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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.
| 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.
To Championship
Promoted from the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship
From Championship
Relegated to the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship
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.
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Quarter-finals
| 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) |
| 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
| 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) |
| 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
| 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
| 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
| 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) |
| 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) |
| 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
| 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) |
| 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
| 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
| 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) |
| 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
| 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) |
- 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 |
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 |
- Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005).
- Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games (DBA Publications Limited, 2005).
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