The 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was the 126th edition of the GAA's premier inter-county Gaelic football tournament, played between 31 counties of Ireland (excluding Kilkenny who only take part in the hurling championship), London and New York.
The 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final took place at Croke Park on 23 September 2012, with Donegal emerging victorious. Having reclaimed the Ulster Senior Football Championship with wins over Cavan, Derry, Tyrone and Down, they met and bet Kerry in the All-Ireland quarter-final, in what was widely considered the game of the Championship. They then overcame Cork in the semi-final and Mayo in the final in Jim McGuinness's second season in charge, allowing team captain Michael Murphy to hold the Sam Maguire Cup aloft.
Colm McFadden finished as the competition's top scorer and Karl Lacey was named the competition's best player.
Teams A total of 33 teams contested the championship. These included 31 teams from Ireland as well as London and New York. As in previous years, Kilkenny decided not to field a team.
Format The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship of 2012 was run on a provincial basis as usual. It was a knockout tournament with pairings drawn at random in the respective provinces – there was no seeds.
Each match was played as a single leg. If a match was drawn there was a replay. If that match ended in a draw a period of extra time was played; however, if both sides were still level at the end of extra time another replay would have taken place.
Connacht Championship Quarter-finals: (3 matches) These were three matches between six of the Connacht teams drawn first. The three winning teams advanced to the semi-finals, while the three losing teams entered the All-Ireland qualifiers.
Semi-finals: (4 matches) The winners of the three quarter-final games joined the other two Connacht teams to make up the semi-final pairings. The two winning teams advanced to the final, while the two losing teams entered the All-Ireland qualifiers.
Final: (1 match) The winners of the two semi-finals contested this game. The winning team advanced to the All-Ireland quarter-final, while the losing team entered the All-Ireland qualifiers.
Leinster Championship Preliminary round: (3 matches) These were three matches between six of the Leinster teams drawn first. The three winning teams advanced to the quarter-finals, while the three losing teams entered the All-Ireland qualifiers.
Quarter-finals: (4 matches) The winners of the three preliminary round games joined the other five Leinster teams to make up four quarter-final pairings. The four winning teams advanced to the semi-finals, while the four losing teams entered the All-Ireland qualifiers.
Semi-finals: (2 matches) The four winners of the quarter-finals made up the semi-final pairings. The two winning teams advanced to the final, while the two losing teams entered the All-Ireland qualifiers.
Final: (1 match) The winners of the two semi-finals contested this game. The winning team advanced to the All-Ireland quarter-final, while the losing team entered the All-Ireland qualifiers.
Munster Championship Quarter-finals: (2 matches) These were to be two matches between four of the Munster teams drawn first. The two winning teams advanced to the semi-finals, while the two losing teams entered the All-Ireland qualifiers.
Semi-finals: (4 matches) The winners of the two quarter-final games joined the other two Munster teams to make up the semi-final pairings. The two winning teams advanced to the final, while the two losing teams entered the All-Ireland qualifiers.
Final: (1 match) The winners of the two semi-finals contested this game. The winning team advanced to the All-Ireland quarter-final, while the losing team entered the All-Ireland qualifiers.
Ulster Championship Preliminary round: (1 match) This was a lone match between two of the Ulster teams drawn first. The winning team advanced to the quarter-finals, while the losing team entered the All-Ireland qualifiers.
Quarter-finals: (4 matches) The winners of the lone preliminary round game joined the other seven Ulster teams to make up four quarter-final pairings. The four winning teams advanced to the semi-finals, while the four losing teams entered the All-Ireland qualifiers.
Semi-finals: (2 matches) The four winners of the quarter-finals made up the semi-final pairings. The two winning teams advanced to the final, while the two losing teams entered the All-Ireland qualifiers.
Final: (1 match) The winners of the two semi-finals contested this game. The winning team advanced to the All-Ireland quarter-final, while the losing team entered the All-Ireland qualifiers.
Qualifiers The qualifiers gave teams defeated in the provincial championships another chance at winning the All-Ireland title.
Round 1 (8 matches): the sixteen teams who failed to reach a provincial semi-final entered the qualifiers at this stage (New York do not compete). An open draw was made to determine the eight match pairings.
Round 2 (8 matches): the eight teams who failed to progress from their provincial semi-finals entered the qualifiers at this stage. They were paired with the eight winners from round 1 of the qualifiers. An open draw was made to determine the eight match pairings.
Round 3 (4 matches): the eight teams from round 2 of the qualifiers were paired against each other. An open draw was made to determine the four match pairings.
Round 4 (4 matches): the four teams who lost their provincial finals entered the qualifiers at this stage. They were paired with the four winners from round 3 of the qualifiers. An open draw was made to determine the four match pairings. The four winners advanced to the All-Ireland quarter-finals.
All-Ireland Series Quarter-finals: (4 matches) the four teams from round 4 of the qualifiers were paired against the four provincial winners. An open draw was made to determine the four match pairings. The four winning teams advanced to the semi-finals, while the two losing teams were eliminated from the championship.
Semi-finals: (2 matches) The four winners of the quarter-finals make up the semi-final pairings. The two winning teams advanced to the final, while the two losing teams were eliminated from the championship.
Final: (1 match) The winners of the two semi-finals contested this game.
Fixtures and results
Munster Senior Football Championship
Leinster Senior Football Championship
Connacht Senior Football Championship
Ulster Senior Football Championship
All-Ireland qualifiers
Round 1 On 18 June 2012, the draw was made for the first round of the All-Ireland qualifiers. This draw contained all the teams who had been knocked out of their provincial competitions prior to the semi-final stage, apart from New York. It was broadcast live on RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland for the first time.
Round 2 On 2 July 2012, the draw was made for the second round of the All-Ireland qualifiers. This draw contained all the teams who had been knocked out of their provincial competitions at the semi-final stage in one pot and the winners of the first round of the qualifiers in the second pot.
Round 3
Round 4
All-Ireland series
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Stadia and locations Team Location Stadium Stadium capacity Antrim Belfast Casement Park Armagh Armagh Athletic Grounds Carlow Carlow Dr Cullen Park Cavan Cavan Kingspan Breffni Park Clare Ennis Cusack Park Cork Cork Páirc Uí Chaoimh Derry Derry Celtic Park Donegal Ballybofey MacCumhaill Park Down Newry Páirc Esler Dublin Dublin Parnell Park Fermanagh Enniskillen Brewster Park Galway Galway Pearse Stadium Kerry Killarney Fitzgerald Stadium Kildare Newbridge St Conleth's Park Laois Portlaoise O'Moore Park Leitrim Carrick-on-Shannon Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada Limerick Limerick Gaelic Grounds London Ruislip Emerald GAA Grounds Longford Longford Pearse Park Louth Drogheda Drogheda Park Mayo Castlebar McHale Park Meath Navan Páirc Tailteann Monaghan Clones St Tiernach's Park New York Kingsbridge, Bronx Gaelic Park Offaly Tullamore O'Connor Park Roscommon Roscommon Dr Hyde Park Sligo Sligo Markievicz Park Tipperary Thurles Semple Stadium Tyrone Omagh Healy Park Waterford Waterford Walsh Park Westmeath Mullingar Cusack Park Wexford Wexford Wexford Park Wicklow Aughrim Aughrim County Ground
Personnel and kits
TeamColoursSponsorCaptainManager(s)Most recent successAll-IrelandProvincialLeagueAntrimSaffron and whiteCreagh ConcreteAodhán GallagherLiam Bradley1951ArmaghOrange and whiteMorgan FuelsCiarán McKeeverPaddy O'Rourke200220082005CarlowRed, green and yellowDan MorrisseyShane RedmondLuke Dempsey1944CavanBlue and whiteKingspanPádraic O'ReillyVal Andrews195219971950ClareSaffron and bluePat O'DonnellAlan ClohessyMichael McDermott1992CorkRed and whiteO2Graham CantyConor Counihan201020122012DerryRed and whiteSpecialist Joinery GroupPaddy BradleyJohn Brennan199319982008DonegalGreen and yellowDonegal CreameriesMichael MurphyJim McGuinness201220122007DownRed and blackCanal Court HotelAmbrose RogersJames McCartan Jr.199419941983DublinBlue and navyVodafoneBryan CullenPat Gilroy201120121993FermanaghGreen and whiteTracey ConcreteRyan McCluskeyPeter CanavanGalwayMaroon and whiteHealth Care WestFinian HanleyAlan Mulholland200120081981KerryGreen and goldKerry GroupColm CooperJack O'Connor200920112009KildareWhiteTegalJohnny DoyleKieran McGeeney19282000LaoisBlue and whiteMW Hire GroupKevin MeaneyJustin McNulty20031986LeitrimGreen and goldBush HotelOaddy MaguireMickey Moran1994LimerickGreen and whiteSporting LimerickGer CollinsMaurice Horan18961996LondonGreen and whiteSeán McVeighPaul CogginsLongfordBlue and goldGlennonPaul BardenGlenn Ryan1968LouthRed and whiteMcCabeMark BrennanPeter Fitzpatrick19571957MayoGreen and redElverys SportsAndy MoranJames Horan195120122001MeathGreen and goldComer GroupShane McAnarneySéamus McEnaney199920101994MonaghanBlue and whiteInvestecDarren HughesEamonn McEneaney19881985New YorkRed, white and bluePremium SportsConnie MolloyOffalyGreen, white and goldCarrol CuisineBrian DarbyGerry Cooney198219971998RoscommonBlue and primroseMayo Roscommon HospiceGeoffrey ClaffeyDes Newton194420101979SligoBlack and whiteRadisson Hotel and SpaRoss DonovanKevin Walsh2007TipperaryBlue and goldŠkodaPhilip AustinPeter Creedon19201935TyroneWhite and RedTarget ExpressStephen O'NeillMickey Harte200820102008WaterfordBlue and white3John A. MurphyJohn Owens1898WestmeathMaroon and whiteAnnebrook House HotelGary ConnaughtonPat Flanagan2004WexfordPurple and goldSports SaversDavid MurphyJason Ryan195219971950WicklowBlue and goldBrennan HotelsLeighton GlynnHarry Murphy
Referees Ahead of the 2012 Championship, three referees joined the panel: Conor Lane of Banteer, Martin Higgins of Fermanagh and Barry Cassidy of Derry.
2012 Championship referees' panel
Barry Cassidy (Derry) David Coldrick (Meath) Michael Collins (Cork) Maurice Deegan (Laois)
Syl Doyle (Wexford) Marty Duffy (Sligo) Michael Duffy (Sligo) Derek Fahy (Longford)
Rory Hickey (Clare) Martin Higgins (Fermanagh) Pádraig Hughes (Armagh) Eddie Kinsella (Laois)
Conor Lane (Cork) Joe McQuillan (Cavan) Pádraig O'Sullivan (Kerry) Cormac Reilly (Meath)
Statistics
Scoring
First goal of the championship: Stephen Coen for Sligo against New York (Connacht quarter-final) Widest winning margin: 24 points Sligo 3–21 – 0-06 New York (Connacht quarter-final) Most goals in a match: 5 Mayo 3–18 – 2-09 Down (All Ireland quarter-final) Most points in a match: 35 Mayo 0-19 – 0-16 Dublin (All Ireland Semi-final) Most goals by one team in a match: 4 Mayo 4–20 – 0–10 Leitrim (Connacht Semi-final) Highest aggregate score: 42 points Mayo 4–20 – 0–10 Leitrim (Connacht Semi-final) Lowest aggregate score: 17 points Sligo 0-04 – 0–13 Kildare (fourth round) Most goals scored by a losing team: 2 London 2-09 – 2–11 Antrim (first round)