1976 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

1976 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
Championship details
Dates	9 May – 26 September 1976
Teams	33
All-Ireland Champions
Winning team	Dublin (19 win)
Captain	Tony Hanahoe
Manager	Kevin Heffernan
All-Ireland Finalists
Losing team	Kerry
Captain	John O'Keeffe
Manager	Mick O'Dwyer
Provincial Champions
Munster	Kerry
Leinster	Dublin
Ulster	Derry
Connacht	Galway
Championship statistics
Top Scorer	Mikey Sheehy (4-26)
Player of the Year	Jimmy Keaveney
	← 1975 1977 →

The 1976 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was the 90th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county Gaelic football tournament. The championship began on 9 May 1976 and ended on 26 September 1976.

Kerry were the defending champions.

On 26 September 1976, Dublin won the championship following a 3-8 to 0-10 defeat of Kerry in the All-Ireland final.^[1] This was their 19th All-Ireland title, their first in two championship seasons.

Dublin's Jimmy Keaveney was the choice for Texaco Footballer of the Year.

Results

Connacht Senior Football Championship

Quarter-finals

23 May 1976 Quarter-final	Mayo	0-11 – 0-11	Leitrim	Fr. O'Hara Park, Charlestown
	R Bell (0-2), JP Kean (0-2), S Kilbride (0-3); G Farragher (0-2) & W Fitzpatrick (0-2).

30 May 1976 Quarter-final replay	Leitrim	2-8 – 0-10	Mayo	Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, Carrick-on-Shannon
	E McHale 1-0, N Mahon 1-0, J Houlihan 0-2, T Dolan 0-2, M Martin 0-1, S Flanagan 0-1, F Bohan 0-1, T Mulvey 0-1.		JP Kean 0-4, S Kilbride 0-1, M Sweeney 0-1, G Farragher 0-1, M Dixon 0-1, P Corrigan 0-1, R Bell 0-1.	Referee: J Lee (Sligo)

30 May 1976 Quarter-final	Roscommon	2-18 – 1-7	London	Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon
	M Freyne 0-7, J O'Connor 1-3, H Griffin 1-0, T Donnellan 0-3, J Finnegan 0-2, P Cox 0-1, D Watson 0-1, E McManus 0-1.		K Maguire 1-0, D Keating 0-4, J Mahoney 0-1, G Nellis 0-1, J Coffey 0-1.	Referee: J O'Gorman (Sligo)

Semi-finals

6 June 1976 Semi-final	Leitrim	0-8 – 3-21	Galway	Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, Carrick-on-Shannon
	M Martin 0-5, S Flanagan 0-1, T Dolan 0-1, E McHale 0-1.		J McLoughlin 1-8, J Duggan 1-2, J Barrett 1-1, B Talty 0-3, L Sammon 0-3, T Naughton 0-2, W Joyce 0-1, D Smyth 0-1.	Referee: PJ McGrath (Mayo)

13 June 1976 Semi-final	Sligo	0-7 – 2-10	Roscommon	Markievicz Park, Sligo
	M Kearins 0-6, J Stenson 0-1.		J O'Connor 0-4, J Kelly 1-0, P Cox 0-2, N Freyne 0-1, G Beirne 0-1, J Finnegan 0-1, J O'Gara 0-1.	Referee: M Loftus (Mayo)

Finals

4 July 1976 Final	Roscommon	1-8 – 1-8	Galway	MacHale Park, Castlebar
	J O'Gara 1-1, J O'Connor 0-2, T Donnellan 0-1, P Cox 0-1, J Kelly 0-1, E McManus 0-1, M Freyne 0-1.		J Duggan 1-1, D Smith 0-2, J McLoughlin 0-2, J Tobin 0-1, B Talty 0-1, S McHugh 0-1.	Attendance: 18,000 Referee: M Loftus (Mayo)

18 July 1976 Final replay	Galway	1-14 – 0-9	Roscommon	Tuam Stadium, Tuam
	J McLoughlin 0-6, J Duggan 1-0, K Clancy 0-2, J Tobin 0-2, T Naughton 0-2, L O'Neill 0-1, J Hughes 0-1.		J O'Connor 0-4, J O'Gara 0-1, T Donnellan 0-1, M McNamara 0-1, M Freyne 0-1, G Beirne 0-1.	Attendance: 16,000 Referee: M Loftus (Mayo)

Leinster Senior Football Championship

First round

9 May 1976 First round	Meath	2-13 – 1-10	Wicklow	Croke Park, Dublin
	G Farrelly 1-5, C Rowe 1-1, C O'Rourke 0-4, K Rennicks 0-2, M Ryan 0-1.		M O'Toole 0-6, E Dunne 1-0, P Kavanagh 0-1, T Foley 0-1, G Farrell 0-1, T Murphy 0-1.	Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

9 May 1976 First round	Wexford	2-11 – 0-14	Westmeath	Geraldine Park, Athy
	M Quigley 1-3, E Waters 1-2, M Carty 0-2, D Clancy 0-2, G Howling 0-1, J Dunphy 0-1.		D Smith 0-7, J Keane 0-3, W Lowry 0-2, M Scally 0-1, P Halligan 0-1.	Referee: S Aldridge (Kildare)

23 May 1976 First round

Laois

2-12 – 0-8

Carlow

Geraldine Park, Athy

30 May 1976 First round

Longford

3-21 – 0-5

Kilkenny

O'Connor Park, Tullamore

Quarter-finals

6 June 1976 Quarter-final	Offaly	0-8 – 3-8	Meath	Croke Park, Dublin
	L Hanlon 0-3, S Lowry 0-2, P Fenning 0-1, W Bryan 0-1, M Wright 0-1.		G Farrelly 1-4, C O'Rourke 1-0, M Kerrigan 1-0, C Rowe 0-2, K Rennicks 0-1, J Gibbons 0-1.	Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

20 June 1976 Quarter-final	Wexford	0-15 – 1-8	Louth	Croke Park, Dublin
	E Waters 0-7, M Carthy 0-2, B Rowesome 0-2, M Miller 0-1, G Howlin 0-1, W French 0-1, M Quigley 0-1.		A Hoey 1-1, P McPartland 0-2, G Nixon 0-1, F Brennan 0-1, D McCoy 0-1, D Reid 0-1, B Gaughran 0-1.	Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

20 June 1976 Quarter-final	Laois	1-13 – 0-12	Kildare	Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow
	W Brennan 1-6, T McCague 0-3, P Brophy 0-2, M Fennell 0-1, S Allen 0-1.		T Shaw 0-6, P Dunny 0-3, P Swords 0-1, B O'Doherty 0-1, T Carew 0-1.	Attendance: M Meally (Kilkenny)

27 June 1976 Quarter-final	Dublin	5-16 – 0-7	Longford	Cusack Park, Mullingar
	J Keaveney 3-4, P Gogarty 1-3, A O'Toole 1-1, K Moran 0-3, D Hickey 0-3, B Mullins 0-1, B Doyle 0-1.		L Tierney 0-3, J Hanniffy 0-2, P Mullooly 0-1, T McCormick 0-1.	Attendance: 15,000 Referee: P Collins (Westmeath)

Semi-finals

4 July 1976 Semi-final	Wexford	1-9 – 2-14	Meath	Croke Park, Dublin
	G Howlin 1-1, D Clancy 0-3, M Miller 0-2, M Carthy 0-1, W French 0-1, M Quigley 0-1.		M Kerrigan 0-5, G Farrelly 1-1, C O'Rourke 0-4, PJ O'Halloran 1-0, C Rowe 0-2, K Rennicks 0-1, J Gibbons 0-1.	Referee: S Aldridge (Kildare)

11 July 1976 Semi-Final	Dublin	3-12 – 0-11	Laois	O'Connor Park, Tullamore
	J Keaveney 1-3, P Gogarty 1-2, B Mullins 1-2, A O'Toole 0-2, B Doyle 0-2.		W Brennan 0-5, T Prendergast 0-3, M Fennell 0-2, T McCague 0-1.	Referee: H O'Reilly (Louth)

Final

25 July 1976 Final	Dublin	2-8 – 1-9	Meath	Croke Park, Dublin
	Jimmy Keaveny 0-4 (0-1f, 1 '50), Anton O'Toole and Tony Hanahoe 1-0 each, David Hickey 0-2, Bobby Doyle and Paddy Gogarty 0-1 each		Colm O'Rourke 1-2 (0-1f), Gerry Farrelly 0-2f, John Gibbons (0-1f), Mick Ryan, Cormac Rowe, Mattie Kerrigan, Ollie O'Brien (0-1f) 0-1 each	Attendance: 38,955 Referee: S Aldridge (Kildare)

Munster Senior Football Championship

Quarter-finals

9 May 1976 Quarter-final	Waterford	5-11 – 1-11	Tipperary	Fraher Field, Dungarvan
	J Galvin 0-6, V Kirwan 1-1, M Power 1-1, R Ahearn 1-0, S Ahern 1-0, T Moore 1-0, J Hennessy 0-2, B Fleming 0-1.		H Mulhaire 1-4, C O'Flaherty 0-4, G McGrath 0-1, J Cummins 0-1, J Williams 0-1.	Referee: F Halbert (Cork)

16 May 1976 Quarter-final	Limerick	2-4 – 1-6	Clare	Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
	M Greene 1-1, S Clanagan 1-0, C Buckley 0-1, J McMahon 0-1, M Downes 0-1.		G Browne 1-2, T Kennedy 0-2, S Holmes 0-1, J Ryan 0-1.	Referee: B O'Grady (Kerry)

Semi-finals

20 June 1976 Semi-final	Waterford	0-6 – 3-17	Kerry	Fraher Field, Dungarvan
	J Hennessy 0-2, E Halloran 0-1, J Galvin 0-1, R Dunford 0-1, D Conway 0-1.		P Spillane 1-5, M Sheehy 1-4, B Lynch 1-2, D Moran 0-2, M O'Sullivan 0-2, J Egan 0-2.	Referee: G Ryan (Tipperary)

20 June 1976 Semi-final	Cork	2-15 – 1-10	Clare	Semple Stadium, Thurles
	S Coughlan 1-3, S O'Shea 1-0, B Fields 0-3, J Barry-Murphy 0-3, D Long 0-3, S Murphy 0-2, D McCarthy 0-1.		J McMahon 0-6, S Flanagan 1-0, C Buckley 0-1, Martin Greene 0-1, S Moloney 0-1,	Referee: J Moloney (Tipperary)

Finals

11 July 1976 Final	Cork	0-10 - 0-10	Kerry	Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork
	Denis Long (0-2f), Billy Field (0-2f), Dinny Allen 0-2 each, Seamus Coughlan, Jimmy Barry-Murphy, Declan Barron, Sean Murphy (0-1f) 0-1 each		Mikey Sheehy 0-5 (0-3f), Pat McCarthy and Pat Spillane 0-2, Sean Walsh 0-1	Attendance: 40,600 Referee: John Moloney (Tipperary)

25 July 1976 Final replay	Cork	2-19 – 3-20 (a.e.t.)	Kerry	Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork
	Jimmy Barry-Murphy 1-3, Sean Murphy 0-5 (0-1f), Colman O'Rourke 0-4 (0-1f), Seamus Coughlan 1-0, Declan Barron 0-3, Denis Long, Dave McCarthy, Dinny Allen, Billy Field 0-1 each		Mikey Sheehy 0-11 (0-5f), Pat Spillane and Sean Walsh 1-3 each, Mickey O'Sullivan 1-2, John Egan 0-1	Attendance: 45,235 Referee: John Moloney (Tipperary)

Ulster Senior Football Championship

Preliminary round

23 May 1976 Preliminary round

Armagh

1-13 – 1-12

Fermanagh

Athletic Grounds, Armagh

Quarter-finals

30 May 1976 Quarter-final	Cavan	1-9 – 0-8	Donegal	Breffni Park, Cavan
	C O'Keeffe 1-1, O Brady 0-3, S Duggan 0-2, N Smith 0-1, D Meade 0-1, G Cusack 0-1.		S Granaghan 0-3, M Lafferty 0-2, M Carney 0-2, H McClafferty 0-1.	Referee: T Johnston (Fermanagh)

6 June 1976 Quarter-final	Antrim	2-6 – 0-14	Down	Casement Park, Belfast
	G McCann 1-0, A McCallion 0-2, JP O'Kane 0-1, P Armstrong 0-1, S McGourty 0-1, A Hamill 0-1.		W Walsh 0-5, P Rooney 0-3, B Fitzsimons 0-2, B Bardner 0-2, V McGovern 0-1, D Rodgers 0-1.	Referee: G Fagan (Antrim)

6 June 1976 Quarter-final

Tyrone

2-10 – 1-10

Monaghan

O'Neill Park, Dungannon

13 June 1976 Quarter-final	Derry	1-19 – 2-1	Armagh	Healy Park, Omagh
	B Kelly 0-7, A McGuckin 1-2, T McGuinness 0-2, G McElhinney 0-2, J O'Leary 0-2, M Lynch 0-1, P Stevenson 0-1, G O'Loughlin 0-1, A McGurk 0-1.		D McCoy 2-0, P Loughran 0-1.	Referee: P Devlin (Tyrone)

Semi-finals

20 June 1976 Semi-final	Down	0-10 – 1-18	Cavan	St. Mary's Park, Castleblayney
	D Rodgers 0-3, W Walsh 0-3, P Rooney 0-1, B Fitzsimons 0-1, L Austin 0-1, C McAlarney 0-1.		S Duggan 0-10, O Martin 1-1, G Cusack 0-3, N Smith 0-2, O Leddy 0-1, C O'Dea 0-1.

27 June 1976 Semi-final	Tyrone	0-8 – 0-12	Derry	St. Tiernach's Park, Clones
	P McGuigan 0-2, B O'Neill 0-2, G Taggart 0-1, M Hughes 0-1, E Devlin 0-1, E McKenna 0-1.		B Kelly 0-6, M Lynch 0-2, A McGuckin 0-1, J O'Leary 0-1, M Moran 0-1, T McGuinness 0-1.	Referee: H McPoland (Antrim)

Finals

18 July 1976 Final	Derry	1-8 – 1-8	Cavan	St. Tiernach's Park, Clones
	B Kelly 0-4, J O'Leary 1-0, M Lynch 0-2, M Moran 0-1, T McGuinness 0-1.		S Duggan 1-3, A King 0-1, O Brady 0-1, E Martin 0-1, G Cusack 0-1, C O'Keeffe 0-1.	Attendance: 20,000 Referee: G Fagan (Armagh)

25 July 1976 Final replay	Derry	0-22 – 1-16 (a.e.t.)	Cavan	St. Tiernach's Park, Clones
	B Kelly 0-8, M Lynch 0-4, F McCloskey 0-3, G McElhinney 0-2, A McGurk 0-1, J O'Leary 0-1, M Moran 0-1, T McGuinness 0-1.		S Duggan 0-7, J Dwyer 1-3, O Brady 0-2, E Martin 0-2, E Cusack 0-1, O Leddy 0-1.	Attendance: 25,000 Referee: G Fagan (Armagh)

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Semi-finals

8 August 1976 Semi-final	Kerry	5-14 – 1-10	Derry	Croke Park, Dublin
	M Sheehy 3-3, S Walsh 1-1, G O'Driscoll 1-0, B Lynch 0-3, J Egan 0-2, P Spillane 0-2, T Kennelly 0-1, M O'Sullivan 0-1, D Moran 0-1.		B Kelly 0-4, P Stevenson 1-0, M Lynch 0-2, F McCloskey 0-1, L Diamond 0-1, J O'Leary 0-1, T McGuinness 0-1.	Attendance: 30,963 Referee: P Collins (Westmeath)

29 August 1976 Semi-final	Dublin	1-8 – 0-8	Galway	Croke Park, Dublin
	J Keaveney 1-5, T Hanahoe 0-2, J McCarthy 0-1.		J Hughes 0-2, W Joyce 0-2, J Tobin 0-2, L Sammon 0-1, B Talty 0-1.	Referee: F Halbert (Cork)

Final

26 September 1976 Final	Dublin	3-8 – 0-10	Kerry	Croke Park, Dublin
	J Keaveney 1-2, J McCarthy 1-1, B Mullins 1-1, B Brogan 0-1, A O'Toole 0-1, T Hanahoe 0-1, D Hickey 0-1.		M Sheehy 0-3, P Spillane 0-2, D Moran 0-2, M O'Sullivan 0-1, B Lynch 0-1, J Egan 0-1.	Attendance: 73,588 Referee: P Collins (Westmeath)

Championship statistics

Miscellaneous

Leitrim recorded their first win over Mayo since 1959 after a replay.
Cork Athletic Grounds changed its name to Pairc Ui Chaoimh after Pádraig Ó Caoimh.
3 Provincial finals end in a draw and to a replay in the same year for the first time since 1924 (CLU) and never since (as of 2019) Connacht, Munster and Ulster. 1888, 1903 & 1915 were the only other years up to 1976 to have had multiple provincial final draws.
The All-Ireland final was Dublin's first win over Kerry since the All-Ireland semi-final of 1934.

Top scorers

Overall

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Mikey Sheehy	Kerry	4-26	38	5	7.60
2	Jimmy Keaveney	Dublin	6-18	36	5	7.20
3	Brendan Kelly	Derry	0-29	29	5	5.80
4	Steve Duggan	Cavan	1-22	25	4	6.25
5	Gerry Farrelly	Meath	3-12	21	4	5.25
6	Pat Spillane	Kerry	2-14	20	5	4.00
7	Joe McLoughlin	Galway	1-16	19	4	4.75

Single game

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Jimmy Keaveney	Dublin	3-4	13	Longford
2	Mikey Sheehy	Kerry	3-3	12	Derry
3	Joe McLoughlin	Galway	1-8	11	Leitrim
3	Mikey Sheehy	Kerry	0-11	11	Cork
5	Steve Duggan	Cavan	0-10	10	Down
6	Willie Brennan	Laois	1-6	9	Kildare
7	Gerry Farrelly	Meath	1-5	8	Wicklow
	Pat Spillane	Kerry	1-5	8	Waterford
	Jimmy Keaveney	Dublin	1-5	8	Galway
	Brendan Kelly	Derry	0-8	8	Cavan

References

^ "Five Epics: The Best of Dublin v Kerry". GAA website. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2015.

External links

"From the archives: Preview of 1976 Ulster SFC final between Derry and Cavan". BBC Sport. 26 April 2020.

[1] "Five Epics: The Best of Dublin v Kerry". GAA website. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2015.

[1]