| Championship details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 24 May – 6 September 1981 |
| Teams | 13 |
| All-Ireland champions | |
| Winning team | Offaly (1st win) |
| Captain | Pádraig Horan |
| Manager | Dermot Healy |
| All-Ireland Finalists | |
| Losing team | Galway |
| Captain | Seán Silke |
| Manager | Cyril Farrell |
| Provincial champions | |
| Munster | Limerick |
| Leinster | Offaly |
| Ulster | Not Played |
| Connacht | Not Played |
| Championship statistics | |
| No. matches played | 14 |
| Goals total | 67 (4.78 per game) |
| Points total | 381 (27.21 per game) |
| Top Scorer |  Joe McKenna (7–12) |
| Player of the Year |  Pat Delaney |
| All-Star Team | See here |
←1980 1982 → | |
The1981 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was the 95th staging of theAll-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship, theGaelic Athletic Association's premierinter-countyhurling tournament. The draw for the 1981 fixtures took place in September 1980. The championship began on 24 May 1981 and ended on 6 September 1981.
Galway were thedefending champions but were defeated byOffaly in the final.[1]Westmeath re-entered theLeinster Championship after a three-year absence.
On 6 September 1981,Offaly won the championship following a 2–12 to 0–15 defeat of Galway in the All-Ireland final.[2] This was their first All-Ireland title ever.
Limerick'sJoe McKenna was the championship's top scorer with 7–12. Offaly'sPat Delaney was the choice forTexaco Hurler of the Year.
Promoted from theAll-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship
Relegated to theAll-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship
Thirteen counties will compete in theAll-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship: one team from theConnacht Senior Hurling Championship, six teams in theLeinster Senior Hurling Championship, five teams in theMunster Senior Hurling Championship and one team from theAll-Ireland Senior B Hurling Championship.
Quarter-finals
| 24 May 1981Quarter-final | Wexford | 2–20 – 0–8 | Dublin | Wexford Park,Wexford |
| T. Doran (1–5), M. Quigley (1–3), M. Casey (0–3), N. Buggy (0–3), M. Jacob (0–2), J. Murphy (0–2), G. O'Connor (0–2), J. Fleming (0–1). | G. Hayes (0–6), L. Hennebery (0–1). | Referee: J Rankins (Laois) |
| 7 June 1981Quarter-final | Laois | 1–16 – 1–10 | Westmeath | Croke Park,Dublin |
| M. Brophy (0–9), P. Critchley (1–0), M. Cuddy (0–2), M. Walsh (0–2), M. Cuddy (0–2), P. J. Cuddy (0–1), B. Bohane (0–1), C. Jones (0–1). | J. J. Lynch (1–3), J. Leonard (0–1), G. Jackson (0–1), P. Dalton (0–1), P. Curran (0–1), M. Cosgrave (0–1), D. Kilcoyne (0–1), M. Ryan (0–1). | Attendance: 4,834 Referee: M Kelleher (Kildare) |
Semi-finals
| 21 June 1981Semi-final | Offaly | 3–20 – 6–10 | Laois | Croke Park,Dublin |
| P. Horan (2–2), M. Corrigan (1–5), P. Carroll (0–5), L. Currams (0–2), P. Kirwan (0–2), J. Flaherty (0–1), B. Bermingham (0–1). | B. Bohane (2–3), C. Jones (2–0), P. J. Cuddy (1–2), M. Cuddy (1–1), M. Walsh (0–3), M. Brophy (0–1). | Attendance: 31,299 Referee: J Denton (Wexford) |
| 21 June 1981Semi-final | Wexford | 4–12 – 1–18 | Kilkenny | Croke Park,Dublin |
| J. Fleming (0–5), T. Doran (1–1), S. Kinsella (1–1), G. O'Connor (1–1), M. Quigley (1–0), M. Casey (0–2), N. Buggy (0–1), P. Courtney (0–1). | B. Fitzpatrick (0–8), C. Brennan (0–4), G. Fennelly (0–4), L. Fennelly (1–0), M. Ruth (0–1), C. Heffernan (0–1). | Attendance: 31,299 Referee: N O'Donoghue (Dublin) |
Final
| 12 July 1981Final | Offaly | 3–12 – 2–13 | Wexford | Croke Park,Dublin |
| P. Horan (2–3), J. Flaherty (1–2), P. Delaney (0–2), L. Currams (0–2), P. Kirwan (0–2), P. Carroll (0–1). | S. Kinsella (1–2), G. O'Connor (0–5), C. Doran (1–0), N. Buggy (0–3), M. Jacob (0–2), J. Murphy (0–1). | Attendance: 29,053 Referee: N O'Donoghue (Dublin) |
Quarter-final
| 24 May 1981Quarter-final | Clare | 3–14 – 2–14 | Waterford | Semple Stadium,Thurles |
| D. Coote (1–3), L. Quinlan (1–3), N. Ryan (1–0), J. Callinan (0–3), C. Honan (0–2), G. McInerney (0–1), S. Heaslip (0–1), A. Nugent (0–1). | J. Greene (1–1), S. Breen (1–0), M. Walsh (0–3), P. Curran (0–2), T. Casey (0–2), J. Hennebry (0–1), P. Daly (0–1), T. Maher (0–1), N. Connors (0–1), L. O'Brien (0–1), P. McGrath (0–1). | Attendance: 8,000 Referee: G Ryan (Tipperary) |
Semi-finals
| 7 June 1981Semi-final | Tipperary | 3–13 – 4–10 | Limerick | Semple Stadium,Thurles |
| J. Grogan (2–6), P. Queally (1–1), E. O'Shea (0–3), P. Fox (0–1), M. Carroll (0–1), K. Fox (0–1). | J. McKenna (3–1), E. Cregan (0–4), B. Carroll (1–0), J. Flanagan (0–3), P. Kelly (0–1), G. McMahon (0–1). | Attendance: 16,500 Referee: N Dalton (Waterford) |
| 14 June 1981Semi-final | Clare | 2–15 – 2–13 | Cork | Semple Stadium,Thurles |
| E. O'Connor (1–2), L. Quinlan (1–0), D. Coote (0–3), N. Ryan (0–2), M. Meehan (0–2), J. Callinan (0–3), A. Nugent (0–2), G. McInerney (0–1). | J. Barry-Murphy (1–1), T. Crowley (1–1), E. O'Donoghue (0–3), P. Horgan (0–3), J. Fenton (0–2), S. O'Leary (0–1), P. Moylan (0–1), J. Horgan (0–1). | Referee: G Ryan (Tipperary) |
| 21 June 1981Semi-final replay | Limerick | 3–17 – 2–12 | Tipperary | Gaelic Grounds,Limerick |
| J. McKenna (1–2), M. Grimes (0–4), P. Kelly (0–4), E. Cregan (1–0), J. Flanagan (1–0), W. Fitzmaurice (0–2), S. Foley (0–1). | S. Burke (2–3), E. O'Shea (0–2), J. Grogan (0–2), J. O'Dwyer (0–1), P. Fox (0–1), P. Queally (0–1), G. O'Brien (0–1), D. Cahill (0–1). | Attendance: 29,299 Referee: JJ Landers (Waterford) |
Final
| 5 July 1981Final | Limerick | 3–12 – 2–9 | Clare | Semple Stadium,Thurles |
| J. McKenna (3–3), E. Cregan (0–4), J. Flanagan (0–2), J. Carroll (0–1), L. O'Donoghue (0–1). | G. McInerney (1–0), N. Ryan (1–0), D. Coote (0–2), J. Callinan (0–2), C. Honan (0–1), E. O'Connor (0–1), L. Quinlan (0–1). | Attendance: 40,205 Referee: G Ryan (Tipperary) |
| Quarter-finals | Semi-finals | Final | ||||||||||||
 Galway | 6–23 | |||||||||||||
 Antrim | 3–11 | Limerick | 0–11, 2–17 | |||||||||||
| Galway | 1–08,4–16 | |||||||||||||
| Galway | 0–15 | |||||||||||||
| Offaly | 2–12 | |||||||||||||
| 19 July 1981Quarter-final | Galway | 6–23 – 3–11 | Antrim | Croke Park,Dublin |
| B. Forde (2–5), N. Lane (1–6), F. Gantley (2–0), Joe Connolly (1–3), P. J. Molloy (0–4), S. Mahon (0–2), B. Lynskey (0–1), S. Silke (0–1), I. Clarke (0–1). | D. Donnelly (1–4), M. O'Connell (1–3), B. Laverty (1–0), S. Donnelly (0–3), P. McFaul (0–1). | Attendance: 4,615 Referee: M Kelliher (Kildare) |
| 2 August 1981Semi-final | Galway | 1–8 – 0–11 | Limerick | Croke Park,Dublin |
| B. Lynskey (1–0), Joe Connolly (0–3), F. Gantley (0–2), S. Linnane (0–1), I. Clarke (0–1), S. Mahon (0–1). | E. Cregan (0–5), J. McKenna (0–2), F. Nolan (0–1), L. O'Donoghue (0–1), O. O'Connor (0–1), J. Flanagan (0–1). | Attendance: 34,783 Referee: N O'Donoghue (Dublin) |
| 16 August 1981Semi-final replay | Galway | 4–16 – 2–17 | Limerick | Croke Park,Dublin |
| Joe Connolly (2–7), John Connolly (1–2), P. J. Molloy (1–0), N. Lane (0–3), I. Clarke (0–2), B. Forde (0–1), S. Mahon (0–1). | E. Cregan (1–5), J. McKenna (0–4), B. Carroll (1–0), W. Fitzmaurice (0–2), F. Nolan (0–1), L. Enright (0–1), J. Carroll (0–1), P. Foley (0–1), M. Grimes (0–1), O. O'Connor (0–1). | Attendance: 42,666 Referee: N O'Donoghue (Dublin) |
| 6 September 1981Final | Offaly | 2–12 – 0–15 | Galway | Croke Park,Dublin |
| P. Delaney (0–5), P. Carroll (1–1), J. Flaherty (1–1), L. Currams (0–2), P. Horan (0–2), D. Owens (0–1). | J. Connolly (0–8), N. Lane (0–3), S. Mahon (0–2), P. J. Molloy (0–1), M. Connolly (0–1). | Attendance: 71,348 Referee: F Murphy (Cork) |
| Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total | Matches | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joe McKenna | Limerick | 7–12 | 33 | 5 | 6.60 |
| 2 | Joe Connolly | Galway | 3–21 | 30 | 4 | 7.50 |
| 3 | Éamonn Cregan | Limerick | 2–18 | 24 | 5 | 4.80 |
| 4 | Pádraig Horan | Offaly | 4-07 | 19 | 3 | 6.33 |
| 5 | Noel Lane | Galway | 1–12 | 15 | 4 | 3.75 |
| 6 | John Grogan | Tipperary | 2–08 | 14 | 2 | 7.00 |
| 7 | Bernie Forde | Galway | 2–06 | 12 | 4 | 3.00 |
| Tony Doran | Wexford | 2–06 | 12 | 3 | 4.00 | |
| 9 | George O'Connor | Wexford | 1-08 | 11 | 3 | 3.66 |
| Declan Coote | Clare | 1-08 | 11 | 3 | 3.66 |
| Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total | Opposition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Joe Connolly | Galway | 2–07 | 13 | Limerick |
| 2 | Joe McKenna | Limerick | 3–03 | 12 | Clare |
| John Grogan | Tipperary | 2–06 | 12 | Limerick | |
| 4 | Bernie Forde | Galway | 2–05 | 11 | Antrim |
| 5 | Joe McKenna | Limerick | 3–01 | 10 | Tipperary |
| 6 | Billy Bohane | Laois | 2–03 | 9 | Offaly |
| Pádraig Horan | Offaly | 2–03 | 9 | Wexford | |
| Séamus Bourke | Tipperary | 2–03 | 9 | Limerick | |
| Noel Lane | Galway | 1–06 | 9 | Antrim | |
| Martin Brophy | Laois | 0–09 | 9 | Westmeath |
The following matches were broadcast live on television in Ireland onRTÉ.
| Round | RTÉ |
|---|---|
| All-Ireland semi-final | Limerick vs Galway |
| All-Ireland final | Offaly vs Galway |
