1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

The 1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was the 92nd 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 1978 and ended on 24 September 1978.

1978 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
Championship details
Dates7 May – 24 September 1978
Teams33
All-Ireland Champions
Winning teamKerry (24th win)
CaptainDenis "Ógie" Moran
ManagerMick O'Dwyer
All-Ireland Finalists
Losing teamDublin
CaptainTony Hanahoe
ManagerTony Hanahoe
Provincial Champions
MunsterKerry
LeinsterDublin
UlsterDown
ConnachtRoscommon
Championship statistics
Top Scorer Jimmy Keaveney (2-31)
Player of the Year Pat Spillane
1977
1979

Dublin entered the championship as the defending champions.

On 24 September 1978, Kerry won the championship following a 5-11 to 0-9 defeat of Dublin in the All-Ireland final.[1] This was their 24th All-Ireland title and their first in three championship seasons.

Kerry's Pat Spillane was the choice for Texaco Footballer of the Year. Dublin's Jimmy Keaveney was the championship's top scorer with 2-31.

Leinster Championship format change

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In 1978 Round 2 returns to the Leinster football championship.

Results

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Quarter-finals

21 May 1978 Quarter-final Sligo 4-13 – 2-10 London Markievicz Park, Sligo
M Hoey 3-8, M McIntyre 1-0, J Kent 0-3, T Carty 0-1, G McCarrick 0-1. T Quirke 1-2, D Keating 1-1, B O'Connell 0-2, J Flynn 0-2, T Flynn 0-2, N McCarthy 0-1, M McGovern 0-1, P Canavan 0-1. Referee: S McMahon (Roscommon)
28 May 1978 Quarter-final Mayo 2-18 – 1-8 Leitrim James Stephens Park, Ballina
B Fitzpatrick 1-3, J Mallee 1-3, WJ Padden 0-4, W Nally 0-3, D Dolan 0-3, R Bell 0-3. M Tighe 0-5, M Kiernan 1-1, B Wrynne 0-2. Referee: J Geraghty (Galway)

Semi-finals

11 June 1978 Semi-final Galway 1-11 – 1-8 Sligo Tuam Stadium, Tuam
S Joyce 1-2, G McManus 0-4, T Naughton 0-2, P Lee 0-1, J Hughes 0-1, B Talty 0-1. F Henry 1-1, M Hoey 0-4, M Kearins 0-1, M McIntyre 0-1, J Kearins 0-1. Referee: PJ McGrath (Mayo)
18 June 1978 Semi-final Roscommon 1-12 – 1-9 Mayo Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon
J O'Connor 1-1, M Finneran 0-4, M Menton 0-3, A McManus 0-2, D Earley 0-1, S Kilbride 0-1. L Donoghue 1-0, W Fitzpatrick 0-3, G Cuddy 0-2, W Nally 0-1, R Bell 0-1, D Dolan 0-1, WJ Padden 0-1. Referee: T Cunningham (Galway)

Final

9 July 1978 Final Galway 0-9 - 2-7 Roscommon Pearse Stadium, Galway
P McGettigan 0-2, T Naughton 0-2, G McManus 0-2, S Joyce 0-1, J Duggan 0-1, B Talty 0-1. M Freyne 2-0, D Earley 0-3, S Kilbride 0-2, M Finneran 0-1, L O'Gara 0-1. Attendance: 17,000
Referee: PJ McGrath (Mayo)

First round

7 May 1978 First round Carlow 5-8 – 3-9 Westmeath O'Moore Park, Portlaoise
B Doyle 3-2, D Byrne 1-1, T Geoghegan 1-0, M Moore 0-2, W Cullen 0-2, P Foley 0-1. K Geraghty 1-5, J Keane 1-0, T McCormack 1-0, A O'Halloran 0-1, T Doyle 0-1, M Lowry 0-1, W Lowry 0-1.
7 May 1978 First round Wicklow 2-16 – 0-3 Kilkenny Geraldine Park, Athy
P Doyle 2-5, P O'Toole 0-3, T Murphy 0-2, P Baker 0-2, O Doyle 0-2, M Dunne 0-1, T Foley 0-1. M Brennan 0-2, C Heffernan 0-1.

Second round

28 May 1978 Second round Wicklow 4-15 – 1-8 Wexford Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow
4 June 1978 Second round Kildare 4-15 – 1-8 Louth Páirc Tailteann, Navan
T Carew 1-6, G Power 2-0, M Condon 1-1, D Hyland 0-2, P Magan 0-2, J Geoghegan 0-1, H Hyland 0-1, F Mulligan 0-1, J Crofton 0-1. D Kelleher 1-0, P Lennon 0-3, JP O'Kane 0-2, P McEvoy 0-1, D McCoy 0-1, E Judge 0-1. Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)
4 June 1978 Second round Offaly 2-12 – 0-8 Longford Cusack Park, Mullingar
Attendance: 3000
Referee: C Conlon

Quarter-finals

18 June 1978 Quarter-final Dublin 6-15 – 2-9 Carlow Croke Park, Dublin
J McCarthy 3-7, T Hanahoe 1-4, D Hickey 1-0, B Doyle 1-0, J Keaveney 0-3, F Ryder 0-1. P Kavanagh 0-5, D Byrne 1-1, T Geoghegan 1-0, P Foley 0-1, P Quirke 0-1, P Browne 0-1.
18 June 1978 Quarter-final Kildare 3-14 – 1-12 Meath Croke Park, Dublin
P Mangan 1-3, M Condon 1-2, T Carew 1-2, H Hyland 0-4, G Power 0-2, J Geoghegan 0-1. M Fay 0-7 (0-4f), G McEntee 1-0, K Rennicks 0-2, E Magee 0-1, C O'Rourke 0-1, J Cassells 0-1. Referee: N O'Donoghue (Dublin)
25 June 1978 Quarter-final Laois 2-8 - 0-16 Offaly O'Moore Park, Portlaoise
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: M Meally (Kilkenny)

Semi-finals

2 July 1978 Semi-final Kildare 4-14 – 2-6 Wicklow Croke Park, Dublin
M Condon 2-1, J Geoghegan 1-3, T Carew 0-6, H Hyland 1-1, P Dunny 0-1, P Mangan 0-1, J Crofton 0-1. T Foley 1-1, T Murphy 1-1, O Doyle 0-1, M Coffey 0-1, P O'Toole 0-1, P Byrne 0-1. Referee: D Guerin (Dublin)
9 July 1978 Semi-final Dublin 2-9 – 0-12 Offaly O'Moore Park, Portlaoise
J Keaveney 1-7, J McCarthy 1-1, B Doyle 0-1. J Mooney 0-3, V Henry 0-3, P Doyle 0-2, W Bryan 0-1, M Connor 0-1, M Wright 0-1, P Fenning 0-1. Attendance: 22,000
Referee: S Murray (Roscommon)

Final

30 July 1978 Final Dublin 1-17 – 1-6 Kildare Croke Park, Dublin
Jimmy Keaveney 0-7 (0-3f, 1 '45), Tony Hanahoe 1-2, Anton O'Toole 0-2, Robbie Kelleher, Brian Mullins, Bernard Brogan Sr, John McCarthy, Padraig Hogan, Paddy Gogarty 0-1 each Denis Dalton 1-0, Tommy Carew 0-3 (0-2f), Mick Condon 0-2, Pat Dunny 0-1 Attendance: 53,512
Referee: Paddy Collins (Westmeath)

Quarter-finals

28 May 1978 Quarter-final Clare 0-19 – 1-4 Limerick Páirc Uí Seancháin, Dunbeg
M Downes 0-5, A Moloney 0-4, J McGrath 0-3, T Curtin 0-3, M Keogh 0-2, N Roche 0-1, B O'Reilly 0-1. K Rennteon 1-1, M Quish 0-1, C O'Connor 0-1, G Murray 0-1. Referee: G Ryan (Tipperary)
28 May 1978 Quarter-final Tipperary 1-16 – 2-13 Waterford Ned Hall Park, Clonmel
C Murphy 0-8, H Mulhaire 1-2, V O'Donnell 0-2, G McGrath 0-2, M McCarthy 0-1, J Ryan 0-1. J Hennessy 1-0, T Casey 0-6, M Hackett 1-1, P Keating 0-2, P Murphy 0-2, B Fleming 0-2. Referee: B Cross (Limerick)
4 June 1978 Quarter-final replay Waterford 2-19 - 2-17
(aet)
Tipperary Fraher Field, Dungarvan
T Casey 0-12, B Fleming 1-1, J McGrath 1-1, J Hennessy 0-2, M Hackett 0-2, P Keating 0-1. H Mulhaire 1-4, S McCarthy 1-3, C Murphy 0-6, J Ryan 0-2, E McGrath 0-1, T Kavanagh 0-1. Referee: B Cross (Limerick)

Semi-finals

11 June 1978 Semi-final Cork 3-16 – 0-11 Clare Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork
J Barry-Murphy 2-1, R Cummins 1-3, D Allen 0-5, D Barron 0-2, S Murphy 0-2, C Ryan 0-1, D McCarthy 0-1, D Hunt 0-1. A Moloney 0-5, B O'Reilly 0-2, M Roche 0-1, T Cartin 0-1, M Keogh 0-1, M Downes 0-1. Referee: W Fogarty (Kerry)
18 June 1978 Semi-final Kerry 4-27 – 2-8 Waterford Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney
M Sheehy 2-8, P Spillane 2-5, J Egan 0-5, G Power 0-3, T Doyle 0-3, J Mulvihill 0-2, M O'Sullivan 0-1. B Fleming 2-0, R Dunford 0-2, T Casey 0-2, T Keating 0-1, M Hackett 0-1, J McGrath 0-1, P Keating 0-1. Referee: P O'Donovan (Cork)

Final

16 July 1978 Final Cork 3-7 - 3-14 Kerry Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork
Dinny Allen 2-2 (1-0 pen, 0-2f), Jimmy Barry-Murphy 1-0, Ray Cummins 0-3 (0-2f), Tom Creedon (1 '50) and Dennis Lenihan 0-1 each Mikey Sheehy 2-5 (0-4f), Pat Spillane 0-4, Ger Power 1-0, Tommy Doyle and John Egan 0-2 each, Paidi Ó Sé 0-1 Attendance: 46,000
Referee: Sean O'Connor (Limerick)

Preliminary round

28 May 1978 Preliminary round Derry 3-12 – 0-7 Donegal Dean McGlinchey Park, Ballinascreen
G Keane 1-6, J Fullerton 1-1, B O'Neill 1-0, M Lynch 0-2, B Kelly 0-1, D Kearney 0-1, G McIlhinney 0-1. S Bonnar 0-2, F Rush 0-2, A Gallagher 0-1, S Marley 0-1, M Carney 0-1. Referee: H McPoland (Antrim)

Quarter-finals

21 May 1978 Quarter-final Antrim 4-6 – 2-4 Monaghan Casement Park, Belfast
G Armstrong 2-1, M Darragh 2-0, K Gough 0-2, A Hamill 0-1, P O'Hare 0-1, S McGourty 0-1. G Brannigan 1-1, E Tavey 1-0, K Treanor 0-1, P Kerr 0-1, D Mulligan 0-1. Referee: J Gribben (Down)
11 June 1978 Quarter-final Cavan 0-16 - 0-9 Armagh Breffni Park, Cavan
D Donoghue 0-6, P McGovern 0-3, R Cullivan 0-2, A King 0-1, O Leddy 0-1, M Goldrick 0-1, F McNamee 0-1, JJ Martin 0-1. Referee: S Murray (Monaghan)
11 June 1978 Quarter-final Fermanagh 2-7 - 0-14 Down St. Molaise Park, Irvinestown
G McElroy 2-1, K Corrigan 0-2, J Donnelly 0-1, E McPartland 0-1, P McGinnity 0-1. C McAlarney 0-3, S Fearon 0-3, P Heaney 0-2, E Toner 0-2, C Digney 0-2, Cunningham 0-1, V McGovern 0-1. Referee: H Duggan (Armagh)
18 June 1978 Quarter-final Derry 3-11 – 0-9 Tyrone The Playing Fields, Lurgan

Semi-finals

2 July 1978 Semi-final Down 1-14 – 2-8 Derry Casement Park, Belfast
P Rooney 0-6, V McGovern 0-4, B Gardner 1-0, M Cunningham 0-3, J Digney 0-1. D Kearney 0-4, B O'Neill 1-0, J Hargan 1-0, G Keane 0-2, M Lynch 0-1, T McGuinness 0-1.
9 July 1978 Semi-final Cavan 2-13 – 1-10 Antrim St. Mary's Park, Castleblayney
P McNamee 1-2, M Goldrick 0-4, C O'Keeffe 1-0, R Cullivan 0-3, P McGovern 0-2, D Donoghue 0-1, O Martin 0-1. C Smith 1-1, M Darragh 0-4, G Armstrong 0-1, A McQuillan 0-1, D Laverty 0-1, J McKiernan 0-1, K Gough 0-1. Referee: H Duggan (Armagh)

Final

23 July 1978 Final Down 2-19 – 2-12 Cavan St. Tiernach's Park, Clones
J Byrne 1-3, E McGivern 1-1, C McAlarney 0-4, J Digney 0-3, L Austin 0-3, B Toner 0-2, M Cunningham 0-2, P Rooney 0-1. A Brady 1-2, D Donohoe 0-5, C O'Keeffe 1-0, M Goldrick 0-3, R Cullivan 0-1, A King 0-1. Attendance: 27,600
Referee: S Murray (Monaghan)

Semi-finals

13 August 1978 Semi-final Kerry 3-11 - 0-8 Roscommon Croke Park, Dublin
G Power 1-2, P Spillane 1-2, M Sheehy 0-4, P O'Mahony 1-0, J Egan 0-1, E Liston 0-1, J O'Shea 0-1. J O'Connor 0-4, M Finneran 0-2, D Earley 0-1, J O'Gara 0-1. Attendance: 25,594
Referee: S Aldridge (Kildare)
20 August 1978 Semi-final Dublin 1-16 - 0-8 Down Croke Park, Dublin
J Keaveney 1-6, B Brogan 0-3, J McCarthy 0-2, B Doyle 0-2, A O'Toole 0-1, G O'Driscoll 0-1, P'O'Neill 0-1. W Walsh 0-5, C Digney 0-1, C McAlarney 0-1, L Austin 0-1. Attendance: 51,666
Referee: T Moran (Leitrim)

Final

24 September 1978 Final Kerry 5-11 - 0-9 Dublin Croke Park, Dublin
E Liston 3-2, M Sheehy 1-4, J Egan 1-2, J O'Shea 0-1, G Power 0-1, P Spillane 0-1. J Keaveney 0-8, B Brogan 0-1. Attendance: 71,503
Referee: S Aldridge (Kildare)

Championship statistics

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Top scorers

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Overall
Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average
1 Jimmy Keaveney Dublin 2-31 37 5 7.40
2 Mikey Sheehy Kerry 5-21 36 4 9.00

Miscellaneous

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  • Kevin Moran, who had signed for Manchester United F.C. in February 1978, was given permission from the club to line out for Dublin in their Leinster semi-final defeat of Offaly. He remained on the panel for all of Dublin's subsequent games.
  • On 28 May 1978, James Stephens Park, Ballina hosted its first championship game for 28 years it was the Connacht Quarter-final between Mayo and Leitrim.
  • At the Ulster final between Down and Cavan, an official attendance of 27,600 is given, however, it is estimated that between 6,000 and 8,000 extra spectators were at the game.
  • In the All-Ireland semi-final between Down and Dublin, the Down players wore black armbands as a mark of respect to the late Michael Cunningham. He was the father of the team's centre-forward Mickey Cunningham and died in the week leading up to the match.
  • Kerry won their first title in a year ending with 8. They became the first county in either code to win at least one All Ireland in years ending with all ten digits.

Roll of Honour

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  • Kerry - 24 (1978)
  • Dublin - 20 (1977)
  • Galway - 7 (1966)
  • Wexford - 5 (1918)
  • Cavan - 5 (1952)
  • Cork - 4 (1973)
  • Kildare - 4 (1928)
  • Tipperary - 4 (1920)
  • Down - 3 (1968)
  • Meath - 3 (1967)
  • Louth - 3 (1957)
  • Mayo - 3 (1951)
  • Offaly - 2 (1972)
  • Roscommon - 2 (1944)
  • Limerick - 2 (1896)

References

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  1. ^ "Dublin v Kerry: A football rivalry". RTÉ Sport. 20 September 2015. Retrieved 25 October 2015.