The 1986 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was the 100th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county Gaelic football tournament. The championship began on 18 May and ended on 21 September 1986.
Kerry entered the championship as the defending champions.
On 21 September, Kerry won the championship following a 2–15 to 1–10 defeat of first-time finalists Tyrone in the All-Ireland final. This was their 30th All-Ireland title and their third championship in succession.
Down's Brendan Mason was the championship's top scorer with 3–18. Kerry's Pat Spillane was the choice for Texaco Footballer of the Year.
Results Connacht Senior Football Championship
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Leinster Senior Football Championship
Preliminary 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
Scoring
Overall Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Brendan MasonDown3–182755.402Mikey SheehyKerry1–131644.00Robert McHughWicklow0–161635.334Martin HanrickWexford2–91527.505Pat SpillaneKerry2–81443.50Franny KellyTipperary1–111427.007Brian O'DonnellGalway3–41343.25Eoin ListonKerry2–71343.259Damien O'HaganTyrone0–121252.4010Kevin O'BrienWicklow2–51133.66
Top scorers in a single game
Rank Player Team Tally Total Opposition1Brendan MasonDown2–410ArmaghMartin HanrickWexford1–710Kildare3Kevin O'BrienWicklow2–39LaoisMichael MartinLeitrim2–39GalwayFranny KellyTipperary1–69LimerickR. FahyGalway1–69London7Eoin ListonKerry2–28ClareRobert McHughWicklow0–88WestmeathPádraig BroganMayo0–88Roscommon10Pat SpillaneKerry1–47TyroneMikey SheehyKerry1–47Tyrone
Miscellaneous
Meath win their first Leinster football title since 1970. After facing defeat in four previous All-Ireland semi-finals (1956, 1957, 1973, 1984), Tyrone's defeat of Galway at the penultimate stage allows the team to qualify for their very first All-Ireland final. Kerry's Pat Spillane, Páidí Ó Sé and Denis "Ógie" Moran became the first players in the history of the championship to win eight All-Ireland medals on the field of play. Mikey Sheehy also won an eighth All-Ireland medal, however, he missed the 1984 All-Ireland final through injury. The All Ireland final was the first meeting between Kerry and Tyrone.
References