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2021 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

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2021 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
Championship details
Dates26 June – 11 September 2021
Teams31
All-Ireland Champions
Winning teamTyrone (4th win)
CaptainPádraig Hampsey
ManagerFeargal Logan
Brian Dooher
All-Ireland Finalists
Losing teamMayo
CaptainAidan O'Shea
ManagerJames Horan
Provincial Champions
MunsterKerry
LeinsterDublin
UlsterTyrone
ConnachtMayo
Championship statistics
Top ScorerBorder Seán O'Shea (2–29)
Player of the YearBorder Kieran McGeary
← 2020
2022 →

The 2021 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was the 134th edition of the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county Gaelic football tournament since its establishment in 1887.

Thirty one of the thirty two Irish counties took part – Kilkenny did not compete. London and New York were withdrawn as a result of the public health restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Most division three and four teams who did not reach their provincial final were scheduled to compete in the 2021 Tailteann Cup. In previous years, they would have competed in the All-Ireland qualifiers.[1] The introduction of the Tailteann Cup competition was postponed until 2022 (having been originally postponed from 2020).

There was no "Super 8" group stage (officially the all-Ireland quarter-final group stage). The four provincial winners advanced to the All-Ireland semi-finals which were played as single knockout games.[2]

Dublin were the six-time defending champions, and were seeking to claim an unprecedented seventh consecutive title. Having won the Leinster championship, they were defeated by Mayo in the All-Ireland semi-finals.[3][4]

The All-Ireland final was played on 11 September 2021 at Croke Park in Dublin, between Tyrone and Mayo, in what was their first ever meeting in a final. Tyrone won their 4th title after a 2–14 to 0–15 win against Mayo.[5] Mayo lost their 11th consecutive final since 1989, losing 6 finals in 9 years, with this latest defeat on an identical scoreline to 2020, when Mayo lost to Dublin.[6]

Competition format

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Provincial Championships format

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Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster each organise a provincial championship. These tournaments are all straight knockout.

The draws took place on 19 April 2021 for the Connacht and Munster championships, and on 20 April 2021 for the Leinster and Ulster championships.

Qualifiers (cancelled)

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Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the qualifiers and Super 8s (officially the All-Ireland quarter final group stage) were cancelled. Teams were eliminated following their first defeat.

It was planned to limit the qualifiers to mainly teams in the top two divisions of the National Football League but, due to the restricted season as a result of the COVID-19 health measures, the qualifiers and Super 8s were cancelled in their entirety.

All-Ireland format

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The four provincial champions play in two semi-finals. All matches are knock-out. Any game that ends in a draw will go straight to extra-time. If the sides are level after extra-time the game will be decided by a penalty shootout.

Rule changes since 2020 championship

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  • A penalty will be awarded for a 'cynical' foul that prevents a goal-scoring opportunity and occurs inside the twenty metre line or inside the semi-circular arc that extends from the centre of the twenty metre line. The player who committed the foul will receive a black card (and if they have previously received a yellow or black card, they will also receive a red card).
  • The existing advantage rule was modified and implemented in the 2021 National Football League. Advantage is now only allowed to a player who has been fouled in two circumstances – 1) he has a goal-scoring opportunity 2) he has an opportunity to "create or avail of time and space" on the ball. Following its introduction, referees awarded fouls earlier where previously they would have allowed play to continue and this led to complaints that the flow of the game was being disrupted.[7]
  • The maor foirne (assistant manager) is not allowed to enter the field of play.
  • Only one person is allowed to receive the trophy during the presentation to the winners.

Symbols

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f = free, m = mark, '45 = score direct from a '45, HT = Half time, AET = After extra time

Provincial championships

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Connacht Senior Football Championship

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Main article: 2021 Connacht Senior Football Championship

London and New York were withdrawn from the 2020 and 2021 Connacht championships due to international travel restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But both are back in the 2022 season. Sligo withdrew from 2020 season due to Covid-19 too back in 2021.

There was a full open draw for first time in over 40 years. It took place on 19 April 2021.

Meaning 1st Championship meetings of Mayo hosting London also Roscommon and New York since 2016 will take place in the 2026 season instead according to Rotation.

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
         
Leitrim 0-11
Mayo 5-20
Mayo 3-23
Sligo 0-12
Mayo 2-14
Galway 2-8
Galway 2-11
Roscommon 0-12


25 July 2021
13:30
Connacht Final 		Mayo 2–14 – 2–8 Galway Croke Park, Dublin
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork)
Man of the Match: Matthew Ruane (Breaffy)
Ryan O'Donoghue 1–3 (1–0 pen, 0-2f), Matthew Ruane 1–2, Conor Loftus and Tommy Conroy 0–2 each, Rob Hennelly (1 '45), Paddy Durcan, Darren McHale, Kevin McLoughlin, James Carr 0–1 each Report Shane Walsh 1–1, Matthew Tierney 0–4 (0-3f), Damien Comer 1–0, Paul Conroy 0–2, Cathal Sweeney 0–1

Leinster Senior Football Championship

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Main article: 2018 Leinster Senior Football Championship

Dublin, Kildare, Laois and Meath received byes to the quarter-final stage because they reached the semi-final stage in 2020. There was a separate draw after the quarter-finals to determine the semi-final pairings.

The draw for round 1 and the quarter-finals took place on 20 April 2021. The semi-final draw took place on 4 July after the quarter-finals.

Preliminary round
27 June 		Quarter-finals
4 July 		Semi-finals
18 July 		Final
1 August
Kildare 1-15
Offaly 3-19 AET Offaly 0-13
Louth 0-19 Kildare 2-14
Westmeath 0-18
Laois 1-10
Westmeath 3-20
Kildare 1-9
Dublin 0-20
Meath 4-22
Longford 0-25 Longford 0-12
Carlow 2-13 Meath 1-13
Dublin 2-16
Dublin 0-15
Wexford 2-11 Wexford 0-7
Wicklow 0-14


1 August 2021
16:00
Leinster Final 		Dublin 0–20 – 1–9 Kildare Croke Park, Dublin
Attendance: 18,000
Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan)
Dean Rock 0–5 (0-3f), Ciaran Kilkenny (0-1m) and Cormac Costello 0–4 each, Niall Scully 0–2 (0-1m), James McCarthy, Brian Howard, Paddy Small, Con O'Callaghan, Ryan Basquel 0–1 each Report Daniel Flynn 1–2 (0-1m), Jimmy Hyland 0–4 (0-1m, 0-1f), Neil Flynn, Alex Beirne, Brian McLoughlin 0–1 each

Munster Senior Football Championship

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Main article: Munster Senior Football Championship

There was a return of a straight forward open draw for the first time since 2013. Tipperary won the title in 2020. Cork and Kerry met in the Semi Final last year, meaning Cork, Kerry or Tipperary were not permitted to be drawn together in the quarter-finals. The draw was held on 19 April 2021.

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
Cork 1-16
Limerick 4-18 Limerick 0-11
Waterford 0-12 Cork 1-9
Kerry 4-22
Tipperary 1-8
Kerry 3-22 Kerry 1-19
Clare 1-11


25 July 2021
16:00 IST (UTC+1)
Munster Final 		Kerry 4–22 – 1–9 Cork Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney
Attendance: 2,500
Referee: Barry Cassidy (Bellaghy, Derry)
Sean O’Shea 1–6 (0-3f), Paul Geaney 2–1, Paudie Clifford 0–3, Brian Ó Beaglaoich 1–0, Jack Barry, Killian Spillane, Tom O’Sullivan 0–2 each, Mike Breen, David Moran, David Clifford (0-1f), Stephen O’Brien, Tadhg Morley, Tommy Walsh 0–1 each. Report Brian Hurley 1–3 (0-1f), Michael Hurley 0–2, Brian Hartnett, Ian Maguire, Luke Connolly, Daniel Dineen (0–1 mark) 0–1 each.

Ulster Senior Football Championship

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Main article: 2021 Ulster Senior Football Championship

An open draw was held on 20 April 2021 with the provision that Cavan, Derry, Monaghan and Tyrone cannot be placed in the preliminary round.[8]

Preliminary round Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
Armagh 4-15
Antrim 0-14
Armagh 2-21
Monaghan 4-17
Monaghan 1-21
Fermanagh 0-14
Monaghan 0-15
Tyrone 0-16
Tyrone 1-18
Cavan 0-13
Tyrone 0-23
Donegal 1-14
Derry 0-15
Down 1-12 Donegal 0-16
Donegal 2-25
31 July 2021
16:00
Ulster Final 		Monaghan 0–15 – 0–16 Tyrone Croke Park, Dublin
Attendance: 18,000
Conor McManus 0–4 (0-3f), Jack McCarron (0-1m) and Rory Beggan (0-2f) 0–2 each, Conor Boyle, Kieran Duffy, Killian Lavelle, Michael Bannigan, Conor McCarthy and Colin Walshe (0-1m) 0–1 each. Report Darren McCurry 0–5 (0-2f, 0-1m), Mattie Donnelly 0–3 (0-1f), Mark Bradley 0–2, Padraig Hampsey, Michael McKiernan, Niall Sludden, Peter Harte, Kieran McGeary and Cathal McShane 0–1 each.

All-Ireland Series

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Bracket

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Semi-Finals Final
      
Mayo (a.e.t.) 0–17
Dublin 0–14
Mayo 0–15
Tyrone 2–14
Kerry 0–22
Tyrone 3–14

Semi-finals

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14 August 2021
18:00 IST (UTC+1)
Semi-final
Mayo 0–17 – 0–14
(a.e.t.) 		Dublin
(HT: 0–4 – 0–10)

Pts: Ryan O'Donoghue 5 (2f), Tommy Conroy and Robert Hennelly (2f, 1 '45) 0–3 each, Darren Coen, Jason Flynn, Kevin McLoughlin, Lee Keegan, Conor Loftus, Mattie Ruane 1 each
Pts: Dean Rock 7 (5f), Ciarán Kilkenny 3 (1m), Paddy Small 2, Con O'Callaghan and Seán Bugler 1 each
Croke Park, Dublin
Referee: Conor Lane (Cork)
Attendance: 24,000
28 August 2021[note 1]
15:30 IST (UTC+1)
Semi-final
Kerry 0–22 (22) – (23) 3–14
(a.e.t.) 		Tyrone
(HT: 0-09 (9) – (10) 1-07)

Pts: David Clifford 8 (3f, 1m), Seán O’Shea 8 (6f, 1 '45), Paudie Clifford 2, Paul Murphy, Diarmuid O’Connor, Paul Geaney, Tom O’Sullivan 1 each		 Gls: Cathal McShane 1, Tiarnan McCann 1, Conor McKenna 1
Pts: Cathal McShane 3 (1f), Darren McCurry 4 (2f), Niall Morgan 2 (1 ’45, 1f), Michael McKernan, Ronan McNamee, Pádraig Hampsey, Peter Harte, Mattie Donnelly (1 m) 1 each
Croke Park, Dublin
Referee: David Coldrick (Meath)
Attendance: 24,000

Final

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Main article: 2021 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final
11 September 2021[note 2]
17:00 IST (UTC+1)
All-Ireland Final
Tyrone 2–14 (20) – (15) 0–15 Mayo
(HT: 0–10 – 0-08)
Gls: Darren McCurry 1, Cathal McShane 1
Pts: Darren McCurry 4 (2f), Niall Morgan 3 (2f, 1 '45), Niall Sludden 2, Pádraig Hampsey, Peter Harte (1 mark), Kieran McGeary, Mattie Donnelly, Darragh Canavan 1 each
Pts: Ryan O'Donoghue 8 (7f), Tommy Conroy 2, Robbie Hennelly (1f), Lee Keegan, Patrick Durcan, Stephen Coen, Kevin McLoughlin 1 each
Croke Park, Dublin
Referee: Joe McQuillan (Cavan)
Attendance: 41,150

Stadia and locations

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class=notpageimage|
Locations of stadia used during the championship
Stadia
County Location Stadium Capacity
Cavan Cavan Breffni Park 32,000
Cork Cork Páirc Uí Chaoimh 45,000
Derry Derry Celtic Park 22,000
Donegal Ballybofey MacCumhaill Park 18,000
Fermanagh Enniskillen Brewster Park 20,000
Dublin Drumcondra Croke Park 82,300
Galway Galway Pearse Stadium 26,197
Laois Portlaoise O'Moore Park 27,000
Leitrim Carrick-on-Shannon Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada 9,331
Mayo Castlebar McHale Park 25,369
Monaghan Clones St. Tiernach's Park 36,000
Offaly Tullamore O'Connor Park 20,000
Roscommon Roscommon Dr. Hyde Park 25,000
Tipperary Thurles Semple Stadium 45,690
Waterford Dungarvan Fraher Field 15,000
Westmeath Mullingar Cusack Park 11,000
Wexford Wexford Wexford Park 20,000

Championship statistics

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  • All scores correct as of 13 September 2021

Top scorer: overall

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Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average
1 Seán O'Shea Kerry 2–29 35 4 8.7
2 Darren McCurry Tyrone 1–30 33 5 6.6
3 Ryan O'Donoghue Mayo 2–27 33 5 6.6
4 David Clifford Kerry 2–17 23 4 5.7
5 Cormac Costello Dublin 1–15 18 3 6.0
6 Neil Flynn Kildare 1–15 18 3 6.0
7 Conor McManus Monaghan 1–15 18 3 6.0
8 Darren McHale Mayo 3-07 16 4 4.0
9 Paddy McBrearty Donegal 1–13 16 3 5.3
10 Tommy Conroy Mayo 1–12 15 4 3.7
11 Dean Rock Dublin 0–15 15 4 3.7
12 Cian Farrell Offaly 0–15 15 2 7.5
13 Cathal McShane Tyrone 2-08 14 5 2.8
14 Rian O'Neill Armagh 1–11 14 2 7.0
15 Hugh Bourke Limerick 1–11 14 2 7.0
16 Ciarán Kilkenny Dublin 0–13 13 4 3.2
17 John Heslin Westmeath 0–13 13 2 6.5
18 Mark Rossiter Wexford 1-09 12 2 6.0
19 Brian Hurley Cork 1-09 12 2 6.0
20 Lorcan Dolan Westmeath 1-08 11 2 5.5

Top scorer: single game

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Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition
1 Darren McCurry Tyrone 0–10 10 Cavan
2 Seán O'Shea Kerry 1-07 10 Clare

Scoring events

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All records exclude extra-time.

  • Widest winning margin: 24 points
  • Most goals in a match: 6
  • Most points in a match: 38
  • Most goals by one team in a match: 5
  • Most points by one team in a match: 25
    • Down 1-12 - 2-25 Donegal (Ulster preliminary round)
    • Longford 0–25 – 2–13 Carlow (Leinster preliminary round)
  • Highest aggregate score: 56 points
  • Lowest aggregate score: 22 points

Miscellaneous

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  • Leitrim's 24-point loss to Mayo was their joint-biggest championship defeat, equalling a 1973 match, also against Mayo, that ended 7–6 to 0–3.[9]
  • COVID-19 caused the Connacht final and Ulster Final to move from MacHale Park, Castlebar or St Tiernach's Park, Clones to Croke Park, Dublin for first time since 1922 for Connacht and 2006 for Ulster. Sligo do return to Connacht championship. The return of London and New York to the Connacht championship was postponed until 2022.
  • Dublin's extended winning record gives them 11 Leinster titles in a row.
  • Dublin's record-breaking unbeaten streak of 45 consecutive championship games (42 wins, 3 draws) was ended by Mayo in the All Ireland semi-final. Their previous championship defeat was back in 2014, against Donegal. Dublin's unprecedented title streak (a six-in-a-row, 2015–20), came to an end also.

Awards

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The Sunday Game Team of the Year

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The Sunday Game team of the year was picked on 11 September, the night of the final. Kieran McGeary was chosen as the Footballer of the Year by the RTÉ panel.[10][11]

Player Team
Niall Morgan Tyrone
Paddy Durcan Mayo
Lee Keegan Mayo
Pádraig Hampsey Tyrone
Niall Sludden Tyrone
Kieran McGearyFOTY Tyrone
Peter Harte Tyrone
Matthew Ruane Mayo
Conn Kilpatrick Tyrone
Conor Meyler Tyrone
Paudie Clifford Kerry
Ciarán Kilkenny Dublin
Darren McCurry Tyrone
David Clifford Kerry
Tommy Conroy Mayo

All Star Team of the Year

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The All Star Team of the Year team of the year was picked on 10 December.[12][13] Kieran McGeary was named as the All Stars Footballer of the Year with Mayo's Oisín Mullin picked as the All Stars Young Footballer of the Year.[14]

Pos. Player Team Appearances
GK Niall Morgan Tyrone 1
RCB Pádraig Hampsey Tyrone 2
FB Lee Keegan Mayo 5
LCB Tom O'Sullivan Kerry 2
RWB Conor Meyler Tyrone 1
CB Kieran McGearyFOTY Tyrone 1
LWB Peter Harte Tyrone 2
MD Brian Kennedy Tyrone 1
MD Matthew Ruane Mayo 1
RWF Niall Sludden Tyrone 1
CF Paudie Clifford Kerry 1
LWF Ciarán Kilkenny Dublin 5
RCF Darren McCurry Tyrone 1
FF David Clifford Kerry 3
LCF Ryan O'Donoghue Mayo 1

  Player has previously been selected.

Notes

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  1. ^ The game between Kerry and Tyrone was initially due to be played on 15 August 2021, but was rescheduled to 21 August due to COVID-19 issues. Tyrone subsequently stated that they were unable to play on 21 August as several players had contracted COVID-19. It was eventually rescheduled to 28 August.
  2. ^ Due to COVID-19 issues, the final was due to be played on 29 August 2021, but was postponed to 4 September and again to 11 September.

References

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  1. ^ Moran, Seán. "GAA to announce details of 2021 season". The Irish Times.
  2. ^ Scully, Michael (21 December 2020). "GAA confirm 2021 fixture plan – including July All-Ireland finals & split season". Irish Mirror.
  3. ^ Moran, Seán; O'Riordan, Ian. "December Road: Dublin players can emulate Jack Lynch". The Irish Times.
  4. ^ "Mayo 0–17 Dublin 0–14: Mayo finally beat Dubs after extra-time and march on to All-Ireland final". Sky Sports. 21 August 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  5. ^ McGoldrick, Sean (11 September 2021). "Tyrone claim fourth All-Ireland SFC title as Mayo curse their final luck again". Irish Independent. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  6. ^ Neville, Conor (11 September 2021). "Tyrone claim fourth All-Ireland SFC title as Mayo curse their final luck again". RTÉ News and Current Affairs. Retrieved 11 September 2021.
  7. ^ "Advantage rule needs to be given time". www.gaa.ie. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  8. ^ "Ulster SFC format to change from 2020". www.hoganstand.com. Hoganstand.com. Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  9. ^ "Leitrim blown away by rampant Mayo in Castlebar mismatch". www.leitrimobserver.ie.
  10. ^ "8 awards for Tyrone as Sunday Game football team of the year is named". The 42. 11 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  11. ^ "Kieran McGeary the top man in Sunday Game Team of the Year". RTÉ Sport. 11 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  12. ^ "All-Ireland champions Tyrone win eight football All-Star awards, three each for Mayo and Kerry". The 42. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  13. ^ "Champions Tyrone take eight All-Stars as football XV named". RTE Sport. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
  14. ^ "Tyrone defender Kieran McGeary named Footballer of Year, Limerick forward Lynch is Hurler of Year". RTE Sport. 10 December 2021. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
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