1981 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

1981 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
Championship details
Dates	10 May 1981 - 20 September 1981
Teams	33
All-Ireland Champions
Winning team	Kerry (27th win)
Captain	Jimmy Deenihan
Manager	Mick O'Dwyer
All-Ireland Finalists
Losing team	Offaly
Captain	Richie Connor
Manager	Eugene McGee
Provincial Champions
Munster	Kerry
Leinster	Offaly
Ulster	Down
Connacht	Mayo
Championship statistics
No. matches played	34
Top Scorer	Matt Connor (1-31)
Player of the Year	Jack O'Shea
← 1980 1982 →

The 1981 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was the 95th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county Gaelic football tournament. The championship began on 10 May 1981 and ended on 20 September 1981.

Kerry entered the championship as the defending champions and were hoping to win a record-equalling fourth successive championship title.

On 20 September 1981, Kerry won the championship following a 1-12 to 0-8 defeat of Offaly in the All-Ireland final.^[1] This was their 27th All-Ireland title and their fourth championship in succession.

Offaly's Matt Connor was the championship's top scorer with 1-31. Kerry's Jack O'Shea was the choice for Texaco Footballer of the Year.

Munster Championship format change

The normal system of 2 Quarter-final's and 2 Semi-final's is back.

Results

Connacht Senior Football Championship

Quarter-finals

30 May 1981 Quarter-final	London	1-4 – 3-11	Mayo	Emerald GAA Grounds, Ruislip
	P Maher 1-3, J Keoghan 0-1.		M Carney 1-2, J Burke 1-2, J McGrath 1-0, E McHale 0-3, J Lyons 0-2, J Maughan 0-2.	Referee: T Cunningham (Galway)

7 June 1981 Quarter-final	Galway	2-16 – 0-6	Leitrim	Tuam Stadium, Tuam
	G McManus 0-11, TJ Gilmore 1-2, S Joyce 1-0, B Brennan 0-2, T Naughton 0-1.		F Smith 0-2, J Ward 0-1, M Quinn 0-1, J Logan 0-1, S Tighe 0-1.	Referee: PJ McGrath (Mayo)

Semi-finals

14 June 1981 Semi-final	Sligo	2-9 – 1-8	Roscommon	Markievicz Park, Sligo
	J Kearins 2-1, J Kent 0-3, M Hoey 0-3, PJ Kavanagh 0-1, J Stenson 0-1.		D Earley 1-3, L Dolphin 0-2, J O'Gara 0-1, T McManus 0-1, T Donlon 0-1.	Referee: P Egan (Leitrim)

21 June 1981 Semi-final	Mayo	2-8 – 1-9	Galway	McHale Park, Castlebar
	J Bourke 1-1, J Lyons 1-0, M Carney 0-3, G Feeney 0-1, T Reilly 0-1, J McGrath 0-1, J Maughan 0-1.		S Joyce 1-1, V Daly 0-2, G McManus 0-2, B Brennan 0-1, B Talty 0-1, B Joyce 0-1, TJ Gilmore 0-1.	Attendance: 20,000

Final

12 July 1981 Final	Mayo	0-12 – 0-4	Sligo	McHale Park, Castlebar
	M Carney 0-5, WJ padden 0-2, J Maughan 0-1, J Bourke 0-1, J McGrath 0-1, T O'Malley 0-1, M O'Toole 0-1.		John Kent 0-2, P Henry 0-1, E McHale 0-1.	Referee: T Cunningham (Galway)

Leinster Senior Football Championship

First round

10 May 1981 First round	Longford	1-10 – 3-10	Westmeath	Pearse Park, Longford
	B Smith 0-5, M Casey 1-0, T Sheridan 0-3, J McCormack 0-1, L Tierney 0-1.		W Lowry 0-4, E Coughlan 1-0, S Hannratty 1-0, M Behan 1-0, T McCormack 0-3, F Tone 0-2, E Tynan 0-1.	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: P Kavanagh (Meath)

10 May 1981 First round	Kilkenny	2-4 – 2-11	Wexford	Nowlan Park, Kilkenny
	S Fennelly 1-1, P Lannon 1-1, J O'Donnell 0-1, J Walsh 0-1.		G Howlin 2-0, E Mann 0-6, T Wright 0-3, G Byrne 0-1, J Wright 0-1.	Referee: C Lally (Laois)

10 May 1981 First round	Wicklow	3-11 – 1-8	Carlow	Geraldine Park, Athy
	T Murphy 1-3, J Lynch 1-3, D Foley 1-0, P Burke 0-3, P O'Byrne 0-1, P Baker 0-1.		W Cullen 1-3, N Bambrick 0-2, D O'Connor 0-1, C Ware 0-1, M Doyle 0-1.	Referee: S Aldridge (Kildare)

17 May 1981 First round	Laois	5-8 – 3-8	Louth	Croke Park, Dublin
	E Whelan 2-2, W Brennan 1-4, D O'Loughlin 1-2, T Prendergast 1-0.		K Dawe 2-4, M McDermott 1-1, E Judge 0-1, G O'Callaghan 0-1, Jim McDonnell 0-1.	Attendance: 3,755 Referee: A Jordan (Dublin)

Quarter-finals

31 May 1981 Quarter-final	Dublin	0-10 – 0-8	Wicklow	St. Conleth's Park, Newbridge
	J McCarthy 0-4, A McCaul 0-4, K Duff 0-1, PJ Buckley 0-1.		P Baker 0-3, P O'Byrne 0-2, T Murphy 0-2, J Lynch 0-1.	Attendance: 11,000 Referee: J Gunning (Offaly)

31 May 1981 Quarter-final	Westmeath	1-9 – 1-14	Offaly	Cusack Park, Mullingar
	F Tone 1-4, S Hannratty 0-1, T Collins 0-1, E Tynan 0-1, W Lowry 0-1.		M Connor 0-9, B Lowry 1-2, S Lowry 0-1, J Moran 0-1, M Wright 0-1.	Attendance: 7000 Referee: K Campbell (Meath)

7 June 1981 Quarter-final	Wexford	2-9 – 1-11	Meath	Croke Park, Dublin
	E Mahon 0-6, J Wright 1-0, G Howlin 1-0, G O'Connor 0-3.		E Barry 0-6, L Smith 1-1, C O'Rourke 0-3, F O'Sullivan 0-1.	Referee: D Guerin (Dublin)

14 June 1981 Quarter-final	Laois	3-13 – 1-9	Kildare	O'Connor Park, Tullamore
	T Prendergast 3-3, W Brennan 0-5, E Whelan 0-3, M Moore 0-2.		G Power 1-4, T Shaw 0-2, L Tompkins 0-2, M Condon 0-1.	Referee: P Collins (Westmeath)

Semi-finals

28 June 1981 Semi-final	Offaly	1-16 – 0-14	Wexford	Croke Park, Dublin
	M Connor 1-5, B Lowry 0-4, G Carroll 0-3, J Mooney 0-2, M Wright 0-1, T Connor 0-1.		E Mahon 0-8, G Howlin 0-2, G O'Connor 0-2, G Byrne 0-1, S Fitzhenry 0-1.	Attendance: 7,000 Referee: C Lally (Laois)

5 July 1981 Semi-final	Dublin	0-11 – 2-9	Laois	O'Connor Park, Tullamore
	A McCaul 0-8, J Thompson 0-2, J Ronayne 0-1.		T Prendergast 1-1, J Costello 1-0, W Brennan 0-3, E Whelan 0-2, D O'Loughlin 0-1, G Brown 0-1, M Moore 0-1.	Attendance: 25,000 Referee: P Kavanagh (Meath)

Final

26 July 1981 Final	Offaly	1-18 – 3-9	Laois	Croke Park, Dublin
	B Lowry 1-3, M Connor 0-6, S Lowry 0-3, G Carroll 0-2, P Fitzgerald 0-2, A O'Halloran 0-1, T Connor 0-1.		W Brennan 1-3, M Moore 1-2, T Prendergast 1-1, E Whelan 0-1, D O'Loughlin 0-1, J Costello 0-1.	Attendance: 28,398 Referee: P Collins (Westmeath)

Munster Senior Football Championship

Quarter-finals

31 May 1981 Quarter-final	Tipperary	0-9 – 3-14	Clare	Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
	B Kennedy 0-2, B Conway 0-2, M O'Riordan 0-2, H Mulhaire 0-1, G McGrath 0-1, J Dunne 0-1.		G Fitzpatrick 1-4, T Tubridy 1-4, M O'Reilly 1-2, P Burke 0-2, N Normoyle 0-1, M Murray 0-1.	Referee: W Fogarty (Kerry)

31 May 1981 Quarter-final	Limerick	0-10 – 0-10	Waterford	Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

14 June 1981 Quarter-final replay	Waterford	0-10 – 1-4	Limerick	Fraher Field, Dungarvan
	T Casey 0-5, P White 0-3, J Kelly 0-1, T Keating 0-1.		T Cummins 1-0, A Moran 0-2, D Kiely 0-1, K Hanley 0-1.	Referee: M Griffin (Clare)

Semi-finals

28 June 1981 Semi-final	Kerry	4-17 – 0-6	Clare	Frank Sheehy Park, Listowel
	E Liston 3-3, M Sheehy 0-6, J Egan 1-1, P Spillane 0-3, P Ó Sé 0-1, J O'Shea 0-1, T Spillane 0-1, O Moran 0-1.		G Fitzpatrick 0-2, P McNamara 0-2, N Roche 0-1, J McGrath 0-1.	Referee: P Lane (Limerick)

28 June 1981 Semi-final	Waterford	0-7 – 2-18	Cork	Fraher Field, Dungarvan
	P White 0-3, M Kavanagh 0-2, T Casey 0-2.		D Allen 0-7, J Allen 1-2, D Barron 1-0, T Dalton 0-3, F O'Mahony 0-2, C Ryan 0-1, B Lotty 0-1, D Barry 0-1, S Hayes 0-1.	Referee: W Fogarty (Kerry)

Final

19 July 1981 Final	Kerry	1-11 – 0-3	Cork	Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney
	M Sheehy 1-5, P Spillane 0-3, J Egan 0-1, E Liston 0-1, J O'Shea 0-1.		D Barry 0-1, T Creedon 0-1, D Allen 0-1.	Attendance: 41,292 Referee: P Collins (Westmeath)

Ulster Senior Football Championship

Preliminary round

17 May 1981 Preliminary round	Monaghan	2-9 – 0-6	Tyrone	St. Mary's Park, Castleblayney
	E McEneaney 1-7, S McAleer 1-1, K Treanor 0-1.		B Donnelly 0-2, P Ball 0-2, J Devlin 0-1, E McKenna 0-1.	Referee: S McManus (Fermanagh)

Quarter-finals

24 May 1981 Quarter-final	Antrim	2-13 – 2-12	Cavan	Casement Park, Belfast
	J Herron 1-4, K Gough 1-1, A McQuillan 0-4, D Maguire 0-3, S McGourdy 0-1.		D Donohoe 2-5, M Reilly 0-1, C O'Keeffe 0-1, M Faulkner 0-1.	Referee: S Murray (Monaghan)

31 May 1981 Quarter-final	Armagh	2-16 – 0-13	Donegal	Athletic Grounds, Armagh
	B Hughes 1-1, N Marley 1-1, P Loughran 0-3, J Kernan 0-2, P Rafferty 0-2, J Loughran 0-2, C McKinstry 0-1, J Donnelly 0-1.		M McHugh 0-4, S Reilly 0-3, S Bonnar 0-2, M Gallagher 0-1, C Mulgrew 0-1, S Flynn 0-1, M Carr 0-1.	Referee: J Heaney (Tyrone)

7 June 1981 Quarter-final	Derry	0-12 – 0-10	Fermanagh	Dean McGlinchey Park, Ballinascreen
	B Kelly 0-4, M Feeley 0-4, J McGrourty 0-2, T Doherty 0-1, J McAree 0-1.		P McGinnitty 0-4, G McEvoy 0-3, E McPartland 0-1, P Connolly 0-1, P Courtney 0-1.	Referee: S Gallagher (Donegal)

14 June 1981 Quarter-final	Down	0-10 – 0-10	Monaghan	Pairc Esler, Newry
	B McGovern 0-7, N Toner 0-1, L Austin 0-1, D Morgan 0-1.		E McEneaney 0-6, S McAleer 0-2, D Mulligan 0-1, T Moyna 0-1.	Referee: J Gough (Antrim)

28 June 1981 Quarter-final replay	Monaghan	1-9 – 3-4	Down	St. Mary's Park, Castleblayney
	K Treanor 1-1, E McEneaney 0-4. G McCarville 0-2, K Finlay 0-1, H Clerkin 0-1.		B McGovern 1-0, D Morgan 1-0, J McCartan 1-0, L Austin 0-1, P O'Rourke 0-1, N Toner 0-1, A McGranaghan 0-1.	Referee: J Gough (Antrim)

Semi-finals

21 June 1981 Semi-final	Armagh	4-7 – 1-3	Antrim	St. Mary's Park, Castleblayney
	P Rafferty 1-2, S Devlin 1-0, J Kernan 1-0, C McKinstrey 1-0, B Hughes 0-2, P LOughlin 0-2, J Loughran 0-1.		PJ O'Gara 1-0, D Maguire 0-2, K Gough 0-1.	Referee: S Murray (Monaghan)

5 July 1981 Semi-final	Down	0-12 – 0-9	Derry	St. Tiernach's Park, Clones
	B McGovern 0-5, G Blaney 0-2, N Toner 0-2, J McCartan 0-2, A Rogers 0-1.		J McAfee 0-3, B Kelly 0-2, J McGrourty 0-1, T Doherty 0-1, M Lynch 0-1, M McFeeley 0-1.	Referee: S McManus

Final

19 July 1981 Final	Down	3-12 – 1-10	Armagh	St. Tiernach's Park, Clones
	A Rodgers 0-4, G Blaney 1-0, N King 0-1, B McCartan 0-1.		P Loughran 0-5, B Hughes 1-1, C McKinstrey 0-2, P Moriarty 0-1, P Rafferty 0-1.	Attendance: 25,000 Referee: J Heaney (Tyrone)

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Semi-finals

9 August 1981 Semi-final	Mayo	1-6 - 2-19	Kerry	Croke Park, Dublin
	E McHale 1-0, J McGrath 0-2, J Lyons 0-1, A Garvey 0-1, M Carney 0-1, J Lyons 0-1.		M Sheehy 0-6, E Liston 1-2, G Power 1-0, D Moran 0-3, J Egan 0-3, P Spillane 0-3, J O'Shea 0-1, T Doyle 0-1.	Attendance: 24,631 Referee: P Collins (Westmeath)

23 August 1981 Semi-final	Down	0-6 - 0-12	Offaly	Croke Park, Dublin
	G Blaney 0-3, Jim McCartan 0-1, N King 0-1, B Toner 0-1.		M Connor 0-7, B Lowry 0-2, M Lowry 0-1, G Carroll 0-1, A O'Halloran 0-1.	Attendance: 35,406 Referee: W Fogarty (Kerry)

Final

20 September 1981 Final	Kerry	1-12 - 0-8	Offaly	Croke Park, Dublin
	M Sheehy 0-5, J O'Shea 1-0, D Moran 0-2, T Doyle 0-1, J Egan 0-1, P Ó Sé 0-1, S Walsh 0-1, G Power 0-1.		M Connor 0-4, S Lowry 0-2, T O'Connor 0-1, B Lowry 0-1.	Attendance: 65,898 Referee: P Collins (Westmeath)

Championship statistics

Top scorers

Overall

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Matt Connor	Offaly	1-31	34	5	6.80
2	Mikey Sheehy	Kerry	1-22	25	4	6.25
3	Tom Prendergast	Laois	6-5	23	4	5.75
4	Eamonn McEneaney	Monaghan	1-17	20	3	6.66
5	Eoin Liston	Kerry	4-6	18	4	4.50

Single game

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Tom Prendergast	Laois	3-3	12	Kildare
1	Eoin Liston	Kerry	3-3	12	Clare
3	Donal Donohoe	Cavan	2-5	11	Antrim
3	Gay McManus	Galway	0-11	11	Leitrim
5	Kevin Dawe	Louth	2-4	10	Laois
5	Eamonn McEneaney	Monaghan	1-7	10	Tyrone
7	Matt Connor	Offaly	0-9	9	Westmeath
8	Eamonn Whelan	Laois	2-2	8	Louth
	Matt Connor	Offaly	1-5	8	Wexford
	Mikey Sheehy	Kerry	1-5	8	Cork
	Eddie Mahon	Wexford	0-8	8	Offaly
	Anto McCaul	Dublin	0-8	8	Laois

Miscellaneous

London after six years in the Connacht championship play their games this year on home ground at Ruislip.
Kerry become the third team in the history of the championship to win four All-Ireland titles in-a-row. They equalled the record set by Wexford (1915-1918) and Kerry (1929-1932).

References

↑ "Minister reveals how he lost Sam in 1981". The Irish Echo. 21 December 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2016.

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
Trophy Leinster Connacht Munster Ulster Records and statistics Winning captains Winning managers Winning players Losing players Winning teams
Seasons	1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Finals	1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Connacht Championship Leinster Championship Munster Championship Ulster Championship

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