1996 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

The 1996 Bank of Ireland All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was the 110th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county Gaelic football tournament. The championship began on 12 May 1996 and ended on 29 September 1996.

1996 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Championship details
Dates	12 May 1996 – 29 September 1996
Teams	32
All-Ireland Champions
Winning team	Meath (6th win)
Captain	Tommy Dowd
Manager	Seán Boylan
All-Ireland Finalists
Losing team	Mayo
Captain	Noel Connelly
Manager	John Maughan
Provincial Champions
Munster	Kerry
Leinster	Meath
Ulster	Tyrone
Connacht	Mayo
Championship statistics
No. matches played	34
Top Scorer	Maurice Sheridan (1-33)
Player of the Year	Martin O'Connell Trevor Giles
← 1995 1997 →

Dublin entered the championship as the defending champions, however, they were defeated by Meath in the Leinster final.

On 29 September 1996, Meath won the championship following a 2–9 to 1–11 defeat of Mayo in a replay of the All-Ireland final.^[1] This was their sixth All-Ireland title and their first in eight championship seasons.

Mayo's Maurice Sheridan was the championship's top scorer with 1-33. Meath's Martin O'Connell was the choice for Texaco Footballer of the Year, while his teammate Trevor Giles was selected as the Powerscreen Footballer of the Year.

Leinster Championship format change

The Leinster football championship pre-Quarter final had 2 First-Round & 1 Second-Round game.

Provincial championships

Munster Senior Football Championship

	Quarter-finals					Semi-finals					Final
	Kerry		2-15
	Tipperary		1-7			Kerry		3-16
						Waterford		0-8
											Kerry		0-14
											Cork		0-11
						Clare		1-16
	Cork		2-19			Cork		2-16
	Limerick		1-6

Quarter-finals

Limerick v Cork

12 May 1996 Quarter-final	Limerick	1-6 – 2-19	Cork	FitzGerald Park, Kilmallock
	C McGill 1-2, T Cummins 0-2, J Quane 0-1, B Ryan 0-1.		M O'Sullivan 1-2, J Kavanagh 0-5, C Corkery 1-1, J O'Driscoll 0-4, B Corcoran 0-2, M Cronin 0-2, C O'Sullivan 0-1, D Culloty 0-1, N Cahalane 0-1.	Attendance: 3,000 Referee: T. Sugrue (Kerry)

Tipperary v Kerry

19 May 1996 Quarter-final	Tipperary	1-7 – 2-15	Kerry	Ned Hall Park, Clonmel
	P Lambert 1-3, B Cummins 0-2, M Sheahan 0-1, B Burke 0-1.		D Ó Cinnéide 1-6, J Crowley 1-2, B Driscoll 0-2, G Farrell 0-2, B O'Shea 0-2, C McCarthy 0-1.	Attendance: 5,000 Referee: K Walsh (Clare)

Semi-finals

Waterford v Kerry

22 June 1996 Semi-final	Waterford	0-8 - 3-16	Kerry	Fraher Field, Dungarvan
	A Fitzgerald 0-3, M Kiely 0-2, P Ferncombe 0-2, M Power 0-1.		M Fitzgerald 2-2, D Ó Cinnéide 0-6, B Driscoll 1-0, L Hassett 0-3, D Daly 0-3, E Breen 0-1, B O'Shea 0-1.	Referee: S O'Keeffe (Cork)

Clare v Cork

23 June 1996 Semi-final	Clare	0-10 - 1-7	Cork	Cusack Park, Ennis
	A O'Keeffe 0-7, M Daly 0-1, G Keane 0-1, J Enright 0-1.		M O'Sullivan 1-1, C Corkery 0-2, J Kavanagh 0-2, M o'Donovan 0-1, J O'Driscoll 0-1.	Referee: P Russell (Tipperary)

Cork v Clare

30 June 1996 Semi-final replay	Cork	2-16 - 1-16 (aet)	Clare	Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork
	J Kavanagh 0-5, D Davis 1-1, J Buckley 1-1, C Corkery 0-4, C O'Sullivan 0-3, P McGrath 0-2.		G Keane 1-2, A O'Keeffe 0-5, F McInerney 0-4, M Hynes 0-2, G Killeen 0-1, P Conway 0-1, F Lohan 0-1.	Attendance: 12,000 Referee: P Russell (Tipperary)

Final

Cork v Kerry

21 July 1996 Final	Cork	0-11 - 0-14	Kerry	Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork
	C Corkery 0-3, J Kavanagh 0-3, P McGrath 0-2, J Buckley 0-1, L Honohan 0-1, N Cahalane 0-1.		M Fitzgerald 0-5, D Ó Cinnéide 0-3, B O'Shea 0-2, K Burns 0-1, E Breen 0-1, B Driscoll 0-1, L Hassett 0-1.	Referee: K Walsh (Clare)

Leinster Senior Football Championship

	1st Round					2nd Round					Quarter-finals					Semi-finals					Final
	Carlow		4-17
	Wexford		1-11			Carlow		3-10
	Wicklow		2-11			Wicklow		2-10
	Longford		2-10								Meath		0-24
											Carlow		0-6
																Meath		2-14
																Laois		1-9
											Laois		3-9
											Kildare		0-13
																					Meath		0-10
																					Dublin		0-8
											Westmeath		0-11
											Dublin		1-18
																Dublin		1-9
																Louth		0-8
											Louth		3-8
											Offaly		0-12

First round

Carlow v Wexford

12 May 1996 First round	Carlow	4-17 – 1-11	Wexford	Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow
	A Keating 1-8, W Quinlan 2-2, C Hayden 1-1, J Nevin 0-2, J Hayden 0-2, J Murphy 0-1, S Kavanagh 0-1.		L O'Brien 0-8, J Hegarty 1-1, S Doran 0-1, J Kenny 0-1.	Referee: P McCann (Westmeath)

Longford v Wicklow

12 May 1996 First round	Longford	2-10 – 2-11	Wicklow	Pearse Park, Longford
	D Barry 2-5, E Barden 0-2, C Fox 0-2, P Davis 0-1.		C Daye 0-5, K O'Brien 0-4, K Byrne 1-0, F Mulligan 1-0, R Danne 0-1, B Dunne 0-1.	Attendance: 8,000 Referee: S McCormack (Meath)

Second round

Carlow v Wicklow

26 May 1996 Second round	Carlow	4-10 – 3-10	Wicklow	St. Conleth's Park, Newbridge
	A Keating 0-7, C Hayden 2-0, W Quinlan 1-0, H Brennan 1-0, S Kavanagh 0-2, N Doyle 0-1.		K Byrne 1-2, C Daye 1-1, K O'Brien 0-4, J Behan 1-0, F Mulligan 0-1, M Davis 0-1, P McGillycuddy 0-1.	Referee: A Walsh (Dublin)

Quarter-finals

Louth v Offaly

9 June 1996 Quarter-final	Louth	3-8 - 0-12	Offaly	Páirc Tailteann, Navan
	R O'Neill 2-0, O Reilly 1-1, C Kelly 0-3, A Doherty 0-2, S O'Hanlon 0-1, C O'Hanlon 0-1.		D Reynolds 0-6, C Kenny 0-2, M Daly 0-1, P O'Reilly 0-1, F Cullen 0-1, R Mooney 0-1.	Attendance: 27,000 Referee: P Casserley (Westmeath)

Westmeath v Dublin

9 June 1996 Quarter-final	Westmeath	0-11 - 1-18	Dublin	Páirc Tailteann, Navan
	N Dolan 0-6, P Conway 0-1, K Lyons 0-1, T Ormsby 0-1, J Cooney 0-1, M Flanagan 0-1.		C Redmond 0-5, K Barr 1-0, J McNally 0-3, D Farrell 0-3, N Guiden 0-1, D O'Brien 0-1, P Curran 0-1, E Heery 0-1, B Stynes 0-1, P Bealin 0-1, J Gavin 0-1.	Referee: N Cooney (Offaly)

Meath v Carlow

16 June 1996 Quarter-final	Meath	0-24 – 0-6	Carlow	Croke Park, Dublin
	T Giles 0-7, E Kelly 0-5, B Reilly 0-3, B Callaghan 0-3, T Dowd 0-2, G Geraghty, P Reynolds, M Reilly, D Curtis 0-1 each.		A Keating 0-4, N Doyle 0-1, J Hayden 0-1.

Laois v Kildare

16 June 1996 Quarter-final	Laois	3-9 - 0-13	Kildare	Croke Park, Dublin
	L Turley 2-0, T Bowe 1-0, M Lawlor 0-3, I Fitzgerald 0-3, D Delaney 0-1, H Emerson 0-1, T Maher 0-1.		E McCormack 0-4, N Buckley 0-2, T Sullivan 0-2, A Rainbow 0-1, M Lynch 0-1, D O'Connell 0-1, P McCormack 0-1, J Whelan 0-1.	Referee: J Bannon (Longford)

Semi-finals

Dublin v Louth

30 June 1996 Semi-final	Dublin	1-9 - 0-8	Louth	Páirc Tailteann, Navan
	C Redmond 0-5, J McNally 1-1, P Bealin 0-1, J Gavin 0-1, N Guiden 0-1.		C Kelly 0-3, C O'Hanlon 0-2, A Doherty 0-2, A Rooney 0-1.	Referee: P Casserly (Westmeath)

Meath v Laois

7 July 1996 Semi-final	Meath	2-14 - 1-9	Laois	Croke Park, Dublin
	T Giles 1-3, B Reilly 1-2, G Geraghty 0-3, E Kelly 0-3, T Dowd 0-2, B Callaghan 0-1.		D Delaney 0-4, H Emerson 1-0, I Fitzgerald 0-2, D Lalor 0-1, PJ Dempsey 0-1, L Turley 0-1.	Referee: A Walsh (Dublin)

Final

Meath v Dublin

28 July 1996 Final	Meath	0-10 - 0-8	Dublin	Croke Park, Dublin
	T Giles 0-4, T Dowd 0-2, B Reilly 0-2, E Kelly 0-1, B Callaghan 0-1.		C Redmond 0-3, C Whelan 0-2, E Herry 0-1, B Stynes 0-1, D Farrell 0-1.	Attendance: 55,182 Referee: B White (Wexford)

Source:^[2]

Connacht Senior Football Championship

	Quarter-finals					Semi-finals					Final
	Mayo		1-11
	London		1-5			Mayo		0-14
						Roscommon		0-10
											Mayo		3-9
											Galway		1-11
						Leitrim		2-11
	Galway		0-19			Galway		2-13
	Sligo		2-7

Quarter-finals

Sligo v Galway

26 May 1996 Quarter-final	Sligo	1-11 – 1-11	Galway	Markievicz Park, Sligo
	P Taylor 1-5, F Feeney 0-2, P Newton 0-1, J Kenny 0-1, E O'Hara 0-1, C O'Meara 0-1.		N Finnegan 1-2, J Fallon 0-4, D Meehan 0-2, S Walsh 0-2, T Mannion 0-1.	Referee: S Prior (Leitrim)

London v Mayo

2 June 1996 Quarter-final	London	1-5 – 1-11	Mayo	Emerald GAA Grounds, Ruislip
	S McGrellis 1-0, A Creamer 0-2, M Thynne 0-1, T Maguire 0-1, S Hehir 0-1.		M Sheridan 0-9, D Sweeney 1-0, L McHale 0-1, N Connelly 0-1.	Referee: R McCormack (Roscommon)

Galway v Sligo

9 June 1996 Quarter-final replay	Galway	0-19 – 2-7	Sligo	Tuam Stadium, Tuam
	S Walsh 0-8, J Fallon 0-3, D Meehan 0-2, F Gavin 0-2, S Óg de Paor 0-1, A Leonard 0-1, T Wilson 0-1, N Finnegan 0-1.		P Taylor 0-5, P Seevers 1-1, J Kenny 1-0, E O'Hara 0-1.	Referee: S Prior (Leitrim)

Semi-finals

Galway v Leitrim

16 June 1996 Semi-final	Galway	2-13 - 2-11	Leitrim	Tuam Stadium, Tuam
	S Walsh 1-2, N Finnegan 0-5, T Mannion 1-0, J Fallon 0-2, D Meehan 0-2, F O'Neill 0-1, S Óg de Paor 0-1.		G Bohan 0-6, J Ward 1-1, D Darcy 1-1, N Moran 0-2, G Dugdale 0-1.	Referee: S McHale (Mayo)

Roscommon v Mayo

23 June 1996 Semi-final	Roscommon	0-11 – 0-14	Mayo	Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon
	D Duggan 0-8, C Heneghan 0-1, D Connellan 0-1, N O'Donoghue 0-1.		M Sheridan 0-6, L McHale 0-2, J Horan 0-2, R Dempsey 0-1, J Nallen 0-1, C McManamon 0-1, D Nestor 0-1.	Referee: M Curley (Galway)

Final

Mayo v Galway

21 July 1996 Final	Mayo	3-9 - 1-11	Galway	McHale Park, Castlebar
	M Sheridan 1-3, J Casey 1-2, R Dempsey 1-0, A McGarry 0-1, J Horan 0-1, C McManamon 0-1, PJ Loftus 0-1.		F O'Neill 1-0, S Walsh 0-3, N Finnegan 0-3, J Fallon 0-2, D Meehan 0-2, K Walsh 0-1.	Referee: F Finan (Sligo)

Ulster Senior Football Championship

	Preliminary Round					Quarter-finals					Semi-finals					Final
						Tyrone		1-18
						Fermanagh		0-9
											Tyrone		1-13
											Derry		1-8
						Derry		1-16
						Armagh		1-13
																Tyrone		1-9
																Down		0-9
						Cavan		1-15
						Antrim		1-11
											Cavan		0-13
											Down		1-13
						Monaghan		0-9
	Down		1-9			Down		0-14
	Donegal		0-11

Preliminary round

Down v Donegal

26 May 1996 Preliminary round	Down	1-9 – 0-11	Donegal	St. Tiernach's Park, Clones
	C Deegan 1-1, G McCartan 0-3, J Treanor 0-2, M Linden 0-2, DJ Kane 0-1.		M Boyle 0-3, J McHugh 0-2, T Boyle 0-2, B Roper 0-1, JB Gallagher 0-1, D Diver 0-1, N Hegarty 0-1.	Referee: B White (Wexford)

Quarter-finals

Derry v Armagh

2 June 1996 Quarter-final	Derry	1-13 - 1-6	Armagh	Celtic Park, Derry
	A Tohill 0-7, J Brolly 1-2, SM Lockhart 0-1, J McGurk 0-1, S Downey 0-1, E Gormley 0-1.		J McNulty 1-0, D Marsden 0-3, G Houlahan 0-3.	Referee: M McGrath (Donegal)

Tyrone v Fermanagh

9 June 1996 Quarter-final	Tyrone	1-18 – 0-9	Fermanagh	Healy Park, Omagh
	Peter Canavan 1-7, A Cush 0-3, J Gormley 0-3, S McLaughlin 0-2, B Dooher 0-2, D Gormley 0-1.		R Gallagher 0-4, S King 0-2, C Curran 0-2, K Donnelly 0-1.	Referee: M Cranny (Down)

Antrim v Cavan

16 June 1996 Quarter-final	Antrim	1-11 - 1-15	Cavan	Casement Park, Belfast
	A Craig 1-1, C McCabe 0-3, J Wilson 0-3, C O'Neill 0-2, D McPeake 0-1.		R Carolan 0-7, J Reilly 1-1, L Reilly 0-2, B Morris 0-1, S King 0-1, A Connolly 0-1, P Reilly 0-1, D McCabe 0-1.	Referee: M McBrian (Fermanagh)

Monaghan v Down

23 June 1996 Quarter-final	Monaghan	0-9 - 0-14	Down	St. Tiernach's Park, Clones
	D SMyth 0-4, M Slowey 0-3, D Loughman 0-1, S McGinnity 0-1.		G McCartan 0-3, P Sloan 0-2, M Linden 0-2, J McCartan 0-1, P Withnell 0-1, F Caulfield 0-1, G Mason 0-1, M McGill 0-1, DJ Kane 0-1, J Treanor 0-1.	Attendance: 21,005 Referee: J Curran (County Tyrone)

Semi-finals

Tyrone v Derry

30 June 1996 Semi-final	Tyrone	1-13 - 1-8	Derry	St. Tiernach's Park, Clones
	Peter Canavan 1-5, A Cush 0-3, C McBride 0-2, B Dooher 0-1, B Gormley 0-1, S Lawn 0-1.		J Brolly 0-4, D Heaney 1-0, A Tohill 0-2, S Downey 0-1, T Scullion 0-1.	Referee: P McEneaney (Monaghan)

Cavan v Down

7 July 1996 Semi-final	Cavan	0-13 - 1-13	Down	St. Tiernach's Park, Clones
	Jason Reilly 0-3, F Cahill 0-3, D McCabe 0-2, A Connolly 0-1, F Crowe 0-1, A Forde 0-1, P Reilly 0-1, R Carolan 0-1.		G McCartan 1-1, J Treanor 0-4, G Mason 0-3, M Magill 0-1, R Carr 0-1, M Linden 0-1, P Withnell 0-1, G Blaney 0-1.	Attendance: 25,237 Referee: J Curran (County Tyrone)

Final

Tyrone v Down

28 July 1996 Final	Tyrone	1-9 - 0-9	Down	St. Tiernach's Park, Clones
	Peter Canavan 1-1, B Dooher 0-3, A Cush 0-2, B Gormley 0-1, Paschal Canavan 0-1, G Cavlan 0-1.		G McCartan 0-3, R Carr 0-2, J Treanor 0-2, G Blaney 0-1, C Murray 0-1.	Attendance: 33,000 Referee: P McEneaney (Monaghan)

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Semi-finals

Mayo v Kerry

11 August 1996 Semi-final	Mayo	2-13 - 1-10	Kerry	Croke Park, Dublin
	M Sheridan 0-6, J Casey 0-4, J Horan 1-1, J Nallen 1-0, N Connolly 0-1, D Nestor 0-1.		M Fitzgerald 0-8, S Burke 1-0, E Breen 0-1, D Ó Cinnéide 0-1.	Attendance: 33,165 Referee: P Casserly (Westmeath)

Meath v Tyrone

18 August 1996 Semi-final	Meath	2-15 - 0-12	Tyrone	Croke Park, Dublin
	G Geraghty 1-4, B Callaghan 1-3, B Reilly 0-5, T Giles 0-3.		G Cavlan 0-6, A Cush 0-3, Peter Canavan 0-2, Pascal Canavan 0-1.	Attendance: 59,272 Referee: M Curley (Galway)

Finals

Meath v Mayo

15 September 1996 Final	Meath	0-12 - 1-9	Mayo	Croke Park, Dublin
	T Giles 0-6, B Reilly 0-3, G Geraghty 0-1, C Coyle 0-1, J McDermott 0-1.		M Sheridan 0-4, R Dempsey 1-0, J Horan 0-3, C McManamon 0-1, PJ Loftus 0-1.	Attendance: 65,898 Referee: P McEneaney (Monaghan)

Meath v Mayo

29 September 1996 Final replay	Meath	2-9 - 1-11	Mayo	Croke Park, Dublin
	T Giles 1-4, T Dowd 1-3, B Callaghan 0-1, B Reilly 0-1.		M Sheridan 0-5, J Horan 0-5, PJ Loftus 1-0, J Casey 0-1.	Attendance: 65,802 Referee: P McEneaney (Monaghan)

Main article: 1996 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final

Championship statistics

Top scorers

Overall

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Maurice Sheridan	Mayo	1-33	36	6	6.00
2	Trevor Giles	Meath	2-27	33	6	5.50
3	Peter Canavan	Tyrone	3-15	24	4	6.00
4	Anthony Keating	Carlow	1-19	23	3	7.66
5	Maurice Fitzgerald	Kerry	2-15	21	4	5.25
6	Dara Ó Cinnéide	Kerry	1-16	19	4	4.75
7	Shay Walsh	Galway	1-15	18	4	4.50
8	James Horan	Mayo	1-12	15	5	3.00
	Joe Kavanagh	Cork	0-15	15	4	3.75
10	Niall Finnegan	Galway	1-11	14	4	3.50

Single game

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Dessie Barry	Longford	2-5	11	Wicklow
	Anthony Keating	Carlow	1-8	11	Wexford
3	Peter Canavan	Tyrone	1-7	10	Fermanagh
4	Dara Ó Cinnéide	Kerry	1-6	9	Tipperary
	Maurice Sheridan	Mayo	0-9	9	London
6	Maurice Fitzgerald	Kerry	2-2	8	Waterford
	Willie Quinlan	Carlow	2-2	8	Wexford
	Paul Taylor	Sligo	1-5	8	Galway
	Peter Canavan	Tyrone	1-5	8	Derry
	Leigh O'Brien	Wexford	0-8	8	Carlow
	Shay Walsh	Galway	0-8	8	Sligo
	Derek Duggan	Roscommon	0-8	8	Mayo
	Maurice Fitzgerald	Kerry	0-8	8	Mayo

Miscellaneous

• On 12 May 1996, FitzGerald Park, Kilmallock hosts its first game for 24 years the Munster Quarter-final meeting of Cork vs Limerick.
• Louth recorded their first championship defeat of Offaly since 1964.
• Mayo defeated Galway in the Connacht final for the first time since 1969.
• Tyrone became the first team to retain the Ulster title since Derry in 1976.
• Meath–Tyrone All Ireland semi-final was the teams' first championship meeting.
• The All-Ireland final ends in a draw and goes to a replay for the first time since 1988.