All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship: Difference between revisions

The All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament played between the hundreds of senior football clubs in Ireland.

Structure

Each of Ireland's 32 counties play their own championship between all the Gaelic football clubs in the county - depending on the county, it can be league, knockout, or a mixture of both. The 32 county champions play in the 4 provincial championships, with the four winners of these advancing to the All-Ireland Semi-Finals (one team usually plays the London champions in a quarter-final, but they invariably win). The All-Ireland Final is played in Croke Park on St. Patrick's Day.

Schedule:

• County championships: June-September
• Provincial championships: September-December
• All-Ireland Quarter-Final: December
• All-Ireland Semi-Finals: February
• All-Ireland Final: March 17

History

Ulster and Connacht tournaments were first held in the 1960s before an All-Ireland tournament was mooted at the GAA National Congress in 1969 - despite opposition from many delegations the motion received the 2/3 majority necessary and the first winners in 1970-71 were an East Kerry amalgamation (nowadays amalgamations of clubs are not allowed to enter the All-Ireland). The Andy Merrigan Cup was first awarded in 1974, donated by the Castletown club in memory of the great Wexford footballer who died in a farming accident at the height of his career.

Dublin clubs (UCD x2 and St. Vincent's of Raheny) won a three-in-a-row of All-Irelands in 1974-76, before Kerry and Cork clubs began to dominate, winning 9 titles in 13 years, 1977-89, including four for Nemo Rangers of Cork City. Clan na nGael (Drum and Clonown) won 7 Connacht titles in 8 years (1983-90), but could not win a single All-Ireland.

Burren of Down ended a 14-year Ulster drought when they were victorios in 1986. Baltinglass caused a major shock in 1990 by winning their and Wicklow's first national honour, whil Nemo pulled ahead with their fifth title in 1994. In 1998, Corofin won Galway's and Connacht's first national award, six months before the county team's first All-Ireland for 32 years.

In the late 90s the club championship rose to national prominence with regular TV coverage and the prestigious St. Patrick's Day fixture in Croke Park for the final. Crossmaglen Rangers claimed 3 All-Irelands in 4 years from 1997-2000, while the Caltra club of Galway won their first Galway title, first Connacht award and first All-Ireland in one year. Last year, Ballina Stephenites of Mayo were champions.

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Past winners

All-Ireland winners shown inbgcolor=blue | ‘‘‘bold type. County in (brackets). The 2005-06 semi-finals are Nemo Rangers vs. St. Gall's and Salthill-Knocknacarra vs. Kilmacud Crokes.

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Past winners

All-Ireland winners shown inbgcolor=blue | ‘‘‘bold type. County in (brackets). The 2005-06 semi-finals are Nemo Rangers vs. St. Gall's and Salthill-Knocknacarra vs. Kilmacud Crokes.

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Past winners

All-Ireland winners shown inbgcolor=blue | ‘‘‘bold type. County in (brackets). The 2005-06 semi-finals are Nemo Rangers vs. St. Gall's and Salthill-Knocknacarra vs. Kilmacud Crokes.

Roll of honour

By club

By county

L, M, U, C refer to Leinster/Munster/Ulster/Connacht championships won by teams from the county.

#	County	All-Irelands	L	M	U	C	Last All-Ireland/provincial winners
1	File:Corkcrest.gif Cork clubs	12		24			Nemo Rangers, 2002-03
2	File:KerryCrest.gif Kerry clubs	5		9			Laune Rangers, Killarney, 1995-96
3	File:Dublinnewcrest.jpg Dublin clubs	4	13				Kilmacud Crokes, 1994-95
4	File:Derrycrest.jpg Derry clubs	3			10		Ballinderry, 2001-02
5	Armagh clubs	3			8		Crossmaglen Rangers, 1999-2000
6	File:Galwaynewcrest.jpg Galway clubs	2				12	Caltra, 2003-04
7	File:Downnewcrest.jpg Down clubs	2			6		Burren, 1987-88
8	File:Mayo crest.gif Mayo clubs	2				12	Ballina Stephenites, 2004-05
9	File:Carlow crest bg.gif Carlow clubs	0	6				O'Hanrahans, 2000-01
9	File:Laois.gif Laois clubs	1	6				Portlaoise, 1982-83
11	File:Wicklow crest.jpg Wicklow clubs	1	2				Baltinglass, 1989-90
12	File:Limerick crest.gif Limerick clubs	1		1			Thomond College, 1977-78
13	File:Roscommonnewcrest.jpg Roscommon clubs	0				9	Clan na nGael, 1989-90
14	Monaghan clubs	0			6		Castleblaney Faughs, 1991-92
15	File:Meathnewcrest.jpg Meath clubs	0	4				Dunshaughlin, 2002-03
15	Offaly clubs	0	4				Ferbane, 1986-87
17	File:Antrim crest.JPG Antrim clubs	0			3		St. Gall's, 2005-06
17	File:Sligonewcrest.jpg Sligo clubs	0				3	St. Mary's, 1983-84
19	File:TyroneCrest.gif Tyrone clubs	0			2		Errigal Ciaráin, 2002-03
19	File:Countyclare-crest.gif Clare clubs	0		2			Kilmurray-Ibrickane, 2004-05
21	File:Kildare.GIF Kildare clubs	0	1				Raheens, 1981-82
21	File:Donegalcrest.jpg Donegal clubs	0			1		St. Joseph's, 1975-76

No club from Cavan, Fermanagh, Kilkenny, Leitrim, London, Longford, Louth, Tipperary, Waterford, Westmeath or Wexford has ever won a national or provincial title.

By province

Province	All-Irelands	Last winners
File:Real Munster Flag.gif Munster clubs	17	Nemo Rangers (Cork), 2002-03
Ulster clubs	8	Ballinderry (Derry), 2001-02
Leinster clubs	6	Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin), 1994-95
File:Flag of connacht.png Connacht clubs	4	Ballina Stephenites (Mayo), 2004-05