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. 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
Semi-finals
Final
Leinster Senior Football Championship
First 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
Top scorers
Overall Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Matt ConnorOffaly1–313456.802Mikey SheehyKerry1–222546.253Tom PrendergastLaois6–52345.754Eamonn McEneaneyMonaghan1–172036.665Eoin ListonKerry4–61844.50
Single game
Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1Tom PrendergastLaois3–312KildareEoin ListonKerry3–312Clare3Donal DonohoeCavan2–511AntrimGay McManusGalway0–1111Leitrim5Kevin DaweLouth2–410LaoisEamonn McEneaneyMonaghan1–710Tyrone7Matt ConnorOffaly0–99Westmeath8Eamonn WhelanLaois2–28LouthMatt ConnorOffaly1–58WexfordMikey SheehyKerry1–58CorkEddie MahonWexford0–88OffalyAnto McCaulDublin0–88Laois
Miscellaneous
London after six years in the Connacht championship play their games this year on home ground at Ruislip. Mayo won their first Connacht title since 1969. Armagh vs Down Ulster final the only 1 (1961-1999). 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). Lasted until Dublin winning six in a row (2015–2020).
References