Leinster Senior Football Championship

History

Development

Following the foundation of the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1884, new rules for Gaelic football and hurling were drawn up and published in the United Irishman newspaper. In 1886, county committees began to be established, with several counties affiliating over the next few years. The GAA ran its inaugural All-Ireland Senior Football Championship in 1887. The decision to establish that first championship was influenced by several factors. Firstly, inter-club contests in 1885 and 1886 were wildly popular and began to draw huge crowds. Clubs started to travel across the country to play against each other and these matches generated intense interest as the newspapers began to speculate which teams might be considered the best in the country. Secondly, although the number of clubs was growing, many were slow to affiliate to the Association, leaving it short of money. Establishing a central championship held the prospect of enticing GAA clubs to process their affiliations, just as the establishment of the FA Cup had done much in the 1870s to promote the development of the Football Association in England. The championships were open to all affiliated clubs who would first compete in county-based competitions, to be run by local county committees. The winners of each county championship would then proceed to represent that county in the All-Ireland series. For the first and only time in its history the All-Ireland Championship used an open draw format. 12 teams entered the first championship, however, this number increased to 15 in 1888. Because of this, and in an effort to reduce travelling costs, the GAA decided to introduce provincial championships.

Beginnings

The inaugural Leinster Championship featured Dublin, Kildare, Kilkenny, Louth, Meath, Queen's County, Wexford and Wicklow. Dublin and Kildare contested the very first match on Sunday 3 June 1888. Wicklow beat Wexford in the third quarter-final a month later, however, a replay was ordered after the game was stopped with ten minutes to go as a result of a pitch invasion, and it was also revealed that Wicklow had played a number of illegal player. Postponements, disqualifications, objections, withdrawals and walkovers were regular occurrences during the initial years of the championship. The inaugural Leinster final between Kilkenny and Wexford was played on Sunday 23 September 1888, with Kilkenny claiming a 1–4 to 0–2 victory.

Team dominance

The first years of the Leinster Championship saw one of the most equitable eras in terms of titles won, with five different teams claiming their inaugural titles between 1888 and 1895. In winning the 1892 Leinster final, Dublin, as well as becoming the first team to retain the title, also set in train a level of championship dominance that continues to the present day. After two decades of dominance, Wexford broke the hegemony by setting a new record of six successive titles between 1913 and 1918. Dublin remained the standard-bearers of the province, however, Kildare emerged as a new force, winning eight titles between 1919 and 1935. Since winning their second ever title in 1939, Meath enjoyed some brief periods of dominance and claimed titles in each of the decades that followed to eventually become second only to Dublin in the all-time roll of honour by 1970. A Dublin resurgence in the 1970s was followed by Meath's most successful era, winning eight titles between 1986 and 2001 under Seán Boylan. In the 21st century Dublin set a new record of fourteen-in-a-row between 2011 and 2024. In 2025 Louth won the title, ending the long Dublin era.

Leinster SFC moments

• Meath 1–12 – 1–10 Louth (11 July 2010): Meath won the Leinster SFC final, due to a controversial late goal they scored. Many observers, particularly Louth supporters, believed that the goal should have been disallowed due to a foul. This incident led to debate regarding officiating standards and fair play.
• Carlow 2–14 – 1–10 Kildare (27 May 2018): In a quarter-final clash, Carlow pulled off a notable upset by defeating Kildare. Carlow's victory surprised many, as Division 1 Kildare were the favorites going into the game against their Division 4 opponents. The result marked the rise of Carlow football.

Format

Overview

The Leinster Championship is a single elimination tournament. Each team is afforded only one defeat before being eliminated from the championship. The draw is seeded, with the previous year's semi-finalists receiving byes to the quarter-finals. Six of the remaining seven teams are drawn together in three first round matches, while the seventh team also receives a bye to the quarter-finals.

In September 2019, the Leinster Council decided against awarding champions Dublin a bye into the semi-final stage; instead deciding to retain the status quo. The Leinster Council did, however, introduce a semi-final draw scheduled for the Sunday night when all quarter-final winners were confirmed, meaning that semi-finalists would not know if they were on the champions' side of the draw until two weeks before the game.

Progression

Qualification for subsequent competitions

• The winners and runners-up of the championship qualify to the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship group stage. The remaining nine Leinster teams may also qualify to the all-Ireland group stage via the National Football League. Those who fail to do so qualify to the Tailteann Cup.
• Before the introduction of the qualifiers in 2001, the winners of the Leinster Championship went straight to the semi-final stage of the All-Ireland Championship, along with the winners of the Connacht, Munster and Ulster Championships.

Teams

2026 teams

Eleven counties competed in the 2026 Leinster Senior Football Championship.

Personnel and kits

Trophy and medals

At the end of the Leinster SFC final, the winning team is presented with a trophy. The Delaney Cup is held by the winning team until the following year's final. Traditionally, the presentation is made at a special rostrum in the Hogan Stand of Croke Park, where GAA and political dignitaries and special guests view the match.

The cup is decorated with ribbons in the colours of the winning team. During the game the cup actually has both teams' sets of ribbons attached and the runners-up ribbons are removed before the presentation. The winning captain accepts the cup on behalf of his team before giving a short speech. Individual members of the winning team and management then have an opportunity to come to the rostrum to lift the cup.

The current cup was first presented after the 1953 final, however, it would be another 50 years before it was named the Delaney Cup. The Delaney brothers were a famous Gaelic football family from Portlaoise who lined out at club, county and provincial level.

In accordance with GAA rules, the Leinster Council awards up to twenty-six gold medals to the winners of the Leinster SFC final.

List of finals

List of Leinster SFC finals

Matches

Match details of all Finals

date = 1975 | team1 = [[File:Colours of Dublin.svg|20px|border]] Dublin | score = 3–13 – 0–08 | team2 = [[File:Colours of Kildare.svg|20px|border]] Kildare | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1974 | team1 = [[File:Colours of Dublin.svg|20px|border]] Dublin | score = 1–14 – 1–09 | team2 = [[File:Colours of Meath.svg|20px|border]] Meath | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1973 | team1 = [[File:Colours of Offaly.svg|20px|border]] Offaly | score = 3–21 – 2–12 | team2 = [[File:Colours of Meath.svg|20px|border]] Meath | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1972 | team1 = [[File:Colours of Offaly.svg|20px|border]] Offaly | score = 1–18 – 2–08 | team2 = [[File:Colours of Kildare.svg|20px|border]] Kildare | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1971 | team1 = [[File:Colours of Offaly.svg|20px|border]] Offaly | score = 2–14 – 0–06 | team2 = [[File:Colours of Kildare.svg|20px|border]] Kildare | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1970 | team1 = [[File:Colours of Meath.svg|20px|border]] Meath | score = 2–22 – 5–12 | team2 = [[File:Colours of Offaly.svg|20px|border]] Offaly| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1969 | team1 = [[File:Colours of Offaly.svg|20px|border]] Offaly | score = 3–07 – 1–08 | team2 = [[File:Colours of Kildare.svg|20px|border]] Kildare | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1968 | team1 = [[File:Colours of Longford.svg|20px|border]] Longford | score = 3–09 – 1–04 | team2 = [[File:Colours of Laois.svg|20px|border]] Laois | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1967 | team1 = [[File:Colours of Meath.svg|20px|border]] Meath | score = 0–08 – 0–06 | team2 = [[File:Colours of Offaly.svg|20px|border]] Offaly | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1966 | team1 = [[File:Colours of Meath.svg|20px|border]] Meath | score = 1–09 – 1–08 | team2 = [[File:Colours of Kildare.svg|20px|border]] Kildare | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1965 | team1 = [[File:Colours of Dublin.svg|20px|border]] Dublin | score = 3–06 – 0–09 | team2 = [[File:Colours of Longford.svg|20px|border]] Longford | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1964 | team1 = [[File:Colours of Meath.svg|20px|border]] Meath | score = 2–12 – 1–07 | team2 = [[File:Colours of Dublin.svg|20px|border]] Dublin | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1963 | team1 = [[File:Colours of Dublin.svg|20px|border]] Dublin | score = 2–11 – 2–09 | team2 = [[File:Colours of Laois.svg|20px|border]] Laois | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1962 | team1 = [[File:Colours of Dublin.svg|20px|border]] Dublin | score = 2–08 – 1–07 | team2 = [[File:Colours of Offaly.svg|20px|border]] Offaly | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1961 | team1 = [[File:Colours of Offaly.svg|20px|border]] Offaly | score = 1–13 – 1–08 | team2 = [[File:Colours of Dublin.svg|20px|border]] Dublin | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = O'Moore Park, Portlaoise

date = 1960 | team1 = [[File:Colours of Offaly.svg|20px|border]] Offaly | score = 0–10 – 1–06 | team2 = [[File:Colours of Louth.svg|20px|border]] Louth | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1959 | team1 = Dublin | score = 1–18 – 2–08 | team2 = Laois | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1958 | team1 = Dublin | score = 1–11 – 1–06 | team2 = Louth | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1957 | team1 = Louth | score = 2–09 – 1–07 | team2 = Dublin | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1956 | team1 = Kildare | score = 2–11 – 1–08 | team2 = Wexford| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1955 | team1 = Dublin | score = 5–12 – 0–07 | team2 = Meath | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1954 | team1 = Meath | score = 4–07 – 2–10 | team2 = Offaly| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1953 | team1 = Louth | score = 1–07 – 0–07 | team2 = Wexford | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1952 | team1 = Meath | score = 1–06 – 0–08 | team2 = Louth| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1951 | team1 = Meath | score = 4–09 – 0–03 | team2 = Laois| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1950 | team1 = Louth | score = 1–03 – 1–03 | team2 = Meath | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1950 Replay | team1 = Louth | score = 3–05 – 0–13 | team2 = Meath | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1949 | team1 = Meath | score = 4–05 – 0–06 | team2 = Westmeath| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1948 | team1 = Louth | score = 2–10 – 2–05 | team2 = Wexford | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1947 | team1 = Meath | score = 3–07 – 1–07 | team2 = Laois| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1946 | team1 = Laois | score = 0–11 – 1–06 | team2 = Kildare| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1945 | team1 = Wexford | score = 1–09 – 1–04 | team2 = Offaly| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = O'Moore Park

date = 1944 | team1 = Carlow | score = 2–06 – 1–06 | team2 = Dublin | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Athy

date = 1943 | team1 = Louth | score = 3–16 – 2–04 | team2 = Laois | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1942 | team1 = Dublin | score = 0–08 – 0–06 | team2 = Carlow | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1941 | team1 = Dublin | score = 4–06 – 1–04 | team2 = Carlow | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1940 | team1 = Meath | score = 2–07 – 1–07 | team2 = Laois| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1939 | team1 = Meath | score = 2–07 – 2–03 | team2 = Wexford| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1938 | team1 = Laois | score = 2–08 – 1–03 | team2 = Kildare| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1937 | team1 = Laois | score = 0–12 – 0–04 | team2 = Louth| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1936 | team1 = Laois | score = 3–03 – 0–08 | team2 = Kildare| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1935 | team1 = Kildare | score = 0–08 – 0–06 | team2 = Louth| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1934 | team1 = Dublin | score = 1–02 – 0–05 | team2 = Louth | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1934 Replay| team1 = Dublin | score = 3–02 – 2–05 | team2 = Louth | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1934 Second Replay| team1 = Dublin | score = 2–09 – 1–10 | team2 = Louth | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1933 | team1 = Dublin | score = 0–09 – 1–04 | team2 = Wexford | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1932 | team1 = Dublin | score = 0–08 – 1–05 | team2 = Wexford | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1932 Replay| team1 = Dublin | score = 4–06 – 1–05 | team2 = Wexford | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1931 | team1 = Kildare | score = 2–09 – 1–06 | team2 = Westmeath| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1930 | team1 = Kildare | score = 0–06 – 1–03 | team2 = Meath| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1930 Replay| team1 = Kildare | score = 2–06 – 1–02 | team2 = Meath| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1929 | team1 = Kildare | score = 2–03 – 0–06 | team2 = Laois| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1928 | team1 = Kildare | score = 0–10 – 1–06 | team2 = Dublin| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1927 | team1 = Kildare | score = 0–05 – 0–03 | team2 = Dublin| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1926 | team1 = Kildare | score = 2–08 – 1–05 | team2 = Wexford| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1925 | team1 = Wexford | score = 2–07 – 0–03 | team2 = Kildare| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1924 | team1 = Dublin | score = 1–04 – 1–04 | team2 = Wexford | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1924 Replay | team1 = Dublin | score = 3–05 – 2–03 | team2 = Wexford | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1923 | team1 = Dublin | score = 3–05 – 0–00 | team2 = Meath | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1922 | team1 = Dublin | score = 1–07 – 0–02 | team2 = Kilkenny | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1921 | team1 = Dublin | score = 0–06 – 1–03 | team2 = Kildare | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1921 Replay | team1 = Dublin | score = 3–03 – 1–02 | team2 = Kildare | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1920 | team1 = Dublin | score = 1–03 – 0–03 | team2 = Kildare | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1919 | team1 = Kildare | score = 1–03 – 1–02 | team2 = Dublin| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1918 | team1 = Wexford | score = 2–05 – 1–04 | team2 = Louth| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1917 | team1 = Wexford | score = 1–03 – 1–01 | team2 = Dublin| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1916 | team1 = Wexford | score = 1–07 – 1–00 | team2 = Kildare| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1915 | team1 = Wexford | score = 2–02 – 2–02 | team2 = Dublin| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1915 Replay | team1 = Wexford | score = 2–05 – 1–04 | team2 = Dublin| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1914 | team1 = Wexford | score = 3–06 – 0–01 | team2 = Louth| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1913 | team1 = Wexford | score = 2–03 – 2–02 | team2 = Louth| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1912 | team1 = Louth | score = 1–02 – 1–01 | team2 = Dublin | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1911 | team1 = Kilkenny | score = 2–04 – 1–01 | team2 = Meath| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Inchicore

date = 1910 | team1 = Louth | score = 0–03 – 0–00 | team2 = Dublin | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1909 | team1 = Louth | score = 2–09 – 0–04 | team2 = Kilkenny | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1908 | team1 = Dublin | score = 1–07 – 0–03 | team2 = Kildare | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1907 | team1 = Dublin | score = 1–11 – 0–04 | team2 = Offaly | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1906 | team1 = Dublin | score = 1–09 – 0–08 | team2 = Kildare | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1905 | team1 = Kildare | score = 0–12 – 1–07 | team2 = Louth| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1904 | team1 = Dublin | score = 0–05 – 0–01 | team2 = Kilkenny | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1903 | team1 = Kildare | score = 1–02 – 0–05 | team2 = Kilkenny| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1903 Replay (disputed)| team1 = Kildare | score = 1–06 – 1–05 | team2 = Kilkenny| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1903 Second Replay| team1 = Kildare | score = 0–09 – 0–01 | team2 = Kilkenny| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1902 (Unfinished) | team1 = Dublin | score = 2–04 – 0–02 | team2 = Wexford | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1902 | team1 = Dublin | score = 1–05 – 0–05 | team2 = Wexford | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Croke Park

date = 1901 | team1 = Dublin | score = 1–09 – 0–01 | team2 = Wexford | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Kilkenny

date = 1900 | team1 = Kilkenny | score = 0–12 – 0–02 | team2 = Louth| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Inchicore

date = 1899 | team1 = Dublin | score = 1–07 – 0–03 | team2 = Wexford | goals1 = | goals2 =

date = 1898 | team1 = Dublin | score = 2–06 – 0–00 | team2 = Wexford | goals1 = | goals2 =

date = 1897 | team1 = Dublin | score = 1–09 – 0–03 | team2 = Wicklow | goals1 = | goals2 =

date = 1896 | team1 = Dublin | score = 2–04 – 1–05 | team2 = Meath | goals1 = | goals2 =

date = 1895 | team1 = Meath | score = 0–06 – 0–02 | team2 = Dublin| goals1 = | goals2 =

date = 1894 | team1 = Dublin | score = 0–04 – 0–04 | team2 = Meath | goals1 = | goals2 =

date = 1894 Replay| team1 = Dublin | score = 0–02 – 0–02 | team2 = Meath | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium =

date = 1894 Second Replay | team1 = Dublin | score = 1–08 – 1–02 | team2 = Meath | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium =

date = 1893 (unfinish, Wexford awarded title) | team1 = Wexford | score = 0–01 – 0–05 | team2 = Kilkenny| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium =

date = 1892 | team1 = Dublin | score = w/o – scr. | team2 = Louth | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Clonturk

date = 1891 | team1 = Dublin | score = w/o – scr. | team2 = Kildare | goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Clonturk

date = 1890 | team1 =Wexford | score = 1–03 – 1–02 | team2 = Dublin| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium =

date = 1889 | team1 = Laois | score = 0–03 – 0–02 | team2 = Louth| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Inchicore

date = 1888 | team1 = Kilkenny | score = 1–04 – 0–02 | team2 = Wexford| goals1 = | goals2 = | stadium = Inchicore

Team records and statistics

Roll of honour

Legend

• – Leinster SFC winner or runner-up also won the All-Ireland SFC that year.

Performance by team

Team progress: 2001–2019

Below is a record of each county's performance following the introduction of the qualifier system to the All-Ireland series in 2001. Before 2001 only the Leinster SFC title winner contested the All-Ireland SFC. Qualifiers did not occur from 2020–2021 due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games. The qualifiers have since been replaced by a revamped All Ireland format made up of the 16 teams top teams and the Tailteann cup for the lower 16 teams.

Key

Post-COVID team results

Legend

• – Winner
• – Runner-up
• – Semi-finalist / Quarter-finalist / Preliminary round exit For each year, the number of competing teams is shown (in brackets).

Most recent championship meetings

Titles by decade

The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of Leinster SFC titles, is as follows:

• 1880s: 1 each for Kilkenny (1888) and Laois (1889)
• 1890s: 7 for Dublin (1891-92-94-96-97-98-99)
• 1900s: 6 for Dublin (1901-02-04-06-07-08)
• 1910s: 6 for Wexford (1913–14-15-16-17-18)
• 1920s: 5 for Dublin (1920-21-22-23-24)
• 1930s: 3 each for Kildare (1930-31-35), Dublin (1932-33-34) and Laois (1936-37-38)
• 1940s: 3 for Meath (1940-47-49)
• 1950s: 3 each for Louth (1950-53-57), Meath (1951-52-54) and Dublin (1955-58-59)
• 1960s: 3 each for Offaly (1960-61-69), Dublin (1962-63-65) and Meath (1964-66-67)
• 1970s: 6 for Dublin (1974-75-76-77-78-79)
• 1980s: 4 for Dublin (1983-84-85-89)
• 1990s: 4 each for Meath (1990-91-96-99) and Dublin (1992-93-94-95)
• 2000s: 6 for Dublin (2002-05-06-07-08-09)
• 2010s: 9 for Dublin (2011-12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19)
• 2020s: 5 for Dublin (2020-21-22-23-24)

Other records

Gaps

• Longest gaps between successive Leinster SFC titles:
  • 68 years: [[File:Colours_of_Louth.svg|border|20x20px]] Louth (1957–2025)
  • 57 years: [[File:Colours_of_Laois.svg|border|20x20px]] Laois (1946–2003)
  • 44 years: [[File:Colours_of_Meath.svg|border|20x20px]] Meath (1895–1939)
  • 42 years: [[File:Colours_of_Kildare.svg|border|20x20px]] Kildare (1956–1998)
  • 31 years: [[File:Colours_of_Louth.svg|border|20x20px]] Louth (1912–1943)
  • 20 years: [[File:Colours_of_Wexford.svg|border|20x20px]] Wexford (1925–1945)

Active gaps

• Longest gaps since last Leinster SFC title:
  • 114 years: [[File:Colours_of_Kilkenny.svg|border|20x20px]] Kilkenny (1911–)
  • 81 years: [[File:Colours_of_Carlow.svg|border|20x20px]] Carlow (1944–)
  • 80 years: [[File:Colours_of_Wexford.svg|border|20x20px]] Wexford (1945–)
  • 57 years: [[File:Colours_of_Longford.svg|border|20x20px]] Longford (1968–)
  • 28 years: [[File:Colours_of_Offaly.svg|border|20x20px]] Offaly (1997–)
  • 25 years: [[File:Colours_of_Kildare.svg|border|20x20px]] Kildare (2000–)
  • 22 years: [[File:Colours_of_Laois.svg|border|20x20px]] Laois (2003–)
  • 21 years: [[File:Colours_of_Westmeath.svg|border|20x20px]] Westmeath (2004–)
  • 15 years: [[File:Colours_of_Meath.svg|border|20x20px]] Meath (2010–)
  • 1 year: [[File:Colours_of_Dublin.svg|border|20x20px]] Dublin (2024–)
  • 0 years: [[File:Colours_of_Louth.svg|border|20x20px]] Louth (2025–)
• Longest gaps since last Leinster SFC final appearance:
  • 128 years: [[File:Colours_of_Wicklow.svg|border|20x20px]] Wicklow (1897–)
  • 103 years: [[File:Colours_of_Kilkenny.svg|border|20x20px]] Kilkenny (1922–)
  • 81 years: [[File:Colours_of_Carlow.svg|border|20x20px]] Carlow (1944–)
  • 57 years: [[File:Colours_of_Longford.svg|border|20x20px]] Longford (1968–)
  • 19 years: [[File:Colours_of_Offaly.svg|border|20x20px]] Offaly (2006–)
  • 14 years: [[File:Colours_of_Wexford.svg|border|20x20px]] Wexford (2011–)
  • 9 years: [[File:Colours_of_Westmeath.svg|border|20x20px]] Westmeath (2016–)
  • 7 years: [[File:Colours_of_Laois.svg|border|20x20px]] Laois (2018–)
  • 3 years: [[File:Colours_of_Kildare.svg|border|20x20px]] Kildare (2022–)
  • 1 year: [[File:Colours_of_Dublin.svg|border|20x20px]] Dublin (2024–)
  • 0 years: [[File:Colours_of_Louth.svg|border|20x20px]] Louth (2025–)
  • 0 years: [[File:Colours_of_Meath.svg|border|20x20px]] Meath (2025–)

Longest undefeated run

• [[File:Colours_of_Dublin.svg|border|20x20px]] Dublin - 43 matches (2011–2025): The record for the longest unbeaten run stands at 39 games held by Dublin. It began with a 1–16 to 0–11 win over on 5 June 2011. Dublin completed a provincial 10 in a row with a 3–21 to 0–9 win over on 21 November 2020. The streak is still running at 42 matches, after Dublin won the 2024 Leinster SFC title. In 2025 Meath ended Dublin spell in the Leinster championship semi-final.

Leinster SFC final pairings

Player records

Top scorers

All time

By year

Single game

Finals

Leinster SFC medal winners

J Cooper 11 K McManamon 10 MD McAuley 10 P Flynn 10 C Kilkenny 10 C Costello 10 D Rock 10

B Mullins 9 J Small 9 B Fenton 8 P Mannion 7 Davy Byrne 7 J McCaffrey 7

Managers

Managers in the Leinster SFC are involved in the day-to-day running of the team, including the training, team selection, and sourcing of players from the club championships. Their influence varies from county-to-county and is related to the individual county boards. From 2018, all inter-county head coaches must be Award 2 qualified. The manager is assisted by a team of two or three selectors and an extensive backroom team consisting of various coaches. Prior to the development of the concept of a manager in the 1970s, teams were usually managed by a team of selectors with one member acting as chairman.

Winning managers (1971–present)

Sponsorship

Since 1994, the Leinster SFC has been sponsored. The sponsor has usually been able to determine the championship's sponsorship name.

Venues

History

Leinster SFC matches were traditionally played at neutral venues or at a location that was deemed to be halfway between the two participants; however, teams eventually came to home and away agreements. Every second meeting between these teams is played at the home venue of one of them. Championship semi-finals were usually played both on the same day at Croke Park. The selection of Croke Park for the vast majority of Dublin's games in recent years has also come in for criticism in the 2nd decade of the 21st century, as it offers a perceived advantage to play in what is effectively their "home" stadium. This has continued into the 2020s.

Cavan took part in 1895 when the Connacht and Ulster championships were abolished between 1893 and 1899. London played Louth in the 1913 championship.

Attendances

Stadium attendances are a significant source of regular income for the Leinster Council and for the teams involved. For the 2018 championship, gate receipts fell by almost 30% to €1,879,326, compared to €2,634,837 the previous year. The average attendance for the entire series of games was just over 20,000, down from a peak of over 60,000 in 2002. The 2006 final between Dublin and Offaly saw a record attendance of 81,754.

Current venues

References

Sources

• Roll of Honour from Leinster GAA website

References

1. O'Riordan, Ian. (26 May 2018). "Wicklow football still has a mountain to climb". Irish Times.
2. Roche, Frank. (21 November 2020). "Dublin make it perfect ten in Leinster with facile beating of Meath on emotional night in Croke Park". Irish Independent.
3. Rouse, Paul. "How Leix Won the All-Ireland Hurling Championship of 1915". Century Ireland.
4. Keys, Colm. (26 September 2019). "Leinster say no to All-Ireland champions Dublin getting bye to semi-final". Irish Independent.
5. Fogarty, John. (29 February 2020). "New second tier All-Ireland football championship to be called Tailteann Cup". Irish Examiner.
6. (22 July 2025). "Gavin Devlin returns to Louth set-up as manager". RTÉ.
7. (13 May 2025). "Sam Mulroy voted GAA.ie Footballer of the Week".
8. (27 April 2025). "Surprise victory over Dublin was no shock to Meath players". RTÉ.
9. Lawlor, Damian. (8 April 2025). "'We suit the new rules' – Offaly optimism for captain Lee Pearson". RTÉ.
10. (3 September 2022). "McConville takes first steps into inter-county management with Wicklow". Hogan Stand.
11. (25 February 2004). "GAA agree on name for Leinster trophy". Irish Examiner.
12. (4 July 2002). "Sadness at loss of true GAA legend". Irish Independent.
13. "Dublin given a scare by Louth before winning 14th Leinster title in a rowv".
14. O'Brien, Brendan. (21 November 2020). "Dublin secure perfect 10 on emotional night at Croke Park". Irish Examiner.
15. O'Toole, Fintan. (7 May 2015). "Here's the official reason why Dublin's footballers play all their Leinster games in Croke Park". The 42.
16. Ó Scannáil, Mícheál. (29 June 2018). "Comment: Croke Park is in Dublin but it wasn't built for them – the GAA must not let them have two home Super 8 games". Irish Independent.
17. (15 January 2019). "Leinster football gate receipts down nearly 30%". RTÉ Sport.
18. Keane, Paul. (7 June 2019). "Leinster bosses not worried by falling attendances". Irish Examiner.
19. (16 July 2006). "Dubs see off Offaly challenge". Irish Examiner.