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 Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Tony McTagueOffaly1–353857.602Seamus LeydonGalway4–193156.203Mickey KearnsSligo0–272739.004Denis CoughlanCork1–202337.665Mickey NiblockDerry4–82045.006Enda CondronLaois1–161944.757Mick O'DwyerKerry1–131628.00James MorganDown0–161644.009Murt ConnorOffaly3–61553.0010Tony BrennanMeath2–81427.00
Single game
Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1Mickey KearnsSligo0–1313Galway2Tony BrennanMeath2–612Kildare3Mickey NiblockDerry2–410DownPatsy BarrettTyrone1–710ArmaghEnda CondronLaois1–710CarlowSeamus LeydonGalway1–710SligoDenis CoughlanCork0–1010Kerry8Seamus LeydonGalway2–39OffalyDenis CoughlanCork1–69ClareMick O'DwyerKerry1–69TipperaryTony McTagueOffaly0–99KildarePaudie BlytheTipperary0–99WaterfordDeclan McCabeMonaghan0–99CavanTony McTagueOffaly0–99Cork
References