Peter Canavan: Both Ulster ties to go down to the wire

Sky Sports analyst Peter Canavan looks ahead to a huge weekend of Gaelic football action.

The temperature levels should go up a considerable notch this weekend as the Ulster SFC roars into life.

Before I tackle the higher profile ones, there are two games in Munster to be played as well. Tipp take on Waterford and while, traditionally, there is never too much between those teams I would expect Tipp to come out of this one with a bit to spare.

They will know that they cannot take this game for granted - Waterford have been quite close to slaying a big team in recent seasons, they only just lost to Cork last season, and though they are without a talented player in Paul White, who is struggling with injury, I think this is a game that Tipp cannot take lightly. They need to try to put in a performance, secure the win and then move on to a potential clash with Cork - that could be a game that defines their season.

Likewise, Limerick will be up against it when they face a Clare side that continues to impress me, but Limerick will have absolutely no fear of their next-door neighbours whatsoever. The truth is that all four counties I have just referred to would usually feel they could beat each other on any given day. There is no disguising, however, the development work that Clare and Tipp have done in recent years and that should set them apart this weekend. Both counties, deep down, will be looking to make the Super 8 as the season progresses.

But it's in Ulster where the real fireworks display will be, I expect.

Fermanagh and Armagh will be a close affair, I am pretty certain of that. Brewster Park is a hard place to go and get a result. Armagh had the edge when they met in the NFL decider but that will mean absolutely nothing this weekend and indeed home advantage could be the significant plus for Fermanagh.

In the League final Armagh came out on top, defeating Fermanagh by 1-16 to 0-17, but that was only a dress rehearsal for this weekend's fare.

On that day Andrew Murnin's 53rd-minute goal sealed the win but Armagh will remember how they had to defend frantically in the closing stages to hold out Fermanagh. Seamus Quigley finished with an eight-point tally that day and that means Armagh cannot foul anywhere in the red zone this weekend or he will punish them.

Fermanagh are extremely fit too - they trained super hard over the league and they are organised. I don't think it's any big revelation that they will set up very defensively. They will play Seamus Quigley and Tomas Corrigan up front and most likely pull everyone else back. They will try to counter attack, win frees and pick off scores. And it might work for them.

Armagh could mirror that shape too. In their league meetings Armagh were more adventurous and they often favoured the use of the high ball into Murnin and their full forward line but Fermanagh will be well up to that tactic and should have plans for dealing with it.

I wouldn't rule out extra time in the slightest. We had a taste of it last weekend and I think we might see it again. I don't think it will be a great match to watch either but there is a lot riding on it, the stakes are quite high, and neither side will want to yield anything this early.

Another game that could see extra time is the clash of Monaghan and Tyrone. Again I wouldn't be one bit taken aback if this one went beyond the 70 minutes. Two teams that are side by side, two managers who know each other well, these are neighbours that will both have designs on the Ulster title. It will be hugely tactical and it will be tense. There won't be a huge amount to separate them. Players like Jack McCarron and Lee Brennan are coming into their own and have given their respective teams an edge.

Monaghan have real depth to their squad now and Malachy O'Rourke has done a brilliant job keeping them at the top table, improving them, and adding to their game all the time.

Tyrone were written off earlier in the NFL but they are back in good form, play to a system and they have a new dynamic in attack with the introduction of Stevie O'Neill, who is in helping the forwards.

It might not be one for the purists but both teams will only want to get over the line - they won't have much interest in putting on a show. They are physically fit, explosive, they know each other inside out and there won't be much in it either way.

I expect an intriguing, intense weekend of football.