1981 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

1981 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
Championship details
Dates24 May – 6 September 1981
Teams13
All-Ireland champions
Winning teamOffaly (1st win)
CaptainPádraig Horan
ManagerDermot Healy
All-Ireland Finalists
Losing teamGalway
CaptainSeán Silke
ManagerCyril Farrell
Provincial champions
MunsterLimerick
LeinsterOffaly
UlsterNot Played
ConnachtNot Played
Championship statistics
No. matches played14
Goals total67 (4.78 per game)
Points total381 (27.21 per game)
Top Scorer Joe McKenna (7–12)
Player of the Year Pat Delaney
All-Star TeamSee here
← 1980
1982 →

The 1981 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was the 95th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county hurling tournament. The draw for the 1981 fixtures took place in September 1980. The championship began on 24 May 1981 and ended on 6 September 1981.

Galway were the defending champions but were defeated by Offaly in the final.[1] Westmeath re-entered the Leinster Championship after a three-year absence.

On 6 September 1981, Offaly won the championship following a 2–12 to 0–15 defeat of Galway in the All-Ireland final.[2] This was their first All-Ireland title ever.

Limerick's Joe McKenna was the championship's top scorer with 7–12. Offaly's Pat Delaney was the choice for Texaco Hurler of the Year.

Team changes

To Championship

Promoted from the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship

From Championship

Relegated to the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship

Teams

General information

Thirteen counties will compete in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship: one team from the Connacht Senior Hurling Championship, six teams in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship, five teams in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship and one team from the All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship.

County Last provincial title Last championship title Position in 1980 Championship Current championship
Antrim 1946 — All-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship
Clare 1932 1914 Munster Senior Hurling Championship
Cork 1979 1978 Munster Senior Hurling Championship
Dublin 1961 1938 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Galway 1922 1980 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Kilkenny 1979 1979 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Laois 1949 1915 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Limerick 1980 1973 Munster Senior Hurling Championship
Offaly 1980 — Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Tipperary 1971 1971 Munster Senior Hurling Championship
Waterford 1963 1959 Munster Senior Hurling Championship
Westmeath — — Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Wexford 1977 1968 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

Provincial championships

Leinster Senior Hurling Championship

Quarter-finals

24 May 1981 Quarter-final Wexford 2–20 – 0–8 Dublin Wexford Park, Wexford
T. Doran (1–5), M. Quigley (1–3), M. Casey (0–3), N. Buggy (0–3), M. Jacob (0–2), J. Murphy (0–2), G. O'Connor (0–2), J. Fleming (0–1). G. Hayes (0–6), L. Hennebery (0–1). Referee: J Rankins (Laois)
7 June 1981 Quarter-final Laois 1–16 – 1–10 Westmeath Croke Park, Dublin
M. Brophy (0–9), P. Critchley (1–0), M. Cuddy (0–2), M. Walsh (0–2), M. Cuddy (0–2), P. J. Cuddy (0–1), B. Bohane (0–1), C. Jones (0–1). J. J. Lynch (1–3), J. Leonard (0–1), G. Jackson (0–1), P. Dalton (0–1), P. Curran (0–1), M. Cosgrave (0–1), D. Kilcoyne (0–1), M. Ryan (0–1). Attendance: 4,834
Referee: M Kelleher (Kildare)

Semi-finals

21 June 1981 Semi-final Offaly 3–20 – 6–10 Laois Croke Park, Dublin
P. Horan (2–2), M. Corrigan (1–5), P. Carroll (0–5), L. Currams (0–2), P. Kirwan (0–2), J. Flaherty (0–1), B. Bermingham (0–1). B. Bohane (2–3), C. Jones (2–0), P. J. Cuddy (1–2), M. Cuddy (1–1), M. Walsh (0–3), M. Brophy (0–1). Attendance: 31,299
Referee: J Denton (Wexford)
21 June 1981 Semi-final Wexford 4–12 – 1–18 Kilkenny Croke Park, Dublin
J. Fleming (0–5), T. Doran (1–1), S. Kinsella (1–1), G. O'Connor (1–1), M. Quigley (1–0), M. Casey (0–2), N. Buggy (0–1), P. Courtney (0–1). B. Fitzpatrick (0–8), C. Brennan (0–4), G. Fennelly (0–4), L. Fennelly (1–0), M. Ruth (0–1), C. Heffernan (0–1). Attendance: 31,299
Referee: N O'Donoghue (Dublin)

Final

12 July 1981 Final Offaly 3–12 – 2–13 Wexford Croke Park, Dublin
P. Horan (2–3), J. Flaherty (1–2), P. Delaney (0–2), L. Currams (0–2), P. Kirwan (0–2), P. Carroll (0–1). S. Kinsella (1–2), G. O'Connor (0–5), C. Doran (1–0), N. Buggy (0–3), M. Jacob (0–2), J. Murphy (0–1). Attendance: 29,053
Referee: N O'Donoghue (Dublin)

Munster Senior Hurling Championship

Quarter-final

24 May 1981 Quarter-final Clare 3–14 – 2–14 Waterford Semple Stadium, Thurles
D. Coote (1–3), L. Quinlan (1–3), N. Ryan (1–0), J. Callinan (0–3), C. Honan (0–2), G. McInerney (0–1), S. Heaslip (0–1), A. Nugent (0–1). J. Greene (1–1), S. Breen (1–0), M. Walsh (0–3), P. Curran (0–2), T. Casey (0–2), J. Hennebry (0–1), P. Daly (0–1), T. Maher (0–1), N. Connors (0–1), L. O'Brien (0–1), P. McGrath (0–1). Attendance: 8,000
Referee: G Ryan (Tipperary)

Semi-finals

7 June 1981 Semi-final Tipperary 3–13 – 4–10 Limerick Semple Stadium, Thurles
J. Grogan (2–6), P. Queally (1–1), E. O'Shea (0–3), P. Fox (0–1), M. Carroll (0–1), K. Fox (0–1). J. McKenna (3–1), E. Cregan (0–4), B. Carroll (1–0), J. Flanagan (0–3), P. Kelly (0–1), G. McMahon (0–1). Attendance: 16,500
Referee: N Dalton (Waterford)
14 June 1981 Semi-final Clare 2–15 – 2–13 Cork Semple Stadium, Thurles
E. O'Connor (1–2), L. Quinlan (1–0), D. Coote (0–3), N. Ryan (0–2), M. Meehan (0–2), J. Callinan (0–3), A. Nugent (0–2), G. McInerney (0–1). J. Barry-Murphy (1–1), T. Crowley (1–1), E. O'Donoghue (0–3), P. Horgan (0–3), J. Fenton (0–2), S. O'Leary (0–1), P. Moylan (0–1), J. Horgan (0–1). Referee: G Ryan (Tipperary)
21 June 1981 Semi-final replay Limerick 3–17 – 2–12 Tipperary Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
J. McKenna (1–2), M. Grimes (0–4), P. Kelly (0–4), E. Cregan (1–0), J. Flanagan (1–0), W. Fitzmaurice (0–2), S. Foley (0–1). S. Burke (2–3), E. O'Shea (0–2), J. Grogan (0–2), J. O'Dwyer (0–1), P. Fox (0–1), P. Queally (0–1), G. O'Brien (0–1), D. Cahill (0–1). Attendance: 29,299
Referee: JJ Landers (Waterford)

Final

5 July 1981 Final Limerick 3–12 – 2–9 Clare Semple Stadium, Thurles
J. McKenna (3–3), E. Cregan (0–4), J. Flanagan (0–2), J. Carroll (0–1), L. O'Donoghue (0–1). G. McInerney (1–0), N. Ryan (1–0), D. Coote (0–2), J. Callinan (0–2), C. Honan (0–1), E. O'Connor (0–1), L. Quinlan (0–1). Attendance: 40,205
Referee: G Ryan (Tipperary)

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
Galway 6-23
Antrim 3-11 Limerick 0-11, 2-17
Galway 1-08, 4-16
Galway 0-15
Offaly 2-12

All-Ireland quarter-finals

19 July 1981 Quarter-final Galway 6–23 – 3–11 Antrim Croke Park, Dublin
B. Forde (2–5), N. Lane (1–6), F. Gantley (2–0), Joe Connolly (1–3), P. J. Molloy (0–4), S. Mahon (0–2), B. Lynskey (0–1), S. Silke (0–1), I. Clarke (0–1). D. Donnelly (1–4), M. O'Connell (1–3), B. Laverty (1–0), S. Donnelly (0–3), P. McFaul (0–1). Attendance: 4,615
Referee: M Kelliher (Kildare)

All-Ireland semi-finals

2 August 1981 Semi-final Galway 1–8 – 0–11 Limerick Croke Park, Dublin
B. Lynskey (1–0), Joe Connolly (0–3), F. Gantley (0–2), S. Linnane (0–1), I. Clarke (0–1), S. Mahon (0–1). E. Cregan (0–5), J. McKenna (0–2), F. Nolan (0–1), L. O'Donoghue (0–1), O. O'Connor (0–1), J. Flanagan (0–1). Attendance: 34,783
Referee: N O'Donoghue (Dublin)
16 August 1981 Semi-final replay Galway 4–16 – 2–17 Limerick Croke Park, Dublin
Joe Connolly (2–7), John Connolly (1–2), P. J. Molloy (1–0), N. Lane (0–3), I. Clarke (0–2), B. Forde (0–1), S. Mahon (0–1). E. Cregan (1–5), J. McKenna (0–4), B. Carroll (1–0), W. Fitzmaurice (0–2), F. Nolan (0–1), L. Enright (0–1), J. Carroll (0–1), P. Foley (0–1), M. Grimes (0–1), O. O'Connor (0–1). Attendance: 42,666
Referee: N O'Donoghue (Dublin)

All-Ireland Final

6 September 1981 Final Offaly 2–12 – 0–15 Galway Croke Park, Dublin
P. Delaney (0–5), P. Carroll (1–1), J. Flaherty (1–1), L. Currams (0–2), P. Horan (0–2), D. Owens (0–1). J. Connolly (0–8), N. Lane (0–3), S. Mahon (0–2), P. J. Molloy (0–1), M. Connolly (0–1). Attendance: 71,348
Referee: F Murphy (Cork)
Main article: 1981 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final

Scoring statistics

Top scorers overall
Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average
1 Joe McKenna Limerick 7–12 33 5 6.60
2 Joe Connolly Galway 3–21 30 4 7.50
3 Éamonn Cregan Limerick 2–18 24 5 4.80
4 Pádraig Horan Offaly 4-07 19 3 6.33
5 Noel Lane Galway 1-12 15 4 3.75
6 John Grogan Tipperary 2–08 14 2 7.00
7 Bernie Forde Galway 2–06 12 4 3.00
Tony Doran Wexford 2–06 12 3 4.00
9 George O'Connor Wexford 1-08 11 3 3.66
Declan Coote Clare 1-08 11 3 3.66
Top scorers in a single game
Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition
1 Joe Connolly Galway 2–07 13 Limerick
2 Joe McKenna Limerick 3–03 12 Clare
John Grogan Tipperary 2–06 12 Limerick
4 Bernie Forde Galway 2–05 11 Antrim
5 Joe McKenna Limerick 3–01 10 Tipperary
6 Billy Bohane Laois 2–03 9 Offaly
Pádraig Horan Offaly 2–03 9 Wexford
Séamus Bourke Tipperary 2–03 9 Limerick
Noel Lane Galway 1–06 9 Antrim
Martin Brophy Laois 0–09 9 Westmeath

Broadcasting

The following matches were broadcast live on television in Ireland on RTÉ.

Round RTÉ
All-Ireland semi-final Limerick vs Galway
All-Ireland final Offaly vs Galway

Sources

  • Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005).
  • Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games (DBA Publications Limited, 2005).

References

  1. ^ "The men who changed the face of Galway hurling". Irish Independent. 7 September 2005. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
  2. ^ "Offaly: The glory years". Irish Independent. 9 June 2007. Retrieved 1 December 2012.