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The All-Ireland Minor Football Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the ESB Minor Football Championship) is the premier "knockout" competition for under-18 competitors of the game of Gaelic football played in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and are played during the summer months with the All-Ireland Minor Football Final being played on the third Sunday in September in Croke Park, Dublin. The minor final provides the curtain-raiser to the senior final. The prize for the winning team is the Tom Markham Cup, which is named in honour of former Clare figure Tom Markham.
[edit] Overview
The All-Ireland Minor Football Championship features the youngest competitive players of the game of Gaelic football - players must be under eighteen years of age on 1 January of the year of the competition. The first minor championship was played in 1929 when Clare were crowned the champions. The championship has been held every year since then, however, it was suspended for a period during 'The Emergency'.
Predictably Kerry are the most successful team in minor football, however, they are closely followed by Cork and Dublin. All three teams have achieved famous three-in-a-rows: Kerry from 1931 to 1933; Cork from 1967 to 1969; and Dublin from 1954 to 1956. The coveted treble of winning senior, under-21 and minor titles in the same year has been achieved on just one occasion, by Kerry in 1975. Because teams will only play together for at most, about two or three years, unlike the senior competition, it is unusual that one county will dominate for periods any longer than this.
The current champions are Tyrone who defeated Mayo in a replay at Pearse Stadium, Longford on Saturday 27 September 2008. The final score was 1-20 to 1-15 after extra-time. The first match at Croke Park was a draw with Tyrone scoring a last minute point to force the replay.
[edit] Top Winners
|
Team |
Winner |
Winning Years |
| 1 |
Kerry |
11 |
1931, 1932, 1933, 1946, 1950, 1962, 1963, 1975, 1980, 1988, 1994 |
| 2 |
Dublin |
10 |
1930, 1945, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1979, 1982, 1984 |
|
Cork |
10 |
1961, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1974, 1981, 1991, 1993, 2000 |
| 4 |
Tyrone |
7 |
1947, 1948, 1973, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2008 |
| 5 |
Mayo |
6 |
1935, 1953, 1966, 1971, 1978, 1985. |
|
Galway |
6 |
1952, 1960, 1970, 1976, 1986, 2007 |
| 7 |
Down |
4 |
1977, 1987, 1999, 2005. |
|
Roscommon |
4 |
1939, 1941, 1951, 2006. |
|
Derry |
4 |
1965, 1983, 1989, 2002, |
| 10 |
Laois |
3 |
1996, 1997, 2003. |
|
Meath |
3 |
1957, 1990, 1992. |
| 12 |
Louth |
2 |
1936, 1940. |
|
Cavan |
2 |
1937, 1938. |
| 14 |
Offaly |
1 |
1964. |
|
Westmeath |
1 |
1995. |
|
Clare |
1 |
1929. |
|
Tipperary |
1 |
1934. |
|
Armagh |
1 |
1949. |
[edit] By Province
The following counties have never won an All Ireland minor football title:
| Province |
County(Last final) |
| Leinster |
Kildare, Kilkenny, Wexford, Longford, Carlow, Wicklow |
| Connacht |
Leitrim, Sligo |
| Ulster |
Antrim, Donegal, Fermanagh, Monaghan, |
| Munster |
Limerick, Waterford |
[edit] Roll of Honour
