The 2025 Leinster Senior Football Championship was the 2025 iteration of the annual Leinster Senior Football Championship organised by Leinster GAA. It was one of the four provincial competitions of the 2025 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. The winning team received the Delaney Cup. The draw for the championship was made on 12 October 2024.
The defending champion was Dublin; however, Dublin could not retain the title after losing to Meath in the semi-final. This was Dublin's first loss in the Leinster SFC in 15 years and broke a run of 14 consecutive championship wins.
Louth defeated Meath by 3–14 to 1–18 in the final to win a first Leinster SFC title for 68 years.
Teams
General Information Eleven counties competed in the Leinster Senior Football Championship: CountyLast Championship TitleLast All-Ireland TitlePosition in 2024 Championship Carlow1944 Preliminary round Kildare20001928Semi-finals Dublin20242023Champions Laois2003 Quarter-finals Longford1968 Preliminary round Louth19571957Runners-up Meath20101999Quarter-finals Offaly19971982Semi-finals Westmeath2004 Preliminary round Wexford19451918Quarter-finals Wicklow Quarter-finals
Draw
Pot 1
Dublin Kildare Louth Offaly
Pot 2
Carlow Longford Meath Offaly Westmeath Wexford Wicklow
Bracket
Preliminary round
Matches
Quarter-finals
Matches
Semi-finals Colm O'Rourke wrote before the semi-finals: "Meath's chance is determined by how far the mighty have fallen. Dublin can disimprove by 10 points and still beat everyone in Leinster... it is still a stretch to think that Meath might beat a vulnerable Dublin team who survived quite easily in Division 1". On the other game he wrote: "Kildare should be able for an understrength Louth".
Matches The first semi-final was preceded by a 2025 Ulster SFC semi-final at St Tiernach's Park, carried live by the BBC. Former Dublin player Philly McMahon was working on that broadcast. When the Ulster SFC semi-final had concluded, presenter Mark Sidebottom informed McMahon live on air what was happening in Dublin's Leinster SFC semi-final: "Philly", said Mark Sidebottom. "I want to bring you some really big breaking news from Portlaoise. Half-time: Meath 17 points, Dublin five." McMahon said, "Jesus", and he looked at Oisín McConville and Conor McManus, who were also in the studio. "April Fool's?" hen wondered.
As the hooter sounded Meath had a three-point lead and a free in front of the Dublin goal. The only way for Dublin to stay in the Leinster SFC was if Eoghan Frayne struck the post, the ball had come back into play, a Dublin player had retrieved the ball and then scored a goal that would have brought about extra-time. This did not happen.
Final
Leinster final
GK1 Billy Hogan (Longwood)RCB2 Séamus Lavin (St Peter's Dunboyne) FB3 Seán Rafferty (Na Fianna)LCB4 Brian O'Halloran (Ballivor)RHB5 Donal Keogan (Rathkenny) CHB6 Seán Coffey (Ballinabrackey)LHB7 Ciarán Caulfield (Trim) MF8 Jack Flynn (Ratoath)MF9 Bryan Menton (Donaghmore/Ashbourne)RHF10 Conor Duke (Dunshaughlin)CHF11 Ruairí Kinsella (Dunshaughlin)LHF12 Keith Curtis (Rathkenny) RCF13 Mathew Costello (Dunshaughlin)FF14 James Conlon (St Colmcille's)LCF15 Eoghan Frayne (Summerhill) (c)Substitutes: 16 Jordan Morris (Kingscourt Stars, Cavan) for Curtis 17 Shane Walsh (Na Fianna) for Duke 18 Aaron Lynch (Trim) for Kinsella 19 Daithí McGowan (Ratoath) for Conlon GK1 Niall McDonnell (St Fechin's)RCB2 Dáire Nally (Newtown Blues)FB3 Dermot Campbell (Dreadnots)LCB4 Donal McKenny (St Mary's)RHB5 Conall McKeever (Clan na Gael)CHB6 Peter Lynch (Roche Emmets) LHB7 Craig Lennon (St Mochta's)MF8 Tommy Durnin (St Mary's)MF9 Andy McDonnell (Newtown Blues)RHF10 Bevan Duffy (St Fechin's)CHF11 Ciarán Downey (Newtown Blues)LHF12 Conor Grimes (Glen Emmets)RCF13 Ryan Burns (Hunterstown Rovers)FF14 Sam Mulroy (Naomh Máirtín) (c)LCF15 Kieran McArdle (St Bride's)Substitutes: 16 Ciarán Keenan (St Mary's) for McArdle 17 Paul Matthews (St Fechin's) for Andy McDonnell 18 Ciarán Byrne (St Mochta's) for Burns 19 Dara McDonnell (Naomh Máirtín) for Duffy 20 Emmet Carolan (Newtown Blues) for Nally
References
External links