| Year: | 2021 |
| Dates: | 26 June – 11 September 2021 |
| Teams: | 31 |
| Connacht: | Mayo |
| Munster: | Kerry |
| Leinster: | Dublin |
| Ulster: | Tyrone |
| Team: | Tyrone |
| Titles: | 4th |
| Captain: | Pádraig Hampsey |
| Manager: | Feargal Logan Brian Dooher |
| Team2: | Mayo |
| Captain2: | Aidan O'Shea |
| Manager2: | James Horan |
| Topscorer: | Seán O'Shea (2–29) |
| Poty: | Kieran McGeary |
| Previous: | 2020 |
| Next: | 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 London and New York were withdrawn as a result of the public health restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.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]
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.
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.
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.
f = free, m = mark, '45 = score direct from a '45, HT = Half time, AET = After extra time
See 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.
See 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.
See 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.
See 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]
See main article: 2021 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final.
| County | Location | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cavan | Cavan | Breffni Park | |
| Cork | Cork | Páirc Uí Chaoimh | |
| Derry | Derry | Celtic Park | |
| Donegal | Ballybofey | MacCumhaill Park | |
| Fermanagh | Enniskillen | Brewster Park | |
| Dublin | Drumcondra | Croke Park | |
| Galway | Galway | Pearse Stadium | |
| Laois | Portlaoise | O'Moore Park | |
| Leitrim | Carrick-on-Shannon | Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada | |
| Mayo | Castlebar | McHale Park | |
| Monaghan | Clones | St. Tiernach's Park | |
| Offaly | Tullamore | O'Connor Park | |
| Roscommon | Roscommon | Dr. Hyde Park | |
| Tipperary | Thurles | Semple Stadium | |
| Waterford | Dungarvan | Fraher Field | |
| Westmeath | Mullingar | Cusack Park | |
| Wexford | Wexford | Wexford Park | |
| 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 |
| Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total | Opposition | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Darren McCurry | Tyrone | 0–10 | 10 | Cavan | |
| 2 | Seán O'Shea | Kerry | 1-07 | 10 | Clare |
All records exclude extra-time.
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]
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 | 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.