1973 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

1973 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Championship details
Dates	13 May – 23 September 1973
Teams	31
All-Ireland Champions
Winning team	Cork (4th win)
Captain	Billy Morgan
All-Ireland Finalists
Losing team	Galway
Captain	Liam Sammon
Manager	John "Tull" Dunne
Provincial Champions
Munster	Cork
Leinster	Offaly
Ulster	Tyrone
Connacht	Galway
Championship statistics
No. matches played	31
Top Scorer	Tony McTague (1–25)
Player of the Year	Billy Morgan
← 1972 1974 →

The 1973 All-Ireland Football Championship was the 87th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county Gaelic football tournament. The championship began on 13 May 1973 and ended on 23 September 1973.

Offaly were the defending champions but were defeated by Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final.

On 23 September 1973, Cork won the championship following a 3–17 to 2–13 defeat of Galway in the All-Ireland final. ^[1] This was their 4th All-Ireland title, their first in 28 championship seasons.

Offaly's Tony McTague was the championship's top scorer with 1–25. Cork's Billy Morgan was the choice for Texaco Footballer of the Year.

Results

Connacht Senior Football Championship

Quarter-final

Galway v Sligo

10 June 1973Quarter-final	Galway	3–6 – 1–9	Sligo	Tuam Stadium, Tuam
	M Rooney 1–1, J Coughlan 1–1, L Sammon 1–0, J Tobin 0–3, M Burke 0–1.		M Kearins 0–5, PJ Brennan 1–0, D Pugh 0–2, J Stenson 0–1, P Kearins 0–1.	Attendance: 15,000 Referee: P Devlin (Tyrone)

Semi-finals

Leitrim v Mayo

17 June 1973Semi-final	Leitrim	0–3 – 7–6	Mayo	Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, Carrick-on-Shannon
	B Wrynne 0–2, S Flanagan 0–1.		W McGee 3–0, T O'Malley 2–2, J Gibbons 1–1, M Gannon 1–0, S Gilbride 0–2, J Morley 0–1.	Referee: J Lee (Sligo)

Roscommon v Galway

24 June 1973Semi-final	Roscommon	1–8 – 1–13	Galway	Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon
	M Freyne 1–2, T Heneghan 0–4, J O'Gara 0–1, J Kelly 0–1.		J Tobin 0–5, J Caughlan 1–1, L Sammon 0–4, W Joyce 0–1, L O'Neill 0–1, J Duggan 0–1.	Referee: P Devlin (Tyrone)

Final

Mayo v Galway

8 July 1973Final	Mayo	2–12 – 1–17	Galway	MacHale Park, Castlebar
	S Gilbride 0–5, J Morley 1–0, M Gannon 1–0, J Corcoran 0–3, T O'Malley 0–2, F Burns 0–1, W McGee 0–1,		M Rooney 1–2, J Tobin 0–5, M Burke 0–3, T Naughten 0–3, L Sammon 0–2, J Caughlan 0–2.	Attendance: 30,000 Referee: P Devlin (Tyrone)

Leinster Senior Football Championship

First round

Louth v Carlow

13 May 1973First round	Louth	0–14 – 1–3	Carlow	Drogheda Park, Drogheda
	S Mulroy 0–4, D Reid 0–4, J McLoughlin 0–1, E Sheelan 0–1, A Hoey 0–2, R Brennan 0–1, B Gaughran 0–1.		P Connolly 1–0, B McNally 0–1, JJ Canavan 0–1, B Hughes 0–1.	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: R Barry (Meath)

Dublin v Wexford

20 May 1973First round	Dublin	3–11 – 0–5	Wexford	Wexford Park, Wexford
	F Murray 2–1, G Wilson 1–1, S Rooney 0–4, J Keaveney 0–2, R Doyle 0–2, A Larkin 0–1.		D Noonan 0–2, D Asple 0–1, G Howlin 0–1, M Quigley 0–1.	Attendance: 2,000 Referee: B Hayden (Carlow)

Second round

Louth v Dublin

27 May 1973Second round	Louth	1–9 – 2–6	Dublin	Páirc Tailteann, Navan
	A Hoey 1–1, S Mulroy 0–3, B Faulkner 0–2, D Reid 0–2, R Brennan 0–1.		F Murray 1–1, P O'Brien 1–1, S Rooney 0–3, R Doyle 0–1.	Referee: P Cullen (Westmeath)

Louth v Dublin

10 June 1973Second round replay	Louth	1–8 – 0–9	Dublin	Páirc Tailteann, Navan
	D Reid 0–6, E Sheelan 1–0, R Brennan 0–1, L Leech 0–1.		R Doyle 0–4, D Hickey 0–2, S Rooney 0–1, E Brady 0–1, F Murray 0–1.	Attendance: 12,000 Referee: P Collins (Westmeath)

Quarter-finals

Westmeath v Meath

3 June 1973Quarter-final	Westmeath	0–8 – 1–6	Meath	Cusack Park, Mullingar
	M Carley 0–4, D Murtagh 0–2, L Eggerton 0–1, V Murray 0–1.		M Kerrigan 1–0, T Brennan 0–3, B Murray 0–2, P Cromwell 0–1.	Referee: G Hoey (Louth)

Wicklow v Laois

3 June 1973Quarter-final	Wicklow	0–14 – 3–15	Laois	Aughrim Park, Aughrim
	P Clarke 0–9, A Norton 0–1, L O'Loughlin 0–1, B Carthy 0–1, J Darcy 0–1, J Doyle 0–1.		B Miller 0–5, Willie Brennan 0–5, S Allen 1–1, H Mulhaire 1–1, B Lalor 1–0, M Buggy 0–2, J Lalor 0–1.	Referee: B Hayden (Carlow)

Kildare v Longford

10 June 1973Quarter-final	Kildare	0–13 – 0–8	Longford	Geraldine Park, Athy
	J Donnelly 0–7, P Dunny 0–2, R O'Doherty 0–2, T Carew 0–1, R Flanagan 0–1,		J Hanniffy 0–3, P Bradley 0–2, F Farrell 0–1, B Smyth 0–1, S Mulvihill 0–1.	Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

Offaly v Louth

17 June 1973Quarter-final	Offaly	1–8 – 0–8	Louth	Croke Park, Dublin
	W Bryan 1–0, T McTague 0–3, S Cooney 0–1, M Wright 0–1, J Smith 0–1, P Fleming 0–1, K Kilmurray 0–1.		J McLoughlin 0–2, D Reid 0–2, R Barry 0–2, S Mulroy 0–1, D Nugent 0–1.	Referee: R Barry (Meath)

Semi-finals

Meath v Laois

17 June 1973Semi-final	Meath	2–17 – 2–11	Laois	Croke Park, Dublin
	O O'Brien 1–4, Matt Kerrigan 1–2, T Brennan 0–3, O Geraghty 0–2, K Rennicks 0–2, P Cromwell 0–2, G Farrelly 0–1, B Murray 0–1.		W Brennan 0–5, M Fennell 1–1, S Allen 1–0, M Buggy 0–2, J Lawlor 0–2, B Lawlor 0–1.	Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

Offaly v Kildare

1 July 1973Semi-final	Offaly	1–15 – 2–6	Kildare	Croke Park, Dublin
	T McTague 0–8, S Cooney 1–4, K Kilmurray 0–2, S Evans 0–1.		T Carew 1–0, K Kelly 1–0, P Dunny 0–2, J Donnelly 0–2, B O'Doherty 0–1, H Hyland 0–1.	Referee: B Hayden (Carlow)

Final

Offaly v Meath

22 July 1973Final	Offaly	3–21 – 2–12	Meath	Croke Park, Dublin
	Tony McTague 0–11 (0-8f), Sean Cooney 2–2, Kevin Kilmurray 1–2, Kieran Claffey 0–3, Willie Bryan 0–2, Paddy Fenning 0–1		Ollie O'Brien 1–4 (0-3f), Mick Fay 1–0, Ken Rennicks 0–3, Gerry Farrelly 0–2, Tony Brennan 0-2f, Ollie Geraghty 0–1.	Attendance: 35,990 Referee: Brendan Hayden (Carlow)

Munster Senior Football Championship

Quarter-finals

Clare v Waterford

3 June 1973Quarter-final	Clare	0–18 – 1–5	Waterford	Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
	M Keogh 0–6, B O'Reilly 0–4, M Greene 0–3, D Donnellan 0–2, S Maloney 0–2, K McGann 0–1.		J Flynn 1–2, V Kirwan 0–2, J Larkin 0–1.	Referee: T Woulfe (Limerick)

Limerick v Tipperary

3 June 1973Quarter-final	Limerick	1–7 – 4–13	Tipperary	Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
	T Fitzgibbon 1–0, P Aherne 0–7.		P Blythe 3–3, J Cummins 0–7, M Keating 1–1, C O'Flaherty 0–2.	Referee: N Dalton (Waterford)

Semi-finals

Cork v Clare

17 June 1973Semi-final	Cork	2–14 – 0–3	Clare	Cork Athletic Grounds, Cork
	B Field 1–8, J Barrett 1–2, R Cummins 0–2, D Hunt 0–1, D Barron 0–1.		S Maloney 0–1, B O'Reilly 0–1, P Dillon 0–1.	Referee: S Maloney (Tipperary)

Kerry v Tipperary

17 June 1973Semi-final	Kerry	3–11 – 0–5	Tipperary	Austin Stack Park, Tralee
	M O'Dwyer 1–6, M O'Sullivan 2–1, J Egan 0–1, D Kavanagh 0–1, J O'Keeffe 0–1, B Lynch 0–1.		J Cummins 0–2, J Kehoe 0–2, C O'Flaherty 0–1.	Referee: F Halbert (Cork)

Final

Cork v Kerry

15 July 1973Final	Cork	5–12 – 1–15	Kerry	Cork Athletic Grounds, Cork
	Billy Field 1–6 (1–0 pen, 0-5f), Jimmy Barrett 2–2, Ray Cummins 0–4, Declan Barron and Jimmy Barry-Murphy 1–0 each		Mick O'Dwyer 0-6f, Donal Kavanagh 1–0, Brendan Lynch and John Egan 0–3 each, John O'Keeffe, Éamonn O'Donoghue, Jackie Walsh 0–1 each	Attendance: 28,859 Referee: J Moloney (Tipperary)

Ulster Senior Football Championship

Preliminary round

Down v Armagh

10 June 1973Preliminary round	Down	2–10 – 2–9	Armagh	Páirc Esler, Newry
	S O'Neill 0–6, M Cole 1–1, C McAlarney 1–0, P Rooney 0–2, E Cole 0–1.		L Kerins 2–2, P Loughran 0–5, D Mackin 0–1, S O'Hagan 0–1.	Referee: H McPolin (Armagh)

Quarter-finals

Monaghan v Derry

3 June 1973Quarter-final	Monaghan	0–5 – 1–7	Derry	St. Mary's Park, Castleblaney
	B Brady 0–2, P McCarthy 0–2, K Traynor 0–1.		F O'Loane 0–4, J O'Leary 1–0, G O'Loughlin 0–1, T McGuinness 0–1, F Moran 0–1.	Referee: P Devlin (Tyrone)

Fermanagh v Antrim

17 June 1973Quarter-final	Fermanagh	3–9 – 4–4	Antrim	St. Molaise Park, Irvinestown
	E McPartlan 3–0, P McGannity 0–6, A Campbell 0–2, T Henderson 0–1.		G McCann 3–0, V Magee 1–0, P Armstrong 0–2, A McCallin 0–2.	Referee: P Tierney (Cavan)

Donegal v Tyrone

24 June 1973Quarter-final	Donegal	1–7 – 0–12	Tyrone	MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey
	K Keeney 1–0, N Gallagher 0–2, J Winston 0–2, S Granaghan 0–1, T Quinn 0–1, F McFeeley 0–1.		P Hetherington 0–6, AR McMahon 0–2, S Donaghy 0–1, K Teague 0–1, B Donnelly 0–1, F McGulgan 0–1.	Referee: M McPolin (Antrim)

Down v Cavan

24 June 1973Quarter-final	Down	1–7 – 0–8	Cavan	Páirc Esler, Newry
	S O'Neill 1–2, M Cole 0–2, C Davey 0–1, P Hamill 0–1, C McAlarney 0–1.		O O'Keeffe 0–2, M Greenan 0–2, H McInerney 0–2, JJ Martin 0–1, R Carolan 0–1.	Referee: T Johnston (Fermanagh)

Semi-finals

Tyrone v Fermanagh

8 July 1973Semi-final	Tyrone	1–15 – 0–11	Fermanagh	St. Tiernach's Park, Clones
	S Donaghy 1–2, P Hetherington 0–5, F McGuigan 0–3, A McMahon 0–2, J McElroy 0–1, P McMahon 0–1, P Haig 0–1.		F Sherry 0–5, F McGinnity 0–2, PJ Treacy 0–2, E McPartland 0–1, S McGrath 0–1.	Referee: A McPollan (Antrim)

Down v Derry

15 July 1973Semi-final	Down	1–12 – 0–9	Derry	The Playing Fields, Lurgan
	M Cole 0–5, E Cole 1–1, W Walsh 0–3, P Rooney 0–2, C McAlarney 0–1.		P Doherty 0–3, J O'Leary 0–2, T McGuinness 0–2, T Moran 0–1, S Donaghy 0–1.	Referee: P Devlin (Tyrone)

Final

Tyrone v Down

29 July 1973Final	Tyrone	3–13 – 1–11	Down	St. Tiernach's Park, Clones
	S McElhattion 2–1, P Hetherington 0–6, K Teague 1–1, B Donnelly 0–3, S Donaghy 0–1, P McGuigan 0–1.		S O'Neill 0–6, D McCartan 1–0, J Murphy 0–2, P Rooney 0–2, E Cole 0–1.	Referee: H McPolin (Antrim)

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Semi-finals

Galway v Offaly

12 August 1973Semi-final	Galway	0–16 – 2–8	Offaly	Croke Park, Dublin
	J Tobin 0–8, M Burke 0–2, L Sammon 0–2, M Rooney 0–1, M Hughes 0–1, T Naughton 0–1, J Duggan 0–1.		T McTague 1–3, S Evans 1–2, W Bryan 0–2, K Claffey 0–1.	Attendance: 36,705 Referee: J Moloney (Tipperary)

Cork v Tyrone

19 August 1973Semi-final	Cork	5–10 – 2–4	Tyrone	Croke Park, Dublin
	D Barron 1–4, J Barry-Murphy 2–0, R Cummins 1–1, S Coughlan 1–1, J Barrett 0–2, D Long 0–1, E Kirby 0–1.		P King 1–0, J Early 1–0, K Teague 0–1, P Hetherington 0–1, S Donaghy 0–1, F McGuigan 0–1.	Attendance: 28,997 Referee: M Loftus (Mayo)

Final

Cork v Galway

23 September 1973Final	Cork	3–17 – 2–13	Galway	Croke Park, Dublin
	R Cummins 0–8, J Barry-Murphy 2–1, J Barrett 1–2, D Long 0–3, E Kirby 0–1, D Coughlan 0–1, D Barron 0–1.		M Hughes 0–7, T Naughton 1–0, J Hughes 1–0, M Burke 0–2, J Duggan 0–2, TJ Gilmore 0–1, L Sammon 0–1.	Attendance: 73,309 Referee: J Moloney (Tipperary)

Main article: 1973 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final

Championship statistics

Miscellaneous

• Tyrone won their first Ulster title since 1957.
• Offaly win the Leinster title for the third year in succession. It is the first time in their history that they claim the coveted "three-in-a-row". It is the first time since Laois in 1938 that a team claimed three successive Leinster titles.
• The All Ireland semi-final between Cork and Tyrone was the first championship meeting between the teams.
• Cork end their second longest drought without the All Ireland title of 28 years.

Top scorers

Overall

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Tony McTague	Offaly	1–25	28	4	7.00
2	John Tobin	Galway	0–21	21	4	5.25
3	Billy Field	Cork	2–14	20	3	6.66
	Jimmy Barrett	Cork	4–8	20	4	5.00
5	Patsy Hetherington	Tyrone	0–18	18	4	4.50
	Ray Cummins	Cork	0–18	18	4	4.50
7	Seán O'Neill	Down	1–14	17	3	5.66
8	Mick O'Dwyer	Kerry	1–12	15	2	7.50
9	Jimmy Barry-Murphy	Cork	5–1	15	3	5.00
10	Damian Reid	Louth	0–14	14	4	3.50

Single game

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Billy Field	Cork	1–8	11	Clare
	Tony McTague	Offaly	0–11	11	Meath
3	Willie McGee	Mayo	3–0	9	Meath
	Éamonn McPartland	Fermanagh	3–0	9	Antrim
	Gerry McCann	Antrim	3–0	9	Fermanagh
	Mick O'Dwyer	Kerry	1–6	9	Tipperary
	Billy Field	Cork	1–6	9	Kerry
8	Tommy O'Malley	Mayo	2–2	8	Antrim
	John Cooney	Offaly	2–2	8	Meath
	Jimmy Barrett	Cork	2–2	8	Kerry
	Larry Kerins	Armagh	2–2	8	Down
	Tony McTague	Offaly	0–8	8	Kildare
	John Tobin	Galway	0–8	8	Offaly
	Ray Cummins	Cork	0–8	8	Galway

References

1. "All-Ireland Football Final 1973". millstreet.ie. Retrieved 12 June 2016.