The 1981 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was the 95th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county Gaelic football tournament. The championship began on 10 May 1981 and ended on 20 September 1981.
Kerry entered the championship as the defending champions and were hoping to win a record-equalling fourth successive championship title.
On 20 September 1981, Kerry won the championship following a 1-12 to 0-8 defeat of Offaly in the All-Ireland final. This was their 27th All-Ireland title and their fourth championship in succession.
Offaly's Matt Connor was the championship's top scorer with 1-31. Kerry's Jack O'Shea was the choice for Texaco Footballer of the Year.
Munster Championship format change
The normal system of 2 Quarter-final's and 2 Semi-final's is back.
Results
Connacht Senior Football Championship
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Leinster Senior Football Championship
First round
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Munster Senior Football Championship
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Ulster Senior Football Championship
Preliminary round
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
Semi-finals
Final
Championship statistics
Top scorers
- Overall
- Single game
Miscellaneous
- London after six years in the Connacht championship play their games this year on home ground at Ruislip.
- Mayo won their first Connacht title since 1969.
- Kerry become the third team in the history of the championship to win four All-Ireland titles in-a-row. They equalled the record set by Wexford (1915-1918) and Kerry (1929-1932). Lasted until Dublin winning six in a row (2015-2020).
References
