1970 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

The 1970 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was the 84th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county Gaelic football tournament. The championship began on 10 May 1970 and ended on 27 September 1970.

1970 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Championship details
Dates	10 May – 27 September 1970
Teams	31
All-Ireland Champions
Winning team	Kerry (22nd win)
Captain	Donie O'Sullivan
All-Ireland Finalists
Losing team	Meath
Captain	Jack Quinn
Provincial Champions
Munster	Kerry
Leinster	Meath
Ulster	Derry
Connacht	Galway
Championship statistics
No. matches played	31
Goals total	91 (2.9 per game)
Points total	654 (21.0 per game)
Top Scorer	Tony Brennan (0-33)
Player of the Year	Tom Prendergast
← 1969 1971 →

Kerry entered the championship as the defending champions.

On 27 September 1970, Kerry won the championship following a 2-19 to 0-18 defeat of Meath in the All-Ireland final. This was their 22nd All-Ireland title, their second in succession.

Meath's Tony Brennan was the championship's top scorer with 0-33. Kerry's Tom Prendergast was the choice for Texaco Footballer of the Year.

Rule change

As a result of a decision taken at the Gaelic Athletic Association's (GAA) annual congress the previous year, as of 1970 all provincial finals, All-Ireland semi-finals and the All-Ireland final itself were extended to 80 minutes playing time. Prior to this all championship matches were sixty minutes in duration. Lasted until 1974.

Leinster Championship format change

The Second Round dropped from the Leinster football championship this year.

Results

Connacht Senior Football Championship

Quarter-final

Leitrim v Roscommon

7 June 1970 Quarter-final	Leitrim	1-7 – 4-14	Roscommon	Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, Carrick-on-Shannon
	P Dolan 1-1, D Gannon 0-1, F O'Carroll 0-1.		M Frayne 2-4, D Earley 2-0, M Flanagan 1-2, M Farron 0-3, J Cox 0-2, W O'Hara 0-1, MJ Keane 0-1.	Referee: M Loftus (Mayo)

Semi-finals

Roscommon v Mayo

21 June 1970 Semi-final	Roscommon	2-10 – 1-9	Mayo	Tuam Stadium, Tuam
	M Freyne 0-5, W O'Hara 1-1, M Flanagan 1-0, D Earley 0-2, J Cox 0-1, M Fallon 0-1.		J Corcoran 0-6, J Gibbons 1-0, D Griffith 0-1, W McGee 0-1, S O'Dowd 0-1.	Referee: S McLoughlin (Galway)

Galway v Sligo

28 June 1970 Semi-final	Galway	1-8 – 0-7	Sligo	Fr. O'Hara Park, Charlestown
	J Keenan 0-7, C Dunne 1-1.		M Kearins 0-5, M Marron 0-1, D Connolly 0-1.	Referee: M Connaughton (Mayo)

Final

Galway v Roscommon

12 July 1970 Final	Galway	2-15 – 1-8	Roscommon	Pearse Stadium, Galway
	J Keenan 0-7, J McLoughlin 2-0, L Sammon 0-4, C Dunne 0-3, P Donnellan 0-1.		M Flanagan 1-2, D Earley 0-2, M Fallon 0-1, G Kelly 0-1, B O'Hara 0-1, A O'Sullivan 0-1.	Attendance: 11,500 Referee: M Loftus (Mayo)

Leinster Senior Football Championship

First round

Westmeath v Laois

10 May 1970 First round	Westmeath	1-12 – 1-9	Laois	O'Connor Park, Tullamore
	F Connaughton 1-2, T Dolan 0-3, P Buckley 0-3, D Murtagh 0-2, M Carley 0-1, N Daly 0-1.		TJ Bradley 1-7, K Brennan 0-1, D Millar 0-1.	Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

Longford v Dublin

17 May 1970 First round	Longford	2-14 – 3-8	Dublin	Cusack Park, Mullingar
	J Hanniffy 0-8, M Hopkins 1-2, M Kenny 1-1, T Mulvihill 0-2, S Lee 0-1.		D Hickey 2-1, T O'Hanlon 1-0, J Keaveney 0-3, T Hanahoe 0-1, S O'Connor 0-1, F Murray 0-1, J Reilly 0-1.	Referee: R Barry (Meath)

Kildare v Wicklow

17 May 1970 First round	Kildare	5-8 – 1-8	Wicklow	Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow
	P Dunny 2-0, J Donnelly 0-5, T Fitzgerald 1-1, M Mullins 1-0, P Mangan 1-0, B Geraghty 0-1, E Donoghue 0-1.		M O'Toole 0-4, N Carty 1-0, P Clarke 0-2, M Coffey 0-1, J McDonald 0-1.	Referee: J Lennon (Louth)

Quarter-finals

Longford v Louth

7 June 1970 Quarter-final	Longford	1-12 – 1-9	Louth	Croke Park, Dublin
	J Hanniffy 0-5, S Lee 1-0, M Hopkins 0-2, H Mulvihill 0-2, Pat Burke 0-1, M Kenny 0-1, S Mulvihill 0-1.		E Sheelin 1-0, B Gaughran 0-6, J Judge 0-1, M McKeown 0-1, H McCarthy 0-1.

Kildare v Wexford

7 June 1970 Quarter-final	Kildare	3-10 – 1-11	Wexford	Croke Park, Dublin
	P Dunny 1-4, Mullins 1-3, T Fitzgerald 1-1, J Boyne 0-1, E O'Donoghue 0-1.		Jack Berry 0-5, S Sheridan 1-1, J Shaughnessy 0-2, A Merrigan 0-1, M Quigley 0-1, D Asple 0-1.

Offaly v Westmeath

14 June 1970 Quarter-final	Offaly	2-12 – 1-10	Westmeath	Páirc Tailteann, Navan
	T McTague 1-6, W Bryan 1-2, J Cooney 0-2, P Fanning 0-1, S Kilroy 0-1.		F Connaughton 1-1, P Buckley 0-3, M Carley 0-2, P Bradley 0-2, M Murphy 0-1, AN Other 0-1.	Referee: P Roberts

Meath v Carlow

21 June 1970 Quarter-final	Meath	1-17 – 1-4	Carlow	St. Conleth's Park, Newbridge
	T Brennan 0-6, K Rennicks 1-2, M Kerrigan 0-3, O Shanley 0-2, J Murphy 0-2, M Fay 0-1, V Lynch 0-1.		B French 1-0, W O'Brien 0-3, S King 0-1.	Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

Semi-finals

Longford v Offaly

28 June 1970 Semi-final	Longford	1-9 – 0-12	Offaly	Croke Park, Dublin
	J Hanniffy 1-5, M Hopkins 0-3, S Lee 0-1.		T McTague 0-8, J Cooney 0-2, S Evans 0-1, J Gunning 0-1.	Attendance: 22217 Referee: B Louth (Dublin)

Offaly v Longford

5 July 1970 Semi-final replay	Offaly	1-13 – 1-8	Longford	Croke Park, Dublin
	T McTague 0-9, E Evans 1-0, S Kilroy 0-1, P Fenning 0-1, J Cooney 0-1, W Bryan 0-1.		J Devine 1-6, S Lee 0-1, M Hopkins 0-1.	Referee: M Meally (Kilkenny)

Kildare v Meath

5 July 1970 Semi-final	Kildare	1-8 – 0-13	Meath	Croke Park, Dublin
	J Donnelly 1-4, P Deasy 0-2, T Carew 0-1, M Mullins 0-1.		T Brennan 0-5, M Kerrigan 0-3, K Rennicks 0-2, J Murphy 0-1, V Lynch 0-1, M Mellett 0-1.

Final

Meath v Offaly

19 July 1970 Final	Meath	2-22 – 5-12	Offaly	Croke Park, Dublin
	T Brennan 0-10, M Fay 2-0, M Kerrigan 0-3, M Mellet 0-2, K Rennicks 0-2, J Murphy 0-2, O Shanley 0-2, V Lynch 0-1.		M O'Connor 2-3, K Claffey 1-2, W Bryan 1-1, T McTague 0-4, J Cooney 1-0, P Keenan 0-1, P Fenning 0-1.	Attendance: 32085 Referee: B Hayden (Carlow)

Munster Senior Football Championship

Quarter-finals

Waterford v Limerick

10 May 1970 Quarter-final	Waterford	0-5 – 1-3	Limerick	Fraher Field, Dungarvan
	B Kirwan 0-2, P Walsh 0-1, T Walsh 0-1, M Coffey 0-1.		M Graham 1-0, M Tynan 0-3,	Referee: P Verdon (Tipperary)

Tipperary v Clare

10 May 1970 Quarter-final	Tipperary	2-12 – 1-7	Clare	Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
				Referee: N. Dalton (Waterford)

Semi-finals

Limerick v Kerry

5 July 1970 Semi-final	Limerick	2-5 – 2-19	Kerry	Páirc na nGael, Askeaton
	S Burke 1-1, P Murphy 1-0, É Cregan 0-3, K Renninson 0-1.		M Gleeson 2-0, B Lynch 0-6, M O'Dwyer 0-4, P Griffin 0-3, E O'Donoghue 0-3, L Higgins 0-2, M O'Connell 0-1.	Referee: J Dennigan (Cork)

Tipperary v Cork

5 July 1970 Semi-final	Tipperary	3-9 – 2-15	Cork	Ned Hall Park, Clonmel
	M Keating 3-1, P Blythe 0-4, C Flaherty 0-1, P Dawson 0-1, S Kearney 0-1, P O'Connor 0-1.		D Coughlan 1-10, T Holland 1-0, N Kirby 0-3, R Cummins 0-2.	Referee: N Dalton (Waterford)

Final

Kerry v Cork

26 July 1970 Final	Kerry	2-22 – 2-9	Cork	Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney
	M O'Dwyer 0-8, M O'Connell 0-5, P Griffin 1-1, L Higgins 1-1, B Lynch 0-4, DJ Crowley 0-3.		D Coughlan 2-4, B O'Neill 0-2, D Long 0-1, D Hunt 0-1, R Cummins 0-1.	Referee: J Moloney (Tipperary)

Ulster Senior Football Championship

Preliminary round

Donegal v Antrim

7 June 1970 Preliminary round	Donegal	2-6 – 3-8	Antrim	MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey
	H McClafferty 1-2, M Griffin 1-1, S Ferriter 0-2, B McEniff 0-1.		A McCallin 2-2, T Dunlop 1-0, L Boyle 0-2, A Hamill 0-2, G Dillon 0-1, J Ward 0-1.

Quarter-finals

Cavan v Fermanagh

7 June 1970 Quarter-final	Cavan	3-13 – 1-3	Fermanagh	Breffni Park, Cavan
	G Cusack 1-5, T O'Reilly 1-2, H McInerney 1-1, O Leddy 0-2, M Galligan 0-1, S Duggan 0-1, R Carolan 0-1.		E McPartland 1-1, S Gunn 0-1, G Magee 0-1.	Referee: G Griffin (Donegal)

Derry v Tyrone

7 June 1970 Quarter-final	Derry	3-12 – 0-7	Tyrone	Dean McGlinchey Park, Ballinascreen
	S O'Connell 1-3, S Lagan 1-2, H Niblock 1-0, K Teague 0-3, E Coleman 0-1, A McGurk 0-1, B Devlin 0-1, A McGuckan 0-1.		PJ Hughes 0-4, P Parke 0-1, S Donaghy 0-1, K Teague 0-1.	Referee: L Maguire (Monaghan)

Monaghan v Armagh

14 June 1970 Quarter-final	Monaghan	3-7 – 1-7	Armagh	St. Mary's Park, Castleblayney
	E Tavey 2-0, T Mahon 1-2, S Woods 0-2, F Ward 0-1, D McCabe 0-1, B McDonnell 0-1.		M Murphy 1-0, P Loughran 0-3, S Lavelle 0-1, P McCann 0-1, J Smith 0-1, J Daly 0-1.	Referee: P Greene (Antrim)

Antrim v Down

21 June 1970 Quarter-final	Antrim	2-9 – 1-6	Down	Casement Park, Belfast
	A McCallin 1-4, T Dunlop 1-0, A Hamill 0-2, G McCann 0-2, L Boyle 0-1.		J Morgan 0-4, M Cole 1-0, D Davey 0-1, J Lennon 0-1.

Semi-finals

Cavan v Derry

28 June 1970 Semi-final	Cavan	1-5 – 1-8	Derry	St. Molaise Park, Irvinestown
	H McInenrey 1-1, J Duggan 0-2, D Coyle 0-1, G Cosack 0-1.		B Devlin 1-2, S O'Connell 0-3, M Niblock 0-1, E Coleman 0-1, A McGuckan 0-1.

Antrim v Monaghan

5 July 1970 Semi-final	Antrim	2-10 – 1-8	Monaghan	Páirc Esler, Newry
	A Hamill 2-0, O Ruddy 0-4, G McCann 0-2, A McCallin 0-2, D McNeill 0-1, B Millar 0-1.		S Woods 0-6, B McDonald 1-0, G Fitzpatrick 0-1.

Final

Derry v Antrim

26 July 1970 Final	Derry	2-13 – 1-12	Antrim	St. Tiernach's Park, Clones
	S O'Connell 1-4, B Devlin 0-5, S Lagan 1-0, M Niblock 0-2, J Gribben 0-1, E Coleman 0-1.		A McCallin 0-7, F Fitzsimmons 1-0, G McCrory 0-3, O Ruddy 0-1, A Hamill 0-1.	Referee: L Maguire (Monaghan)

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Semi-finals

Galway v Meath

9 August 1970 Semi-final	Galway	0-11 – 0-15	Meath	Croke Park, Dublin
	J Keenan 0-5, T Keenan 0-3, C Dunne 0-2, F Canavan 0-1.		T Brennan 0-7, M Kerrigan 0-3, M Fay 0-3, K Rennicks 0-2.	Referee: J Moloney (Tipperary)

Kerry v Derry

23 August 1970 Semi-final	Kerry	0-23 – 0-10	Derry	Croke Park, Dublin
	M O'Dwyer 0-9, P Griffin 0-5, B Lynch 0-4, L Higgins 0-2, J O'Keeffe 0-1, M O'Connell 0-1, DJ Crowley 0-1.		S O'Connell 0-5, S Lagan 0-2, T Quinn 0-1, H Niblock 0-1, T McGuinness 0-1.	Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

Final

Kerry v Meath

27 September 1970 Final	Kerry	2-19 – 0-18	Meath	Croke Park, Dublin
	B Lynch 0-5, M O'Dwyer 0-5, M Gleeson 1-1, DJ Crowley 1-0, P Griffin 0-2, E O'Donoghue 0-2, M O'Connell 0-2, L Higgins 0-2.		M Fay 0-10, T Brennan 0-5, K Rennicks 0-2, V Lynch 0-1.	Attendance: 71,775 Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

Main article: 1970 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final

Championship statistics

Miscellaneous

• On 12 July 1970, the Connacht final between Galway and Roscommon becomes the first championship game to be played over the course of 80 minutes.
• Kerry win their 5th 2 in a row as All Ireland Champions.

Top scorers

Overall

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Tony Brennan	Meath	0-33	33	5	6.60
2	Tony McTague	Offaly	1-27	30	4	7.50
3	Mick O'Dwyer	Kerry	0-26	26	4	6.50
4	Andy McCallin	Antrim	3-15	24	4	6.00
5	Denis Coughlan	Cork	3-14	23	2	11.50
6	Jim Hanniffy	Longford	1-18	21	3	7.0
	Seán O'Connell	Derry	2-15	21	4	5.25
8	Mickey Fay	Meath	2-14	20	5	4.0
9	John Keenan	Galway	0-19	19	3	6.33
	Brendan Lynch	Kerry	0-19	19	4	4.75

Single game

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Denis Coughlan	Cork	1-10	13	Tipperary
2	Michael "Babs" Keating	Tipperary	3-1	10	Cork
	Mickey Freyne	Roscommon	2-4	10	Leitrim
	Denis Coughlan	Cork	2-4	10	Kerry
	Tom Joe Bradley	Laois	1-7	10	Westmeath
	Tony Brennan	Meath	0-10	10	Offaly
	Mickey Fay	Meath	0-10	10	Kerry
8	Murt Connor	Offaly	2-3	9	Meath
	Tony McTague	Offaly	1-6	9	Westmeath
	Jackie Devine	Longford	1-6	9	Offaly
	Tony McTague	Offaly	0-9	9	Longford
	Mick O'Dwyer	Kerry	0-9	9	Derry