aggression right, we would be there or thereabouts against anybody," former Down forward Danny Hughes told BBC Sport NI.

"In recent years, given the level of preparation across all teams where it's a semi-professional lifestyle, it leaves it that upsets aren't as prevalent as they used to be.

"Still, you look at Armagh this week and losing two significant players ball-winners at midfield in Callum O'Neill [shoulder] and Ben Crealey [broken ankle], add in Fermanagh being well motivated...

"Unfortunately for Down, Donegal have experienced no such issues, so although they undoubtedly making progress, it will be very difficult for Down to get a result."

'Down's players won't be thinking of Sam Maguire implications this week'

The ramifications of defeat could be even greater for Down due to last weekend's victory for Westmeath, who now have a Leinster semi-final against Kildare to look forward to.

Win and it's Sam Maguire football for Mark McHugh's team, meaning that anything less than a place in this year's Ulster final will leave Down in Tailteann Cup territory.

Considering the upward trajectory Down football has been on over the past couple of years, a return to the competition they won in 2024 to guarantee Sam Maguire football last year would represent a setback.

In last year's All-Ireland Championship, Down proved they belonged at that level, winning two of their three group games before bowing out after a thriller in Newry against Galway.

Prior to that, they ran Donegal to six points in an Ulster semi-final, but it was earlier in the year where the knock-on to 2026 is being felt, relegated from Division Two on the head-to-head tie-breaker with Louth.

Winning the Division Three in March has given Conor Laverty's side a reasonable chance of returning to the Sam Maguire competition this year, but lose on Sunday and they will be hoping for a Kildare victory in Tullamore next week and no further shocks in Munster this weekend.

Unfair on Down? Maybe, but rules are rules and this is where the Mournemen find themselves this week.

"Westmeath still have to play Kildare who will also fancy their chances, but Down find themselves in a position where they were relegated out of Division Two last year and this is the implication of that," Hughes accepts

"As players, they will have known that, but I don't think the Down players will be thinking about being in or out of the Sam Maguire this week. Their biggest thing this week is to take this match against one of the top four teams into the last 10 or 15 minutes.

"They can win the game but have to take a real positive and aggressive attitude as there is nothing to lose, but Down supporters will expect them to be competitive at the least."

'Luck of the draw hasn't been kind for Down'

Down last graced Ulster final day in 2017, losing by eight points to Tyrone, while five years prior, it was Donegal who prevented a first Anglo Celt success since 1994 for the Mournemen.

Since that success which led to their last All-Ireland title, Down have appeared in and lost five provincial finals, while Sam Maguire elided them in 2010, falling to Cork in the final by one point.

Hughes was one of four All-Star recipients the county that year as James McCartan's side went close to a sixth All-Ireland title in the county's history.

While he feels there is potential in the current squad, the first priority should be an Anglo-Celt rather than Sam Maguire in the coming years.

"The luck of the draw in Ulster hasn't really been in Down's favour for a number of years," he offers.

"That's not an excuse as I was part of it for many years, trying to break Ulster and got to a couple of finals but weren't good enough to get over the line.

"It's been too long since the last one, but when you aren't producing for so long, it's hard to break out of that rut.

"For Down, the priority shouldn't be All-Irelands, but an Ulster title should be. The draw hasn't been kind so it may not be this year, but over the next three or four it should be the target."