1925 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final

1925 Central Council Tournament

Galway, champions
Event	1925 Central Council Tournament
Galway Cavan 3–2 (11) 1–2 (5)
Date	10 January 1926
Venue	Croke Park, Dublin
← 1924 1926 →

There was no All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final in 1925. The 1925 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship ended in chaos, with first Mayo, and then Galway being proclaimed champions after Kerry and Cavan were disqualified. Instead, a new inter-provincial tournament was organised by the GAA Central Council, of which the final was played between Galway and Cavan on 10 January 1926. ^{[1] [2]}

Galway were under pressure to cement their All-Ireland SFC title, and soothe the dissatisfaction over the manner of their claiming it. ^[1]

Match

Summary

Galway won the match by two clear goals, 3–2 to 1–2. ^[3] It was their first ever All-Ireland SFC title, and it followed two previous losing appearances in the final (a loss to Kildare in 1919 and a loss to Dublin in 1922). ^[4] The GAA lists this match as the 1925 All-Ireland Final on its website, though it was the final of a distinct and separate tournament. ^[5]

Details

Galway

• Michael Walsh (c)
• Tom Molloy
• John Egan
• Denis Egan
• Harry Burke
• Frank Benson
• Willie Smith
• Tom Leetch
• Mick Bannerton
• Leonard McGrath
• Paddy Roche
• Gilbey Jennings
• Paddy Ganley
• Lar McGrath
• Michael Donnellan

10 January 1926
Final

Galway	3-2 – 1-2	Cavan

Croke Park, Dublin

Legacy

2025 marks the 100th anniversary of the event - celebrations will begin in Galway's opening Connacht championship game against New York.

References

1. "Galway's Task", Irish Independent, 8 January 1926, p. 8
2. High Ball magazine, issue #6, 1998.
3. "Good Football at Croke Park", Irish Independent, 11 January 1926, p. 9
4. Kenny, Tom (14 April 2011). "The men who first brought Sam to Galway". Galway Advertiser. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
5. "Roll of Honour". GAA. Archived from the original on 13 September 2009. Retrieved 5 December 2020.