1972 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

1972 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Championship details
Dates	7 May – 15 October 1972
Teams	31
All-Ireland Champions
Winning team	Offaly (2nd win)
Captain	Tony McTague
All-Ireland Finalists
Losing team	Kerry
Captain	Tom Prendergast
Provincial Champions
Munster	Kerry
Leinster	Offaly
Ulster	Donegal
Connacht	Roscommon
Championship statistics
No. matches played	34
Top Scorer	Tony McTague (0-36)
Player of the Year	Willie Bryan
← 1971 1973 →

The 1972 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was the 86th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county Gaelic football tournament. The championship began on 7 May 1972 and ended on 15 October 1972.

Offaly entered the championship as the defending champions.

On 15 October 1972, Offaly won the championship following a 1-19 to 0-13 defeat of Kerry in the All-Ireland final replay. ^[1] This was their second All-Ireland title.

Offaly's Tony McTague was the championship's top scorer with 0-36. Offaly's Willie Bryan was the choice for Texaco Footballer of the Year.

Results

Connacht Senior Football Championship

Quarter-final

Roscommon v Leitrim

11 June 1972Quarter-final	Roscommon	1-11 – 0-5	Leitrim	Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon
	M Freyne 0-6, D Earley 0-4, J Kelly 1-0, M Fallon 0-1.		P McGarty 0-2, S Flanaghan 0-1, D Keegan 0-1, B Galligan 0-1.	Attendance: 4,500 Referee: R Lane (Sligo)

Semi-finals

Sligo v Mayo

18 June 1972Semi-final	Sligo	2-7 – 1-10	Mayo	Markievicz Park, Sligo
	M Kearins 0-6, J Colleary 1-0, G Mitchell 1-0, P Kearins 0-1.		T O'Malley 0-6, W McGee 1-1, D Griffith 0-1, S O'Grady 0-1, F Burns 0-1.	Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

Roscommon v Galway

25 June 1972Semi-final	Roscommon	3-9 - 2-12	Galway	Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon
	M Freyne 1-2, J Hunt 1-0, M Flanagan 1-0, J Kelly 0-3, J Mannion 0-2, J Finnegan 0-2.		J Tobin 1-9, T Naughton 1-0, J Duggan 0-2, W Joyce 0-1.	Referee: M Connaughton (Mayo)

Mayo v Sligo

2 July 1972Semi-final replay	Mayo	1-18 - 0-17	Sligo	MacHale Park, Castlebar
	T O'Malley 1-3, J Corcoran 0-5, S Kilbride 0-3, S O'Grady 0-2, T Fitzgerald 0-2, G Feeney 0-1, J. J. Cribbin 0-1, D Griffith 0-1.		M Kearins 0-14, D Pugh 0-2, J Colleary 0-1.	Attendance: 16,872 Referee: S Martin (Roscommon)

Galway v Roscommon

9 July 1972Semi-final replay	Galway	0-7 – 1-8	Roscommon	Tuam Stadium, Tuam
	J Keenan 0-2, J Tobin 0-2, S Leydon 0-1, T Naughton 0-1, M Burke 0-1.		J Kelly 1-0, D Earley 0-3, M Flanagan 0-2, M Freyne 0-1, J Finnegan 0-1, J Mannion 0-1.	Referee: F Tierney (Cavan)

Final

Mayo v Roscommon

16 July 1972Final	Mayo	3-10 - 5-8	Roscommon	MacHale Park, Castlebar
	J. J. Cribbin 2-0, W McGee 1-0, J Corcoran 0-3, S O'Grady 0-2, D Griffith 0-2, T O'Malley 0-2, B O'Reilly 0-1.		J Kelly 2-2, D Earley 1-2, M Freyne 1-2, M Flanagan 1-0, T Hunt 0-1, J Mannion 0-1.

Leinster Senior Football Championship

First round

Carlow v Wexford

7 May 1972First round	Carlow	0-16 – 0-9	Wexford	Nowlan Park, Kilkenny
	T King 0-8, W Cullen 0-3, T Geoghegan 0-3, P McNally 0-1, C Hughes 0-1.		M Carty 0-3, A Merrigan 0-2, L Byrne 0-2, N Sheridan 0-1, Jim Berry 0-1.

Longford v Wicklow

7 May 1972First round	Longford	4-9 – 0-5	Wicklow	O'Moore Park, Portlaoise
	S Donnelly 2-0, J Halpin 1-1, J Hanniffy 0-4, P Burke 1-0, T Mulvihill 0-2, T Farrell 0-2.		M Kennedy 0-2, L Loughlin 0-1, M McNamee 0-1, S Murray 0-1.	Referee: M Spain (Offaly)

Second round

Longford v Louth

28 May 1972Second round	Longford	5-5 – 3-7	Louth	Croke Park, Dublin
	S Donnelly 2-1, J Hanniffy 1-2, S Lee 1-1, T Mulvihill 1-0, F Farrell 0-1.		J Byrne 3-0, R Barry 0-3, E Sheelin 0-3, G Sheridan 0-1.	Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

Laois v Carlow

28 May 1972Second round	Laois	1-7 – 1-5	Carlow	Geraldine Park, Athy
	B Lalor 1-0, D Byrne 0-2, J Lalor 0-2, R Miller 0-1, A Purcell 0-1, S Allen 0-1.		B McNally 1-2, S King 0-2, C Hughes 0-1.	Referee: L Foley (Kilkenny)

Quarter-finals

Longford v Meath

11 June 1972Quarter-final	Longford	1-9 – 0-16	Meath	Croke Park, Dublin
	S Donnelly 1-2, S Lee 0-2, K Canavan 0-1, F Farrell 0-1, J Halpin 0-1, B Smith 0-1, J Hanniffy 0-1.		M Fay 0-8, T Brennan 0-2, J Daly 0-2, D Connolly 0-2, J Fay 0-1, M Kerrigan 0-1.

Dublin v Westmeath

11 June 1972Quarter-final	Dublin	2-8 – 0-8	Westmeath	Croke Park, Dublin
	M Whelan 2-4, L Foley 0-2, P Wilson 0-1, F Murray 0-1.		M Carley 0-3, P Buckley 0-2, V Murray 0-2, M Fagan 0-1.	Referee: R Barry (Meath)

Kildare v Laois

11 June 1972Quarter-final	Kildare	1-11 – 0-7	Laois	Páirc Tailteann, Navan
	P Dunny 1-2, M Mullins 0-5, K Kelly 0-3, R Flanagan 0-1.		A O'Brien 0-4, M Buggy 0-2, H Mulhaire 0-1.	Attendance: 15,000 Referee: B Hayden (Carlow)

Semi-finals

Offaly v Meath

25 June 1972Semi-final	Offaly	2-17 – 3-5	Meath	Croke Park, Dublin
	T McTague 0-8, N Clavin 0-4, W Bryan 1-0, S Evans 1-0, S Cooney 0-2, S Darby 0-1, P Fenning 0-1, K Kilmurray 0-1.		T Brennan 1-2, K Rennicks 1-0, J Fay 1-0, M Kerrigan 0-3.	Referee: B Hayden (Carlow)

Kildare v Dublin

2 July 1972Semi-final	Kildare	0-16 – 3-5	Dublin	Páirc Tailteann, Navan
	J Donnelly 0-6, K Kelly 0-3, T Carew 0-3, P Dunny 0-2, T O'Brien 0-1, M Mullins 0-1.		B Casey 1-1, L Foley 1-1, J Keaveney 1-0, M Whelan 0-2, J Reilly 0-1.	Referee: G Hoey (Louth)

Final

Offaly v Kildare

23 July 1972Final	Offaly	1-18 – 2-8	Kildare	Croke Park, Dublin
	Tony McTague 0-6 (0-4f), Sean Cooney 1-2, Willie Bryan 0-3, Nick Clavin 0-2, Eugene Mulligan, Kevin Kilmurray, Sean Evans, Seamus Darby, Murt Connor 0-1 each		Mick Mullins 1-1, Kevin Kelly 1-0, Jack Donnelly (0-3f) and Pat Dunny (0-3f) 0-3 each, Hugh Hyland 0-1.	Attendance: 30,074 Referee: George Hoey (Louth)

Munster Senior Football Championship

Quarter-finals

Limerick v Waterford

14 May 1972Quarter-final	Limerick	0-8 - 0-10	Waterford	FitzGerald Park, Kilmallock
	M Tynan 0-3, K Rennison 0-1, J Burke 0-1, M Graham 0-1, D Cullinane 0-1, C Cregan 0-1.		T Power 0-3, P Walsh 0-2, T Casey 0-2, P Walsh 0-2, M Cronin 0-1.	Referee: J Moloney (Tipperary)

Clare v Tipperary

14 May 1972Quarter-final	Clare	1-6 – 2-10	Tipperary	Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
	G McAlness 1-1, P Cotter 0-3, S Moloney 0-1, M Chambers 0-1.		L Moyles 2-1, J Cummins 0-5, M Keating 0-2, J Kehoe 0-1, V O'Donnell 0-1.	Referee: S O'Connor (Limerick)

Semi-finals

Tipperary v Kerry

11 June 1972Semi-final	Tipperary	0-9 - 1-12	Kerry	Ned Hall Park, Clonmel
	M Keating 0-4, V O'Donnell 0-1, M Ryan 0-1, C McElwee 0-1, P O'Connor 0-1, S Kearney 0-1.		L Higgins 1-2, M O'Dwyer 0-3, M O'Connell 0-3, E O'Donoghue 0-2, B Lynch 0-1, M Gleeson 0-1.	Referee: S Dalton (Waterford)

Cork v Waterford

11 June 1972Semi-final	Cork	2-8 – 0-9	Waterford	Páirc MacGearailt, Fermoy
	D McCarthy 1-2, D Coughlan 0-5, D Allen 1-0, KJ O'Sullivan 0-1.		T Power 0-4, T Casey 0-2, P McMahon 0-2, B Fleming 0-1.	Referee: J Moloney (Tipperary)

Final

Kerry v Cork

16 July 1972Final	Kerry	2-21 – 2-15	Cork	Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney
	M O'Dwyer 0-10, M Gleeson 1-1, L Higgins 0-4, D Kavanagh 1-0, M O'Connell 0-2, J O'Keeffe 0-2, B Lynch 0-2.		R Cummins 0-9, D Coughlan 1-1, D Barron 0-2, D Hunt 0-1, D McCarthy 0-1, KJ O'Sullivan 0-1.	Attendance: 29,827 Referee: J Moloney (Tipperary)

Ulster Senior Football Championship

Preliminary round

Fermanagh v Derry

4 June 1972Preliminary round	Fermanagh	0-7 - 5-7	Derry	St. Molaise Park, Irvinestown
	P McGinnitty 0-2, S Quinn 0-2, G Magee 0-1, A Henderson 0-1, E McPartlan 0-1.		H Niblock 2-1, F O'Loane 0-4, M McGuckian 1-0, L Diamond 1-0, A McGurk 1-0, A McGuckian 0-1, S O'Connell 0-1.	Referee: P Devlin (Tyrone)

Quarter-finals

Tyrone v Armagh

4 June 1972Quarter-final	Tyrone	0-13 – 1-7	Armagh	O'Neill Park, Dungannon
	P Harte 0-3, P Hetherington 0-3, B Dolan 0-2, F McGuigan 0-2, H Crawford 0-1, J Foley 0-1, P Mulgrew 0-1.		J Smith 1-1, P Loughran 0-3, J O'LOan 0-2, L McCabe 0-1.	Referee: T Johnson (Fermanagh)

Cavan v Monaghan

11 June 1972Quarter-final	Cavan	3-9 – 0-6	Monaghan	Casement Park, Belfast
	P Brady 1-3, M Reilly 1-2, H McInerney 1-1, D Fitzpatrick 0-2, R Carolan 0-1.		E Tavey 0-3, D McCabe 0-1, G Fitzpatrick 0-1, P Donnelly 0-1.	Referee: P Greene (Antrim)

Donegal v Down

18 June 1972Quarter-final	Donegal	1-8 – 0-8	Down	MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey
	S Granaghan 1-1, D O'Carroll 0-4, J Winston 0-2, M Carney 0-1.		S O'Neill 0-4, J Burns 0-3, A King 0-1.	Referee: F Tierney (Cavan)

Derry v Antrim

25 June 1972Quarter-final	Derry	2-9 – 2-5	Antrim	Dean McGlinchey Park, Ballinascreen
	A McGuckin 1-2, H Niblock 1-1, F O'Loane 0-2, T McGuinness 0-1, S O'Connell 0-1, C Mullan 0-1, L Diamond 0-1.		PI O'Hare 1-1, A Hamill 1-0, A McCallin 0-2, G McCann 0-1, A Scullion 0-1.	Referee: F Tierney (Cavan)

Semi-finals

Donegal v Cavan

2 July 1972Semi-final	Donegal	0-12 – 2-6	Cavan	St. Molaise Park, Irvinestown
	J Winston 0-10, M McMenamin 0-1, J Granaghan 0-1.		J Duggan 1-1, M O'Reilly 1-0, JJ O'Reilly 0-1, P Brady 0-1, J McGuigan 0-1, H Newman 0-1, D Fitzpatrick 0-1.	Referee: M Loftus (Mayo)

Tyrone v Derry

9 July 1972Semi-final	Tyrone	1-8 – 0-9	Derry	O'Neill Park, Dungannon
	P Hetherington 0-5, F Quinn 1-0, B Dolan 0-2, H Crawford 0-1.		S Lagan 0-5, T McGuinness 0-2, A McGuirk 0-1, G O'Loughlin 0-1.	Referee: P Greene (Antrim)

Donegal v Cavan

16 July 1972Semi-final replay	Donegal	2-11 – 1-9	Cavan	St. Tiernach's Park, Clones
	J Winston 0-9, M Carney 1-1, S Granaghan 0-1.		S Duggan 0-6, H McInerney 1-1, B O'Donohue (1-0, own goal), J Cusack 0-1, S McGuigan 0-1.	Referee: M Loftus (Mayo)

Final

Donegal v Tyrone

30 July 1972Final	Donegal	2-13 – 1-11	Tyrone	St. Tiernach's Park, Clones
	S Bonner 1-0, M Sweeney 1-0, J Winston 0-5, B McEniff 0-2, D Carroll 0-2, S Granaghan 0-2, M McMenamin 0-1, F McFeely 0-1.		B Dolan 1-4, P Hetherington 0-6, H Crawford 0-1.	Referee: F Tierney (Cavan)

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Semi-finals

Kerry v Roscommon

13 August 1972Semi-final	Kerry	1-22 - 1-12	Roscommon	Croke Park, Dublin
	M O'Dwyer 0-8, M O'Connell 0-4, B Lynch 0-4, D Kavanagh 1-0, L Higgins 0-3, M Gleeson 0-2, T Prendergast 0-1.		D Earley 1-3, M Freyne 0-6, J Finnegan 0-1, J Kelly 0-1.	Attendance: 31,455 Referee: F Tierney (Cavan)

Offaly v Donegal

20 August 1972Semi-final	Offaly	1-17 - 2-10	Donegal	Croke Park, Dublin
	T McTague 0-6, K Kilmurray 1-2, W Bryan 0-4, J Cooney 0-3, L Coughlan 0-2.		M Carney 1-1, S Granaghan 1-1, J Winston 0-3, D O'Carroll 0-3, J Hannigan 0-1, F McFeely 0-1.	Attendance: 26,606 Referee: J Martin (Roscommon)

Finals

Offaly v Kerry

24 September 1972Final	Offaly	1-13 - 1-13	Kerry	Croke Park, Dublin
	T McTague 0-6, J Cooney 1-2, P Fenning 0-2, J Smith 0-2, K Kilmurray 0-1.		B Lynch 1-7, M O'Dwyer 0-5, M O'Connell 0-1.	Attendance: 72,032 Referee: F Tierney (Cavan)

Offaly v Kerry

15 October 1972Final replay	Offaly	1-19 - 0-13	Kerry	Croke Park, Dublin
	T McTague 0-10, P Fenning 1-1, M Connor 0-2, S Darby, 0-2, W Bryan 0-3, K Kilmurray 0-1.		M O'Connell 0-7, B Lynch 0-2, L Higgins 0-2, M O'Dwyer 0-2.	Attendance: 66,136 Referee: P Devlin (Tyrone)

Main article: 1972 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final

Championship statistics

Miscellaneous

• Omagh's pitch is named as Healy Park after Michael Healy.
• On 14 May 1972, FitzGerald Park, Killmallock hosted its first game for 20 years the Munster Quarter-Final meeting of Limerick vs Waterford.
• Tyrone qualify for the Ulster final for the first time since 1957.
• Donegal become the 8th team to win the Ulster title when they claim their first provincial championship with a 2-13 to 1-11 defeat of Tyrone.
• The All-Ireland semi-final meeting between Donegal and Offaly is the very first championship clash between the two teams. It is also Donegal's first championship match to be played at Croke Park, Dublin.
• The All-Ireland final ends in a draw and goes to a replay for the first time since 1952.
• Offaly win back-to-back All-Ireland titles for the first and only time in their history. Their 1-19 to 0-13 All-Ireland final replay victory remains Kerry's biggest ever defeat in a championship decider.

Scoring

Overall

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Tony McTague	Offaly	0-36	36	5	7.20
2	Joe Winston	Donegal	0-29	29	5	5.80
3	Mick O'Dwyer	Kerry	0-28	28	5	6.60
4	Mickey Freyne	Roscommon	2-17	23	5	4.60
5	Brendan Lynch	Kerry	1-16	19	5	3.80
6	Dermot Earley	Roscommon	2-12	18	5	3.60
7	Mick O'Connell	Kerry	0-17	17	5	3.40
8	Seán Cooney	Offaly	2-9	15	5	3.00
9	John Tobin	Galway	1-11	14	2	7.00
	Liam Higgins	Kerry	1-11	14	5	2.80

Single game

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	John Tobin	Galway	1-9	12	Roscommon
2	Mickey Whelan	Dublin	2-4	10	Westmeath
	Brendan Lynch	Kerry	1-7	10	Offaly
	Tony McTague	Offaly	0-10	10	Kerry
	Mick O'Dwyer	Kerry	0-10	10	Cork
	Joe Winston	Donegal	0-10	10	Cavan
7	Johnny Byrne	Louth	3-0	9	Longford
	Ray Cummins	Cork	0-9	9	Kerry
	Joe Winston	Donegal	0-9	9	Cavan
10	Johnny Kelly	Roscommon	2-2	8	Mayo
	Tom King	Carlow	0-8	8	Wexford
	Mick Fay	Meath	0-8	8	Longford
	Tony McTague	Offaly	0-8	8	Meath
	Mick O'Dwyer	Kerry	0-8	8	Roscommon

References

1. "Offaly heroes of 1971 and 1972 to be honoured". Offaly GAA website. 7 October 2011. Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 29 October 2015.