Armagh Junior Football Club Championship 2026

The Armagh Junior Football Club Championship is one of the oldest grassroots GAA competitions in Ulster - run continuously by the Armagh County Board since 1925, with the Sean Quinn Perpetual Cup still the prize clubs fight for today. At junior grade, this is third-tier county championship football: real, competitive, hard-fought matches played at local club grounds across the county, where local pride means everything and county finals can go to replays. If you want to watch GAA the way it is supposed to be experienced - small sideline, neighbours shouting, no corporate polish - this is it. Families, school friends, and club members fill the touchlines from August through to the autumn county final.

What to expect

Fixtures run from August 2026 through to a county final later in the autumn, with matches played at club venues spread right across County Armagh - from south Armagh clubs like Forkhill and Belleeks to north and mid-county sides. The championship uses a format with open-draw rounds and qualifier routes, meaning no team is home free early and knockout pressure arrives quickly. The 2025 title was won by Clonmore, claiming a third county championship. Previous record holders Keady and Collegeland each have five titles on the board, which gives you a sense of the long history packed into every fixture. Winners go forward to the Ulster Junior Club Football Championship and can progress as far as the All-Ireland Junior Club series, so the stakes are higher than the local setting might suggest. A Junior B division was added in 2025 to accommodate second teams, so the spread of clubs involved is wider than ever.

Getting there

County Armagh is straightforward to reach. Armagh city itself sits about an hour south-west of Belfast on the A3, and roughly 90 minutes north of Dublin via the M1 and A3. Bus Eireann and Translink both serve Armagh city, with connections from Dublin, Belfast, and Monaghan. Because individual fixtures are spread across club grounds throughout the county - rural townlands included - a car is the practical choice for most match days. Parking at club grounds is generally free and informal. Check armaghgaa.net/fixtures-results/ for specific venues before travelling.

While you’re in Armagh

Armagh city itself is worth time before or after a match - the twin cathedrals sitting opposite each other on adjoining hills, the Georgian mall, and the Navan Centre and Fort make for an easy afternoon. There is more to see in Armagh and across Co. Armagh.

Good to know

• Fixtures begin mid-August 2026 and run through to the autumn county final; exact dates and venues confirmed at armaghgaa.net/fixtures-results/
• Admission: Free (most junior championship fixtures charge nothing or a nominal entry fee at the gate)
• Matches played at club grounds throughout County Armagh - check the fixture list for each specific location
• The county final is typically played at a neutral venue in autumn 2026
• No advance booking needed; just show up