1971 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final

Match

This year's final was played on 26 September.

Summary

Galway were appearing in their first final since the three-in-a-row side of the 1960s. Offaly, who had never won an All-Ireland title, had last contested a final in 1969.

Galway were favourites. However, a shock However, with the duration of certain championship matches increasing from 60 to 80 minutes during the 1970s before being settled at 70 minutes after five seasons of this in 1975, this is the only All-Ireland final whose score at 60 minutes was different (a draw) to the actual outcome.

This was the first All-Ireland final attended by Martin Breheny. The weather on the day was later described by Breheny as consisting of a "steady drizzle" in the first half, followed by a "deluge of monsoon proportions" during the second half.

It would be a further 21 years before another team (Donegal) won their first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.

Details

Offaly

• 1 M. Furlong
• 2 M. Ryan
• 3 P. McCormack
• 4 M. O'Rourke
• 5 E. Mulligan
• 6 N. Clavin
• 7 M. Heavey
• 8 W. Bryan (c)
• 9 K. Claffey
• 10 S. Cooney
• 11 K. Kilmurray
• 12 T. McTague
• 13 J. Gunning
• 14 S. Evans
• 15 M. Connor

;Subs used : 17 J. Smith for N. Clavin : 18 P. Fenning for J. Gunning

;Subs not used : 16 N. Kinnarney : 19 L. Hanlon : 20 L. Coughlan : 21 D. Murphy : 22 S. Darby : 23 G. Hughes : 24 S. Lowry

;Trainer : T. F. Gillooley

Galway

• 1 P. J. Smyth
• 2 B. Colleran
• 3 J. Cosgrove
• 4 N. Colleran
• 5 L. O'Neill
• 6 T. J. Gilmore
• 7 C. McDonagh
• 8 L. Sammon (c)
• 9 W. Joyce
• 10 F. Burke
• 11 J. Duggan
• 12 M. Rooney
• 13 E. Farrell
• 14 F. Canavan
• 15 S. Leydon

;Subs used : 19 T. Divilly for M. Rooney : 17 M. Feerick for F. Burke

;Subs not used : 16 G. Mitchell : 18 J. McLoughlin : 20 G. King : 21 M. Byrne : 22 M. Keane

References

References

1. (2021). "The Complete Handbook of GAELIC GAMES". DBA.
2. Kenny, Tom. (14 April 2011). "The men who first brought Sam to Galway". [[Galway Advertiser]].
3. [[Murt Connor]] goal gave Offaly their first title.''High Ball'' magazine, issue #6, 1998.
4. [[Martin Breheny. Breheny, Martin]]. "The Final Verdict: The Greatest of my Lifetime" in ''Martin Breheny's Greatest All-Ireland Finals''. ''[[Irish Independent]]''. 1 September 2018, p. 2.
5. Moran, Seán. (11 September 2019). "Will time be on Dublin's side once more?". [[The Irish Times]].
6. Breheny, Martin. (31 August 2019). "'My 100th All-Ireland final - tales from the great occasions': From being nearly drowned on Hill 16 in 1971 to covering what could be a historic final, Martin Breheny reflects on the drama of it all". [[Irish Independent]].