1963 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

The 1963 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was the 77th staging of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county Gaelic football tournament. The championship began on 5 May 1963 and ended on 22 September 1963. As of 2018, it remains the last All Ireland Senior Football Championship season to be completed without any draws.

1963 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Championship details
Dates	5 May – 22 September 1963
Teams	31
All-Ireland Champions
Winning team	Dublin (17th win)
Captain	Des Foley
All-Ireland Finalists
Losing team	Galway
Captain	Mick Garrett
Provincial Champions
Munster	Kerry
Leinster	Dublin
Ulster	Down
Connacht	Galway
Championship statistics
No. matches played	30
Top Scorer	Mickey Whelan (1–20)
Player of the Year	Lar Foley
← 1962 1964 →

Kilkenny dropped from the championship until 1975.

Kerry entered the championship as the defending champions, however, they were defeated by Galway in the All-Ireland semi-final.

On 22 September 1963, Dublin won the championship following a 1–9 to 0–10 defeat of Galway in the All-Ireland final. Their first All-Ireland victory in five championship seasons, this was their 17th All-Ireland triumph.

Dublin's Mickey Whelan was the championship's top scorer with 1–20. His teammate Lar Foley was the choice for Texaco Footballer of the Year.

Results

Connacht Senior Football Championship

Quarter-final

Sligo v Leitrim

9 June 1963 Quarter-final	Sligo	1–9 – 1–10	Leitrim	Markievicz Park, Sligo
	D McHugh 1–3, M Kearns 0–3, B Shannon 0–2, J Hannon 0–1.		C Flynn 0–7, K McGowan 1–0, P McGarty 0–2, P Guckian 0–1.	Attendance: 4,000 Referee: P O'Connor (Roscommon)

Semi-finals

Mayo v Galway

16 June 1963 Semi-final	Mayo	1–6 – 2–8	Galway	MacHale Park, Castlebar
	J Corcoran 0–4, PJ Loftus 1–0, J Langan 0–1, D Doris 0–1.		S Concannon 1–1, P Donnellan 1–0, C Dunne 0–3, S Letdon 0–2, M McDonagh 0–1, S CLeary 0–1.	Attendance: 12,000 Referee: R Lang (Sligo)

Leitrim v Roscommon

23 June 1963 Semi-final	Leitrim	1–8 – 1–3	Roscommon	Markievicz Park, Sligo
	C Flynn 1–6, J Murray 0–1, Mel Kelly 0–1.		D Feely 1–1, A White 0–2.	Attendance: 7,000 Referee: M Loftus (Mayo)

Final

Galway v Leitrim

14 July 1963 Final	Galway	4–11 – 1–6	Leitrim	MacHale Park, Castlebar
	S Leydon 3–1, P Donnellan 1–3, M McDonagh 0–4, S Concannon 0–1, M Reynolds 0–1, S Cleary 0–1.		D Gannon 1–1, C Flynn 0–5.	Attendance: 20,000 Referee: M Loftus (Mayo)

Leinster Senior Football Championship

First round

Carlow v Kilkenny

5 May 1963 First round

Carlow

4–10 – 1–4

Kilkenny

Dr. Cullen Park, Carlow

Westmeath v Longford

5 May 1963 First round	Westmeath	1–6 – 3–8	Longford	Cusack Park, Mullingar
	D Nolan 1–0, G Kane 0–3, J Bradley 0–2, O Costelloe 0–1.		S Murray 0–6, N Dodd 1–0, D O'Brien 1–0, R carter 1–0, A Tynan 0–2.

Meath v Wexford

19 May 1963 First round	Meath	1–10 – 1–3	Wexford	Croke Park, Dublin
	P McCormack 0–5, M Dunican 1–0, D Carty 0–2, J Quinn 0–2, G Cromwell 0–1.		P Crowley 1–0, M O'Neill 0–2, M Byrne 0–1.	Referee: J Shannon (Dublin)

Louth v Wicklow

26 May 1963 First round	Louth	2–15 – 1–6	Wicklow	Croke Park, Dublin
	J Mulroy 1–6, M McKeown 1–3, L Leech 0–2, J Woods 0–1, S Thornton 0–1, K Behan 0–1, S Burgess 0–1.		T McGee 1–0, P Clarke 0–4, D Byrne 0–1, W Cuffe 0–1.

Quarter-finals

Offaly v Longford

19 May 1963 Quarter-final	Offaly	2–5 – 1–2	Longford	Cusack Park, Mullingar
	T Greene 1–1, L Boland 1–0, H Donnelly 0–3, S Ryan 0–1.		D O'Brien 1–0, M Hopkins 0–2.	Attendance: J Hatton (Wicklow) Referee: 12,428

Laois v Carlow

26 May 1963 Quarter-final	Laois	3–9 – 0–10	Carlow	Geraldine Park, Athy
	N Delaney 1–3, N Dunne 1–1, S Price 1–0, Fint Walsh 0–2, G Rankins 0–2, T Browne 0–1.		B Hayden 0–8, E Hogan 0–1, M Donovan 0–1.

Dublin v Meath

2 June 1963 Quarter-final	Dublin	2–6 – 2–5	Meath	Croke Park, Dublin
	J Timmons 1–3, M Whelan 1–0, L Foley 0–2, D Foley 0–1.		J Nallen 1–1, J Quinn 1–1, P McCormack 0–2, J Cromwell 0–1.	Attendance: 21,931 Referee: E Moules (Wicklow)

Kildare v Louth

9 June 1963 Quarter-final	Kildare	2–11 – 1–12	Louth	Croke Park, Dublin
	H Fahy 1–5, J McNally 1–1, J Andreson 0–3, N Madigan 0–1, P Moore 0–1.		L Leech 1–2, M Gartlan 0–3, K Behan 0–2, J Mulroy 0–2, M McKeown 0–1, F Clarke 0–1, F Lynch 0–1.	Referee: B Smyth (Meath)

Semi-finals

Dublin v Kildare

23 June 1963 Semi-final	Dublin	2–7 – 1–5	Kildare	Croke Park, Dublin
	D Ferguson 1–2, B McDonald 1–0, M Whelan 0–3, J Timmons 0–1, S Behan 0–1.		H Fay 1–2, M Carolan 0–1, M Geraghty 0–1, P Moore 0–1.	Attendance: 38,470

Laois v Offaly

30 June 1963 Semi-final	Laois	2–7 – 0–9	Offaly	O'Moore Park, Portlaoise
	S Price 1–1, D Byrne 0–4, G Rankins 1–0, D Delaney 0–1, N Delaney 0–1.		H Donnelly 0–6, M Brady 0–1, T Furlong 0–1, D Hanlon 0–1.	Attendance: 22,000 Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)

Final

Dublin v Laois

14 July 1963 Final	Dublin	2–11 – 2–9	Laois	Croke Park, Dublin
	Mickey Whelan 0–6 (0-3f), Gerry Davey and Brian McDonald 1–1 each, Lar Foley 0–2 (0-1f, 1 '50), Eamon Breslin 0–1		Noel Delaney 2–1, Dinny Byrne 0-4f, Tom Browne (1 '50), Fintan Walsh, Danny Delaney, Sean Price 0–1 each	Attendance: 50,042 Referee: Brian Smyth (Meath)

Munster Senior Football Championship

Quarter-final

Tipperary v Clare

2 June 1963 Quarter-final	Tipperary	1–12 – 0–6	Clare	Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
				Referee: J Sheehan (Dublin)

Semi-finals

Cork v Waterford

9 June 1963 Semi-final	Cork	2–14 – 2–1	Waterford	Páirc Mac Gearailt, Fermoy
	E Coughlan 1–2, E Ryan 1–1, C O'Sullivan 0–4, JJ Murphy 0–4, N O'Halloran 0–2, C O'Sullivan 0–1.		T Kirwan 1–0, P Walsh 1–0, P Murray 0–1.

Kerry v Tipperary

23 June 1963 Semi-final	Kerry	5–10 – 1–6	Tipperary	Frank Sheehy Park, Listowel
	B O'Callaghan 2–3, V Lucey 1–2, F O'Leary 1–1, S Sheehy 1–0, M O'Connell 0–4.		S McGovern 1–2, M Keating 0–1, J O'Meara 0–1, G Danagher 0–1, L Boland 0–1.	Referee: J Sheehan (Dublin)

Final

Kerry v Cork

14 July 1963 Final	Kerry	1–18 – 3–7	Cork	Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney
	Mick O'Dwyer 1–3, Mick O'Connell 0-4f, Bernie O'Callaghan (0-2f), Tom Long, Frank O'Leary 0–3 each, Pat Griffin 0–2		Willie O'Leary 2–3 (0-3f), JJ Murphy 1–0, Mick Burke 0–2, Paul O'Sullivan and Bernie Coughlan 0–1 each	Attendance: 22,847 Referee: J Martin (Roscommon)

Ulster Senior Football Championship

Preliminary round

Antrim v Tyrone

2 June 1963 Preliminary round	Antrim	2–9 – 0–3	Tyrone	Casement Park, Belfast
	P Lynn 1–2, G McRory 0–4, S Rice 1–0, S Deveney 0–1, P McGuckian 0–1, L McNeill 0–1.		F Donnelly 0–3.	Attendance: 5,000

Quarter-finals

Down v Monaghan

9 June 1963 Quarter-final	Down	6–11 – 1–3	Monaghan	Pairc Esler, Newry
	V Kane 2–2, D McCartan 1–2, S O'Neill 1–2, J Fitzsimons 1–1, B Johnstone 1–0, K O'Neill 0–1, J Lennon 0–1, A Hedden 0–1, E Lavery 0–1.		J McArdle 1–0, Paddy Duffy 0–2, B Curran 0–1.	Referee: V Mulholland (Armagh)

Armagh v Antrim

16 June 1963 Quarter-final	Armagh	1–8 – 2–3	Antrim	The Playing Fields, Lurgan
	J Whan 1–1, D McCrory 0–2, J Murphy 0–2, K Brown 0–2, E Casey 0–1.		L McNeill 2–0, G McCrory 0–2, P Lynn 0–1.	Referee: P Rooney (Down)

Donegal v Fermanagh

16 June 1963 Quarter-final	Donegal	2–12 – 1–6	Fermanagh	MacCumhaill Park, Ballybofey
	H Laverty 0–6, D Breslin 1–0, D Houlihan 1–0, S Ferriter 0–3, J Hannigan 0–2, P Ward 0–1.		J Maguire 0–4, PT Treacy 1–0, T Greene 0–1, H Murphy 0–1.

Derry v Cavan

23 June 1963 Quarter-final	Derry	2–8 – 3–9	Cavan	Dean McGlinchey Park, Ballinascreen
	S O'Connell 1–3, D McKeever 1–0, HF Gribbin 0–2, L O'Neill 0–2, D Mullan 0–1.		C Gallagher 0–7, J Brady 1–2, C Toal 1–0, R Carolan 1–0.	Attendance: 6,000 Referee: J Martin (Tyrone)

Semi-finals

Down v Armagh

7 July 1963 Semi-final	Down	0–9 – 0–5	Armagh	Casement Park, Belfast
	S O'Neill 0–3, B Morgan 0–1, V Kane 0–1, B Johnstone 0–1, J McCartan 0–1, J Lennon 0–1, A Haddon 0–1.		K Browne 0–3, E Casey 0–1, J Murphy 0–1.	Attendance: 15,000

Donegal v Cavan

14 July 1963 Semi-final	Donegal	4–5 – 0–6	Cavan	St. Tiernach's Park, Clones
	H Laverty 2–3, D Houlihan 1–1, D Breslin 1–0, M Griffin 0–1.		J McDonnell 0–2, C Gallagher 0–1, R Carolan 0–1, T Lynch 0–1, P Pritchard 0–1.	Attendance: 20,000

Final

Down v Donegal

28 July 1963 Final	Down	2–11 – 1–4	Donegal	Breffni Park, Cavan
	B Johnstone 1–2, P Doherty 1–1, S O'Neill 0–4, V Kane 0–2, D McCartan 0–1, J McCartan 0–1.		J Hannigan 1–0, C Breslin 0–2, S Ferriter 0–1, F McFeeley 0–1.	Attendance: 35,000

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

Semi-finals

Galway v Kerry

4 August 1963 Semi-final	Galway	1–7 – 0–8	Kerry	Croke Park, Dublin
	P Donnellan 1–1, S Leydon 0–3, C Dunne 0–2, M McDonagh 0–1.		M O'Connell 0–4, F O'Leary 0–2, P Griffin 0–1, T Long 0–1.	Attendance: 37,193 Referee: E Moules (Wicklow)

Dublin v Down

18 August 1963 Semi-final	Dublin	2–11 – 0–7	Down	Croke Park, Dublin
	B McDonald 2–0, M Whelan 0–6, J Timmons 0–3, D Foley 0–1, D Ferguson 0–1.		S O'Neill 0–3, P Doherty 0–2, J McCartan 0–1, J Lennon 0–1.	Attendance: 70,072 Referee: C Crowley (Waterford)

Final

Dublin v Galway

22 September 1963 Final	Dublin	1–9 – 0–10	Galway	Croke Park, Dublin
	M Whelan 0–5, G Davey 1–0, J Timmons 0–2, B McDonald 0–1, D Ferguson 0–1.		M McDonagh 0–5, J Keenan 0–2, C Dunne 0–2, S Leydon 0–1.	Attendance: 87,106 Referee: E Moules (Wicklow)

Main article: 1963 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final

Championship statistics

Scoring

Overall

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Mickey Whelan	Dublin	1–20	23	5	4.60
2	Cathal Flynn	Leitrim	1–18	21	3	7.00
3	Séamus Leydon	Galway	3–7	16	4	4.00
4	Harry Laverty	Donegal	2–9	15	3	5.00
	Seán O'Neill	Down	1–12	15	4	3.75
6	Brian McDonald	Dublin	4–2	14	5	2.80
	Noel Delaney	Laois	3–5	14	3	4.66
8	Pat Donnellan	Galway	3–4	13	4	3.25
	Harry Fay	Kildare	2–7	13	2	6.50
10	John Timmons	Dublin	1–9	12	5	2.40
	Mick O'Connell	Kerry	0–12	12	3	4.00

Single game

Rank	Player	County	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Séamus Leydon	Galway	3–1	10	Leitrim
2	Bernie O'Callaghan	Kerry	2–3	9	Tipperary
	Willie O'Leary	Cork	2–3	9	Kerry
	Harry Laverty	Donegal	2–3	9	Cavan
	Cathal Flynn	Leitrim	1–6	9	Roscommon
	Jimmy Mulroy	Louth	1–6	9	Wicklow
7	Val Kane	Down	2–2	8	Monaghan
	Harry Fay	Kildare	1–5	8	Louth
	Brendan Hayden	Carlow	0–8	8	Laois
10	Noel Delaney	Laois	2–1	7	Dublin
	Mick O'Dwyer	Kerry	1–4	7	Cork
	Cathal Flynn	Leitrim	0–7	7	Sligo
	Charlie Gallagher	Cavan	0–7	7	Derry

Miscellaneous

• Kilkenny dropped from the Leinster football championship until 1975 after a 1 sided defeat to Carlow.
• The All Ireland semi-final between Dublin and Down was their first championship meeting.
• The attendance of 87,106 at the All-Ireland final between Dublin and Galway was the third highest on record.