1971 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

The 1971 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was the 85th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county Gaelic football tournament. The championship began on 25 April 1971 and ended on 26 September 1971.

1971 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Championship details
Dates	25 April – 26 September 1971
Teams	31
All-Ireland Champions
Winning team	Offaly (1st win)
Captain	Willie Bryan
All-Ireland Finalists
Losing team	Galway
Captain	Liam Sammon
Provincial Champions
Munster	Cork
Leinster	Offaly
Ulster	Down
Connacht	Galway
Championship statistics
No. matches played	32
Top Scorer	Tony McTague (1-35)
Player of the Year	Eugene Mulligan
← 1970 1972 →

Kerry entered the championship as the defending champions, however, they were defeated by Cork in the Munster final.^[1]

On 26 September 1971, Offaly won the championship following a 1-14 to 2-8 defeat of Galway in the All-Ireland final.^[2] This was their first All-Ireland title.

Offaly's Tony McTague was the championship's top scorer with 1-35. Offaly's Eugene Mulligan was the choice for Texaco Footballer of the Year.

Leinster Championship format change

The Second Round returns to Leinster football championship this year.

Results

Connacht Senior Football Championship

Quarter-final

Mayo v Leitrim

13 June 1971 Quarter-final	Mayo	5-7 – 2-4	Leitrim	Fr. O'Hara Park, Charlestown
	D Griffith 2-1, J Carey 1-1, J Corcoran 0-4, T Fitzgerald 1-0, PJ Loftus 1-0, J Gibbons 0-1.		M Doorigan 1-0, R Prendergast 1-0 og, P Dolan 0-2, B Wrynne 0-2.	Referee: P O'Connor (Roscommon)

Semi-finals

Roscommon v Sligo

20 June 1971 Semi-final	Roscommon	1-5 - 0-10	Sligo	Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon
	A O'Sullivan 1-0, T Kenny 0-3, M Fallon 0-1, J Keane 0-1.		M Kearins 0-7, M Brennan 0-2, G Mitchell 0-1.	Referee: M Connaughton (Mayo)

Galway v Mayo

27 June 1971 Semi-final	Galway	1-7 – 0-7	Mayo	Tuam Stadium, Tuam
	F Canavan 1-0, L Sammon 0-3, M Ferrick 0-1, E Farrell 0-1, S Leydon 0-1, J Duggan 0-1.		J Corcoran 0-5, J Nealon 0-1, J Carey 0-1.	Referee: R Barry (Meath)

Finals

Galway v Sligo

11 July 1971 Final	Galway	2-15 – 2-15	Sligo	MacHale Park, Castlebar
	J McLoughlin 0-8, S Leydon 1-3, F Canavan 1-1, P Burke 0-1, M Rooney 0-1, C McDonagh 0-1.		M Kearins 0-13, P Brennan 2-0, G Mitchell 0-1, H Quinn 0-1.	Attendance: 19,764 Referee: J Martin (Roscommon)

Galway v Sligo

25 July 1971 Final replay	Galway	1-17 – 3-10	Sligo	MacHale Park, Castlebar
	S Leydon 1-7, F Canavan 0-4, J McLoughlin 0-4, W Joyce 0-1, E Farrell 0-1.		G Mitchell 2-1, M Kearins 0-7, D Pugh 1-0, J Gilmartin 0-1, H Quinn 0-1.	Attendance: 20,000 Referee: J Martin (Roscommon)

Leinster Senior Football Championship

First round

Wicklow v Wexford

25 April 1971 First round

Wicklow

2-8 - 0-6

Wexford

Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow

Laois v Carlow

2 May 1971 First round	Laois	4-12 - 2-7	Carlow	St. Conleth's Park, Newbridge
	E Condron 1-7, S Allen 1-2, B Delaney 1-0, S Lawler 1-0, J Conway 0-2, K Brennan 0-1.		B McNally 1-3, S King 1-2, B Hayden 0-1, P McNally 0-1.	Referee: M Spain (Offaly)

Second round

Laois v Wicklow

23 May 1971 Second round	Laois	2-9 - 2-5	Wicklow	Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow
	S Allen 1-1, B Lawlor 0-2, H Mulhaire 0-2, B Delaney 0-1, E Condron 0-1, W Miller 0-1, J Lawlor 0-1.		P Clarke 1-0, P Kelly 1-0, S Kelly 0-2, D Byrne 0-2, J Doyle 0-1.	Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

Quarter-finals

Meath v Westmeath

2 May 1971 Quarter-final	Meath	1-14 – 0-9	Westmeath	O'Connor Park, Tullamore
	N Curran 1-4, M Fay 0-2, A Burns 0-2, K Rennicks 0-2, T Brennan 0-2, M Kerrigan 0-1, M Mellett 0-1.		P Buckley 0-3, M Fagan 0-2, J Carolan 0-1, F Connaughton 0-1, M Carley 0-1, D Dolan 0-1.	Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

Offaly v Longford

9 May 1971 Quarter-final	Offaly	1-7 – 0-3	Longford	Cusack Park, Mullingar
	T McTague 0-7, S Cooney 1-0.		J Hanniffy 0-2, P Burke 0-1.	Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

Louth v Kildare

30 May 1971 Quarter-final	Louth	1-7 - 1-7	Kildare	Croke Park, Dublin
	M McKeown 1-1, M Leech 0-3, B Gaughran 0-2, W Murphy 0-1.		P Dunny 1-2, J Goulding 0-2, M Kelly 0-1, T Carew 0-1, J Donnelly 0-1.	Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

Laois v Dublin

6 June 1971 Quarter-final	Laois	3-8 – 0-13	Dublin	Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow
	J Lawlor 2-2, S Allen 1-0, E Condron 0-3, B Delaney 0-2, H Mulhaire 0-1.		T O'Hanlon 0-5, J Keaveney 0-4, J O'Reilly 0-2, F Murray 0-1, D Hickey 0-1.	Referee: M Spain (Offaly)

Kildare v Louth

13 June 1971 Quarter-final replay	Kildare	0-11 - 1-5	Louth	Croke Park, Dublin
	J Donnelly 0-5, T Carew 0-2, P Dunny 0-2, E O'Donoghue 0-1, K Kelly 0-1.		M Keown 1-0, B Gaughran 0-2, M Leech 0-2, L Leech 0-1.	Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

Semi-finals

Kildare v Meath

27 June 1971 Semi-final	Kildare	4-8 - 2-12	Meath	Croke Park, Dublin
	T Walshe 2-1, E O'Donoghue 1-0, P Archbold 1-0, K Kelly 0-3, P Dunny 0-3, T Carew 0-1.		T Brennan 2-6, M Fay 0-3, N Curran 0-2, K Rennicks 0-1.	Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

Laois v Offaly

4 July 1971 Semi-final	Laois	0-10 - 2-12	Offaly	O'Moore Park, Portlaoise
	E Condron 0-5, S Lalor 0-2, S Allen 0-1, H Mulhaire 0-1, B Millar 0-1.		T McTague 1-4, S Evans 1-0, S Cooney 0-3, M Connor 0-2, J Gunning 0-2, K Kilmurray 0-1.	Attendance: 23055 Referee: B Hayden (Carlow)

Final

Offaly v Kildare

18 July 1971 Final	Offaly	2-14 – 0-6	Kildare	Croke Park, Dublin
	Tony McTague 0-9 (0-5f), Murt Connor 2-1, Kevin Kilmurray 0-4.		Pat Dunny 0-2f, Tommy Carew 0-2, Hugh Hyland 0-1, Kevin Kelly 0-1f.	Attendance: 34,255 Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

Munster Senior Football Championship

Quarter-finals

Clare v Limerick

6 June 1971 Quarter-final	Clare	1-9 – 3-2	Limerick	Hennessy Memorial Park, Milltown Malbay
	P Cotter 1-1, M Moloney 0-4, J Hehir 0-3, M Chambers 0-1.		T Madigan 2-1, É Cregan 1-1.	Referee: P Vernon (Tipperary)

Tipperary v Waterford

6 June 1971 Quarter-final	Tipperary	1-14 – 1-9	Waterford	Ned Hall Park, Clonmel
	P Blythe 0-9, V O'Donnell 1-2, M Keating 0-2, B Strang 0-1.		P Casey 1-3, T Power 0-4, L O'Rourke 0-1, V Kirwan 0-1.	Referee: P Finnegan (Cork)

Semi-finals

Clare v Cork

13 June 1971 Semi-final	Clare	0-5 - 2-10	Cork	Páirc Uí Seancháin, Doonbeg
	J Hehir 0-4, E O'Neill 0-1.		D Coughlan 1-6, D Hunt 1-2, B O'Neill 0-1, J Barrett 0-1.	Referee: J Moloney (Tipperary)

Kerry v Tipperary

13 June 1971 Semi-final	Kerry	1-14 – 1-7	Tipperary	Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney
	M O'Dwyer 1-6, B Lynch 0-4, M Gleeson 0-1, P Griffin 0-1, J O'Keeffe 0-1, DJ Crowley 0-1.		M Keating 1-1, P Blythe 0-4, D Burke 0-1, P O'Connor 0-1.	Referee: N Dalton (Waterford)

Final

Cork v Kerry

18 July 1971 Final	Cork	0-25 – 0-14	Kerry	Cork Athletic Grounds, Cork
	D Coughlan 0-10, R Cummins 0-6, J Barrett 0-3, KJ O'Sullivan 0-2, D Hunt 0-2, E Kirby 0-1, T O'Brien 0-1.		M O'Dwyer 0-7, M Gleeson 0-2, M O'Connell 0-2, B Lynch 0-2, E O'Donoghue 0-1.	Attendance: 28,347 Referee: S O'Connor (Limerick)

Ulster Senior Football Championship

Preliminary round

Derry v Fermanagh

6 June 1971 Preliminary round	Derry	4-10 – 1-10	Fermanagh	Dean McGlinchey Park, Ballinascreen
	M Niblock 2-2, A McGuirk 1-1, E Devlin 1-0, S O'Connor 0-3, J O'Leary 0-1, A McGuckin 0-1, L Diamond 0-1, G O'Loughlin 0-1.		V Greene 1-1, P McGinnity 0-4, G Gallagher 0-2, A Hennerson 0-1, E McPartland 0-1, S McGrath 0-1.	Referee: F Greene (Antrim)

Quarter-finals

Armagh v Tyrone

6 June 1971 Quarter-final	Armagh	4-9 – 2-10	Tyrone	The Playing Fields, Lurgan
	L McCabe 2-0, J Smith 1-2, J O'Loan 1-0, B Hanna 0-3, G O'Reilly 0-2, P Loughran 0-1, L Kerins 0-1.		P Barrett 1-7, A Mcahon 1-1, S Donaghy 0-1, J McCreesh 0-1.	Referee: B Treanor (Down)

Antrim v Derry

13 June 1971 Quarter-final	Antrim	0-4 - 0-8	Derry	Casement Park, Belfast
	A McCallin 0-2, E Close 0-1, A Hamill 0-1.		S O'Connell 0-5, J O'Leary 0-1, A McGuirk 0-1, M Niblock 0-1.	Referee: P Devlin (Tyrone)

Monaghan v Cavan

13 June 1971 Quarter-final	Monaghan	1-12 - 2-10	Cavan	Pearse Park, Ballybay
	D McCabe 0-9, G Finnegan 1-0, P Donnelly 0-1, J Leahy 0-1, S Woods 0-1.		G Cosack 0-5, P Murray 1-0, H Newman 1-0, H McInerney 0-3, S Duggan 0-2.	Referee: P Kelly (Down)

Down v Donegal

20 June 1971 Quarter-final	Down	3-14– 3-6	Donegal	Páirc Esler, Newry
	S O'Neill 2-1, M Cunningham 1-2, J Morgan 0-3, M Cole 0-3, C McAlarney 0-2, C Ward 0-2, P Rooney 0-1.		P McShen 1-1, S Garnnaghan 1-1, T Quinn 1-0, J Hannigan 0-3, M Carney 0-1.	Referee: F Tierney (Cavan)

Semi-finals

Derry v Armagh

4 July 1971 Semi-final	Derry	3-12 – 1-10	Armagh	Casement Park, Belfast
	S O'Connell 1-5, S Gribben 1-2, E Coleman 1-0, M Moran 0-3, A McGuirk 0-1, M Niblock 0-1.		L McCabe 1-2, P Moriarty 0-5, J Smith 0-2, P Loughran 0-1.	Referee: F Greene (Antrim)

Down v Cavan

11 July 1971 Semi-final	Down	0-11 – 2-3	Cavan	St. Mary's Park, Castleblayney
	P Doherty 0-3, J Morgan 0-2, S O'Neill 0-2, C McAlareny 0-1, J Murphy 0-1, D Gordon 0-1, T O'Hare 0-1.		G Cosack 1-3, S McGuigan 1-0.	Referee: T Johnson (Fermanagh)

Final

Down v Derry

25 July 1971 Final	Down	4-15 – 4-11	Derry	Casement Park, Belfast
	M Cunningham 2-0, J Morgan 0-6, D Davey 1-2, J Murphy 1-1, C McAlarney 0-2, S O'Neill 0-2, T O'Hare 0-1, D Gordon 0-1.		M Niblock 2-4, A McGuirk 1-2, S O'Connor 0-5, E Coleman 1-0.	Referee: P Devlin (Tyrone)

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Semi-finals

Galway v Down

8 August 1971 Semi-final	Galway	3-11 - 2-7	Down	Croke Park, Dublin
	S Leydon 0-5, P Burke 1-1, E Farrell 1-1, J Duggan 1-0, L Sammon 0-2, J McLoughlin 0-1, W Joyce 0-1.		J Morgan 0-5, D McCartan 1-0, J Fitzsimons 1-0, D Davey 0-1, M Cunningham 0-1.	Attendance: 36,052 Referee: B Hayden (Carlow)

Offaly v Cork

22 August 1971 Semi-final	Offaly	1-16 - 1-11	Cork	Croke Park, Dublin
	T McTague 0-9, K Kilmurray 1-0, J Cooney 0-3, M Connor 0-1, P Fenning 0-1, W Bryan 0-1, K Claffey 0-1.		J Barrett 1-2, D Coughlan 0-4, R Cummins 0-2, D Hunt 0-1, D Long 0-1, KJ O'Sullivan 0-1.	Attendance: 38,000 Referee: L Maguire (Monaghan)

Final

Offaly v Galway

26 September 1971 Final	Offaly	1-14 - 2-8	Galway	Croke Park, Dublin
	T McTague 0-6, M Connor 1-2, S Evans 0-2, K Kilmurray 0-2, B Clavin 0-1, J Cooney 0-1.		S Leydon 2-3, F Canavan 0-3, L Smamon 0-2.	Attendance: 70,798 Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

Main article: 1971 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final

Championship statistics

Miscellaneous

• On 13 June 1971, the Ulster quarter final meeting of Cavan and Monaghan was the first game to be played at Pearse Park, Ballybay in 45 years.
• There were a number of first-time championship meetings;
• The All Ireland semi-final between Offaly and Cork was the first ever championship meeting between the two teams.
• The All-Ireland final between Offaly and Galway was the first to be broadcast in colour by Telefís Éireann. It was also the first ever championship meeting between the two teams.
• By claiming their first championship, Offaly become the 15th team to win the All-Ireland title who the last before Donegal in 1992 to do so.

Top scorers

Overall

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Tony McTague	Offaly	1-35	38	5	7.60
2	Seamus Leydon	Galway	4-19	31	5	6.20
3	Mickey Kearns	Sligo	0-27	27	3	9.00
4	Denis Coughlan	Cork	1-20	23	3	7.66
5	Mickey Niblock	Derry	4-8	20	4	5.00
6	Enda Condron	Laois	1-16	19	4	4.75
7	Mick O'Dwyer	Kerry	1-13	16	2	8.00
	James Morgan	Down	0-16	16	4	4.00
9	Murt Connor	Offaly	3-6	15	5	3.00
10	Tony Brennan	Meath	2-8	14	2	7.00

Single game

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Mickey Kearns	Sligo	0-13	13	Galway
2	Tony Brennan	Meath	2-6	12	Kildare
3	Mickey Niblock	Derry	2-4	10	Down
	Patsy Barrett	Tyrone	1-7	10	Armagh
	Enda Condron	Laois	1-7	10	Carlow
	Seamus Leydon	Galway	1-7	10	Sligo
	Denis Coughlan	Cork	0-10	10	Kerry
8	Seamus Leydon	Galway	2-3	9	Offaly
	Denis Coughlan	Cork	1-6	9	Clare
	Mick O'Dwyer	Kerry	1-6	9	Tipperary
	Tony McTague	Offaly	0-9	9	Kildare
	Paudie Blythe	Tipperary	0-9	9	Waterford
	Declan McCabe	Monaghan	0-9	9	Cavan
	Tony McTague	Offaly	0-9	9	Cork

References

1. "Glory days". Meath GAA website. Archived from the original on 1 December 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
2. "Offaly heroes of 1971 and 1972 to be honoured". Offaly GAA website. 7 October 2011. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2015.