1981 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

The 1981 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was the 95th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county hurling tournament. The draw for the 1981 fixtures took place in September 1980. The championship began on 24 May 1981 and ended on 6 September 1981.

1981 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

Championship details
Dates	24 May – 6 September 1981
Teams	13
All-Ireland champions
Winning team	Offaly (1st win)
Captain	Pádraig Horan
Manager	Dermot Healy
All-Ireland Finalists
Losing team	Galway
Captain	Seán Silke
Manager	Cyril Farrell
Provincial champions
Munster	Limerick
Leinster	Offaly
Ulster	Not Played
Connacht	Not Played
Championship statistics
No. matches played	14
Goals total	67 (4.78 per game)
Points total	381 (27.21 per game)
Top Scorer	Joe McKenna (7–12)
Player of the Year	Pat Delaney
All-Star Team	See here
← 1980 1982 →

Galway were the defending champions but were defeated by Offaly in the final.^[1] Westmeath re-entered the Leinster Championship after a three-year absence.

On 6 September 1981, Offaly won the championship following a 2–12 to 0–15 defeat of Galway in the All-Ireland final.^[2] This was their first All-Ireland title ever.

Limerick's Joe McKenna was the championship's top scorer with 7–12. Offaly's Pat Delaney was the choice for Texaco Hurler of the Year.

Team changes

To Championship

Promoted from the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship

• Antrim
• Westmeath

From Championship

Relegated to the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship

• Kildare

Teams

General information

Thirteen counties will compete in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship: one team from the Connacht Senior Hurling Championship, six teams in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, five teams in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship and one team from the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship.

County	Last provincial title	Last championship title	Position in 1980 Championship	Current championship
Antrim	1946	—		All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship
Clare	1932	1914		Munster Senior Hurling Championship
Cork	1979	1978		Munster Senior Hurling Championship
Dublin	1961	1938		Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Galway	1922	1980		Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Kilkenny	1979	1979		Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Laois	1949	1915		Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Limerick	1980	1973		Munster Senior Hurling Championship
Offaly	1980	—		Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Tipperary	1971	1971		Munster Senior Hurling Championship
Waterford	1963	1959		Munster Senior Hurling Championship
Westmeath	—	—		Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Wexford	1977	1968		Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

Provincial championships

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

Quarter-finals

Wexford v Dublin

24 May 1981 Quarter-final	Wexford	2–20 – 0–8	Dublin	Wexford Park, Wexford
	T. Doran (1–5), M. Quigley (1–3), M. Casey (0–3), N. Buggy (0–3), M. Jacob (0–2), J. Murphy (0–2), G. O'Connor (0–2), J. Fleming (0–1).		G. Hayes (0–6), L. Hennebery (0–1).	Referee: J Rankins (Laois)

Laois v Westmeath

7 June 1981 Quarter-final	Laois	1–16 – 1–10	Westmeath	Croke Park, Dublin
	M. Brophy (0–9), P. Critchley (1–0), M. Cuddy (0–2), M. Walsh (0–2), M. Cuddy (0–2), P. J. Cuddy (0–1), B. Bohane (0–1), C. Jones (0–1).		J. J. Lynch (1–3), J. Leonard (0–1), G. Jackson (0–1), P. Dalton (0–1), P. Curran (0–1), M. Cosgrave (0–1), D. Kilcoyne (0–1), M. Ryan (0–1).	Attendance: 4,834 Referee: M Kelleher (Kildare)

Semi-finals

Offaly v Laois

21 June 1981 Semi-final	Offaly	3–20 – 6–10	Laois	Croke Park, Dublin
	P. Horan (2–2), M. Corrigan (1–5), P. Carroll (0–5), L. Currams (0–2), P. Kirwan (0–2), J. Flaherty (0–1), B. Bermingham (0–1).		B. Bohane (2–3), C. Jones (2–0), P. J. Cuddy (1–2), M. Cuddy (1–1), M. Walsh (0–3), M. Brophy (0–1).	Attendance: 31,299 Referee: J Denton (Wexford)

Wexford v Kilkenny

21 June 1981 Semi-final	Wexford	4–12 – 1–18	Kilkenny	Croke Park, Dublin
	J. Fleming (0–5), T. Doran (1–1), S. Kinsella (1–1), G. O'Connor (1–1), M. Quigley (1–0), M. Casey (0–2), N. Buggy (0–1), P. Courtney (0–1).		B. Fitzpatrick (0–8), C. Brennan (0–4), G. Fennelly (0–4), L. Fennelly (1–0), M. Ruth (0–1), C. Heffernan (0–1).	Attendance: 31,299 Referee: N O'Donoghue (Dublin)

Final

Offaly v Wexford

12 July 1981 Final	Offaly	3–12 – 2–13	Wexford	Croke Park, Dublin
	P. Horan (2–3), J. Flaherty (1–2), P. Delaney (0–2), L. Currams (0–2), P. Kirwan (0–2), P. Carroll (0–1).		S. Kinsella (1–2), G. O'Connor (0–5), C. Doran (1–0), N. Buggy (0–3), M. Jacob (0–2), J. Murphy (0–1).	Attendance: 29,053 Referee: N O'Donoghue (Dublin)

Munster Senior Hurling Championship

Quarter-final

Clare v Waterford

24 May 1981 Quarter-final	Clare	3–14 – 2–14	Waterford	Semple Stadium, Thurles
	D. Coote (1–3), L. Quinlan (1–3), N. Ryan (1–0), J. Callinan (0–3), C. Honan (0–2), G. McInerney (0–1), S. Heaslip (0–1), A. Nugent (0–1).		J. Greene (1–1), S. Breen (1–0), M. Walsh (0–3), P. Curran (0–2), T. Casey (0–2), J. Hennebry (0–1), P. Daly (0–1), T. Maher (0–1), N. Connors (0–1), L. O'Brien (0–1), P. McGrath (0–1).	Attendance: 8,000 Referee: G Ryan (Tipperary)

Semi-finals

Tipperary v Limerick

7 June 1981 Semi-final	Tipperary	3–13 – 4–10	Limerick	Semple Stadium, Thurles
	J. Grogan (2–6), P. Queally (1–1), E. O'Shea (0–3), P. Fox (0–1), M. Carroll (0–1), K. Fox (0–1).		J. McKenna (3–1), E. Cregan (0–4), B. Carroll (1–0), J. Flanagan (0–3), P. Kelly (0–1), G. McMahon (0–1).	Attendance: 16,500 Referee: N Dalton (Waterford)

Clare v Cork

14 June 1981 Semi-final	Clare	2–15 – 2–13	Cork	Semple Stadium, Thurles
	E. O'Connor (1–2), L. Quinlan (1–0), D. Coote (0–3), N. Ryan (0–2), M. Meehan (0–2), J. Callinan (0–3), A. Nugent (0–2), G. McInerney (0–1).		J. Barry-Murphy (1–1), T. Crowley (1–1), E. O'Donoghue (0–3), P. Horgan (0–3), J. Fenton (0–2), S. O'Leary (0–1), P. Moylan (0–1), J. Horgan (0–1).	Referee: G Ryan (Tipperary)

Limerick v Tipperary

21 June 1981 Semi-final replay	Limerick	3–17 – 2–12	Tipperary	Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
	J. McKenna (1–2), M. Grimes (0–4), P. Kelly (0–4), E. Cregan (1–0), J. Flanagan (1–0), W. Fitzmaurice (0–2), S. Foley (0–1).		S. Burke (2–3), E. O'Shea (0–2), J. Grogan (0–2), J. O'Dwyer (0–1), P. Fox (0–1), P. Queally (0–1), G. O'Brien (0–1), D. Cahill (0–1).	Attendance: 29,299 Referee: JJ Landers (Waterford)

Final

Limerick v Clare

5 July 1981 Final	Limerick	3–12 – 2–9	Clare	Semple Stadium, Thurles
	J. McKenna (3–3), E. Cregan (0–4), J. Flanagan (0–2), J. Carroll (0–1), L. O'Donoghue (0–1).		G. McInerney (1–0), N. Ryan (1–0), D. Coote (0–2), J. Callinan (0–2), C. Honan (0–1), E. O'Connor (0–1), L. Quinlan (0–1).	Attendance: 40,205 Referee: G Ryan (Tipperary)

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

	Quarter-finals					Semi-finals					Final
	Galway		6-23
	Antrim		3-11			Limerick		0-11, 2-17
						Galway		1-08, 4-16
											Galway		0-15
											Offaly		2-12

All-Ireland quarter-finals

Galway v Antrim

19 July 1981 Quarter-final	Galway	6–23 – 3–11	Antrim	Croke Park, Dublin
	B. Forde (2–5), N. Lane (1–6), F. Gantley (2–0), Joe Connolly (1–3), P. J. Molloy (0–4), S. Mahon (0–2), B. Lynskey (0–1), S. Silke (0–1), I. Clarke (0–1).		D. Donnelly (1–4), M. O'Connell (1–3), B. Laverty (1–0), S. Donnelly (0–3), P. McFaul (0–1).	Attendance: 4,615 Referee: M Kelliher (Kildare)

All-Ireland semi-finals

Galway v Limerick

2 August 1981 Semi-final	Galway	1–8 – 0–11	Limerick	Croke Park, Dublin
	B. Lynskey (1–0), Joe Connolly (0–3), F. Gantley (0–2), S. Linnane (0–1), I. Clarke (0–1), S. Mahon (0–1).		E. Cregan (0–5), J. McKenna (0–2), F. Nolan (0–1), L. O'Donoghue (0–1), O. O'Connor (0–1), J. Flanagan (0–1).	Attendance: 34,783 Referee: N O'Donoghue (Dublin)

Galway v Limerick

16 August 1981 Semi-final replay	Galway	4–16 – 2–17	Limerick	Croke Park, Dublin
	Joe Connolly (2–7), John Connolly (1–2), P. J. Molloy (1–0), N. Lane (0–3), I. Clarke (0–2), B. Forde (0–1), S. Mahon (0–1).		E. Cregan (1–5), J. McKenna (0–4), B. Carroll (1–0), W. Fitzmaurice (0–2), F. Nolan (0–1), L. Enright (0–1), J. Carroll (0–1), P. Foley (0–1), M. Grimes (0–1), O. O'Connor (0–1).	Attendance: 42,666 Referee: N O'Donoghue (Dublin)

All-Ireland Final

Offaly v Galway

6 September 1981 Final	Offaly	2–12 – 0–15	Galway	Croke Park, Dublin
	P. Delaney (0–5), P. Carroll (1–1), J. Flaherty (1–1), L. Currams (0–2), P. Horan (0–2), D. Owens (0–1).		J. Connolly (0–8), N. Lane (0–3), S. Mahon (0–2), P. J. Molloy (0–1), M. Connolly (0–1).	Attendance: 71,348 Referee: F Murphy (Cork)

Main article: 1981 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final

Scoring statistics

Top scorers overall

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Joe McKenna	Limerick	7–12	33	5	6.60
2	Joe Connolly	Galway	3–21	30	4	7.50
3	Éamonn Cregan	Limerick	2–18	24	5	4.80
4	Pádraig Horan	Offaly	4-07	19	3	6.33
5	Noel Lane	Galway	1-12	15	4	3.75
6	John Grogan	Tipperary	2–08	14	2	7.00
7	Bernie Forde	Galway	2–06	12	4	3.00
	Tony Doran	Wexford	2–06	12	3	4.00
9	George O'Connor	Wexford	1-08	11	3	3.66
	Declan Coote	Clare	1-08	11	3	3.66

Top scorers in a single game

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Joe Connolly	Galway	2–07	13	Limerick
2	Joe McKenna	Limerick	3–03	12	Clare
	John Grogan	Tipperary	2–06	12	Limerick
4	Bernie Forde	Galway	2–05	11	Antrim
5	Joe McKenna	Limerick	3–01	10	Tipperary
6	Billy Bohane	Laois	2–03	9	Offaly
	Pádraig Horan	Offaly	2–03	9	Wexford
	Séamus Bourke	Tipperary	2–03	9	Limerick
	Noel Lane	Galway	1–06	9	Antrim
	Martin Brophy	Laois	0–09	9	Westmeath

Broadcasting

The following matches were broadcast live on television in Ireland on RTÉ.

Round	RTÉ
All-Ireland semi-final	Limerick vs Galway
All-Ireland final	Offaly vs Galway

Sources

• Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005).
• Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games (DBA Publications Limited, 2005).