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.
Kerry entered the championship as the defending champions, however, they were defeated by Cork in the Munster final.
On 26 September 1971, Offaly won the championship following a 1–14 to 2–8 defeat of Galway in the All-Ireland final. 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
Semi-finals
'''Finals'''

[Leinster Senior Football Championship]

First round
Second round
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
'''Final'''

[Munster Senior Football Championship]

Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
'''Final'''

[Ulster Senior Football Championship]

Preliminary round
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
'''Final'''

[All-Ireland Senior Football Championship]

Semi-finals
'''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.
  • Belfast hosted the Ulster final last time until 2004 not played at Clones.
  • 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
RankPlayerCountyTallyTotalMatchesAverage
1Tony McTagueOffaly1–353857.60
2Seamus LeydonGalway4–193156.20
3Mickey KearnsSligo0–272739.00
4Denis CoughlanCork1–202337.66
5Mickey NiblockDerry4–82045.00
6Enda CondronLaois1–161944.75
7Mick O'DwyerKerry1–131628.00
7James MorganDown0–161644.00
9Murt ConnorOffaly3–61553.00
10Tony BrennanMeath2–81427.00

;Single game
RankPlayerCountyTallyTotalOpposition
1Mickey KearnsSligo0–1313Galway
2Tony BrennanMeath2–612Kildare
3Mickey NiblockDerry2–410Down
3Patsy BarrettTyrone1–710Armagh
3Enda CondronLaois1–710Carlow
3Seamus LeydonGalway1–710Sligo
3Denis CoughlanCork0–1010Kerry
8Seamus LeydonGalway2–39Offaly
8Denis CoughlanCork1–69Clare
8Mick O'DwyerKerry1–69Tipperary
8Tony McTagueOffaly0–99Kildare
8Paudie BlytheTipperary0–99Waterford
8Declan McCabeMonaghan0–99Cavan
8Tony McTagueOffaly0–99Cork