THE 90s, regardless of what happens before we reach the millennium, will surely be known in football terms as the decade of the Ulster revival.

Football in the province had been in the doldrums as we reached the Nineties with an occasional foray to Croke Park on All Ireland day - such as losing appearances by Armagh in 1977 and Tyrone in 1986. There were also occasional signs of revival by teams like Down, Monaghan and Derry - all of whom have won National League titles.

But it wasn't until 1991 that the years of disappointment were finally swept aside when Down brought their spectacular red and black banners victoriously back to Jones' Road to bridge, for them and their province, the gulf which had separated Ulster from the Sam Maguire Cup since 1968.

Little did we realise then that Sam was to spend a lot of time in Cuchullain Country with an annual day out in Dublin as the third Sunday in September came to be known as "D Day". Donegal, Derry and Down (again) in succession took Sam home to the North.

A disallowed point last year finally prised Ulster's grip from the cup by which time there seemed to be a consensus that Tyrone's defeat by Dublin, merely copper fastened the "D Day" tag on the occasion and set up an opportunity for Derry to continue the sequence this year.

Surprisingly enough Derry failed to deliver on that expectation leaving Down holding the fort for the "D Day" invasion of Croke Park this year with Tyrone alone now standing in the way of that remarkable "D" sequence.

Yet Tyrone now seem to be the favourites of the experts, with their experience of last year's near miss considered a factor in their favour.

But what of Ulster football now as the end of the decade begins to beckon? Arc the heady days of the early Nineties at an end or is the Ulster giant merely taking a short nap?

More importantly, has Ulster set a new standard of preparation and approach or are the excellent results achieved merely part of the cycle which has been common in Gaelic football down the years? Ulster teams have, in the past, had their run of successes when some mysterious chemistry saw superbly balanced teams produce back to back titles.

Cavan have historic victories on their record, appearing in three successive All Ireland finals (1947, 1948 and 1949) winning the first two, and added another and two in the Nineties with the latter achievement now seen as part as an overall revival in the province as a whole.

As Tyrone, the reigning Ulster champions take on challengers, Down, in Clones tomorrow they will be attempting to do what many Ulster teams before them have failed to do retain the Ulster title a feat which has not been achieved since Derry won in 1975 and 1976.

One of the shrewdest observers of Ulster football for some time now is Sean McCague, who was closely associated with the Monaghan team which had some success in the Eighties when three Ulster championships (1979, 1985 and 1988) and a National League (1985) title were won, believes that Ulster football is in a very healthy state and that further All Ireland victories cannot be ruled out.

"I believe that the winners of the Tyrone Down match on Sunday could very well win through. Certainly, after last year's close shave, I think Tyrone have got what it takes. It may be a last throw of the dice for some of the Down players and that may give them the incentive to make a huge effort but Tyrone could be there for a few years yet.

"One of the things about them is that they built a very good team on the foundations laid at vocational school, college and under 21 level. They won two All Ireland Under 21 titles and used the resources they built to good effect".

Commenting on the fact that Ulster teams have found it so difficult to put Ulster titles back to back he said that this seemed to be a psychological problem for some teams. "Very often Ulster teams regarded winning the provincial title as the pinnacle of their achievement and took the following year for granted.

"Now that Ulster teams have won four All Irelands in the Nineties I believe that they will regard the provincial title as merely a stepping stone to the All Ireland and I know that this is the way Tyrone are looking at things at the moment.

"They are in a hungry frame of mind at the moment and were very annoyed with the way the lost against Dublin last year. That has given them a target to aim at including the possibility that they may meet Dublin in the semifinal.

"If they can generate the same passion and frame of mind they will be very hard to beat. They seem to feel that nobody likes them. The were annoyed too by the fact that they weren't given sufficient credit for beating Derry with 13 men and they turn on people in the media and it gets them fired up.

"Of course they have very good players and play an attractive brand of football and nobody can take them lightly and I think they can retain the title and still be around in a few years' time" he says.

Pointing out that Tyrone have no fewer than 48 clubs he says the county has a great depth of talent which can supply top class players for the next five years at least.

He has strong hopes that Tyrone, Derry, Down and Donegal can continue to keep the Ulster flag flying high on the glory days at Croke Park. Cavan too he feels could make an impression although some of their more experienced players such as Stephen King will be hard to replace.

He seems less sanguine about hopes for his own county Monaghan and for Armagh. "What all counties need to do is to lay down a sound structure for youngsters. Nowadays young people have so many other attractions that they will only respond if they are looked alter properly. After than coaching and organisation are vital.

"Parents will play a big part in the future of the game all over the country. We are in a very competitive market for the attention of young people but we have every reason to believe we are at least holding our own and the crowds at Croke Park and Clones tomorrow will confirm that," he says.