The 1961 All-Ireland Junior Football Championship was the 40th staging of the championship since its establishment by the GAA in 1912.
The competition format saw the four provincial champions compete in two 'Home' semi-finals, the winners of which then contested the All-Ireland 'Home' final at Croke Park.
Louth, having accounted for Meath, Longford and Offaly in the Leinster preliminary rounds and Dublin in the provincial final, went on to defeat Kerry and Galway in the All-Ireland Series to emerge as 'Home' champions.
In the last stage of the competition, the victorious 'Home' finalists then met the champions of Britain to determine who would be crowned overall All-Ireland Junior Football Champions for 1961.
The title match was played on 8 October in Leeds. The 1961 British champions Yorkshire provided the opposition for Louth. A tight game ended in victory for the Wee County side by three points.
Results Munster Junior Football Championship
Leinster Junior Football Championship
GK1 Jim Clifford (St Patrick's)RCB2 Oliver Coombes (Wolfe Tones)FB3 Jim Butterly (Mattock Rangers)LCB4 Anthony Kirwan (Dreadnots)RHB5 Gussie Sheelan (St Patrick's) (c)CHB6 Michael Kelly (Wolfe Tones)LHB7 Noel McDonnell (Drogheda Parnells)MF8 Ted Russell (Naomh Mhuire)MF9 Paddy Jordan (St Patrick's)RHF10 Seán Goodman (Walshestown Rovers)CHF11 Jim Sheelan (St Patrick's)LHF12 Jim Judge (Newtown Blues)RCF13 Ronnie McDonnell (Seán McDermott's)FF14 Henry Donnelly (St Patrick's)LCF15 Fra Kirk (Clan na Gael)Substitutes: 16 Jimmy Kierans (O'Connells) for Judge 17 Paddy Reilly (Naomh Mhuire) for Ronnie McDonnell GK1 Martin Leonard (St Maur's)RCB2 Paddy Archibold (St Joseph's)FB3 Leo Hickey (Ballyboughal)LCB4 Brian Cooney (Rialto Gaels)RHB5 Pat Fox (Rialto Gaels)CHB6 Liam O'Hagan (Synge Street) (c)LHB7 Denis Dempsey (Rialto Gaels)MF8 Colm Fox (Ballyboughal)MF9 Frank McKearney (St Joseph's)RHF10 Paddy Barrett (Ballyboughal)CHF11 Bert Ennis (Garristown)LHF12 Noel Kinsella (Fingal Ravens)RCF13 Nicky Dempsey (Rialto Gaels)FF14 Anthony Burke (Na Fianna)LCF15 Pat Somers (St Anne's)Substitutes: 16 Paddy Nally (Seán McDermotts) for Burke 17 Eamonn Burgess (Good Counsel) for Kinsella 18 Finbarr Sheehan (St Patrick's, Donabate) for C. Fox
Ulster Junior Football Championship
Connacht Junior Football Championship
All-Ireland Junior Football Championship 'Home' Semi-Finals
'Home' Final
All-Ireland Final
GK1 Jim Clifford (St Patrick's)RCB2 Oliver Coombes (Wolfe Tones)FB3 Jim Butterly (Mattock Rangers)LCB4 Anthony Kirwan (Dreadnots)RHB5 Gussie Sheelan (St Patrick's)CHB6 Michael Kelly (Wolfe Tones)LHB7 Paddy Dixon (Clan na Gael)MF8 Frank Fagan (Newtown Blues)MF9 Paddy Jordan (St Patrick's)RHF10 Jim Sheelan (St Patrick's)CHF11 Muckle McKeown (O'Raghallaighs)LHF12 Jim Judge (Newtown Blues)RCF13 Seán Goodman (Walshestown Rovers)FF14 Henry Donnelly (St Patrick's)LCF15 Fra Kirk (Clan na Gael)Substitutes: 16 Joe Mallon (Newtown Blues) for Jordan 17 Leslie Toal (Clan na Gael) for CoombesManager:Paddy McArdle GK1 Michael Courtney (Kerry)RCB2 Jim Grennan (Offaly)FB3 Leo Daly (Louth) LCB4 Tom Fox (Meath)RHB5 Pat Donnellan (Galway)CHB6 Pat Beirne (Roscommon)LHB7 Patrick O'Hara (Meath)MF8 Michael Jordan (Mayo)MF9 Jimmy Kelly (Laois)RHF10 Pat Marron (Monaghan)CHF11 Hugh Keegan (Westmeath) LHF12 Gene Kelly (Limerick)RCF13 Pat Burke (Tipperary)FF14 Michael Neary (Dublin)LCF15 Joe Sheils (Louth)
References