The 1971 All-Ireland Minor Football Championship was the 40th staging of the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship, the Gaelic Athletic Association's premier inter-county Gaelic football tournament for boys under the age of 18.

Galway entered the championship as defending champions, however, they were defeated by Mayo on a scoreline of 1-7 to 0-9 in the Connacht semi-final.^[1][2]

On 26 September 1971, Mayo won the championship following a 2-15 to 2-7 defeat of Cork in the All-Ireland final.^[3] This was their fourth All-Ireland title overall and their first title in five championship seasons.

Results

Leinster Minor Football Championship

First round

Wexford v Wicklow

1971 First round

Wexford

2-12 – 2-05

Wicklow

Carlow v Laois

1971 First round

Carlow

0-05 – 3-15

Laois

Geraldine Park, Athy

Second round

Meath v Westmeath

1971 Second round

Meath

2-07 – 0-09

Westmeath

O'Connor Park, Tullamore

Laois v Wexford

1971 Second round

Laois

3-12 – 2-09

Wexford

Dr Cullen Park, Carlow

Quarter-Finals

Offaly v Longford

1971 Quarter-Final

Offaly

1-07 – 0-09

Longford

Cusack Park, Mullingar

Wexford v Kilkenny

1971 Quarter-Final

Wexford

2-12 – 1-02

Kilkenny

St Patrick's Park, Enniscorthy

Dublin v Laois

1971 Quarter-Final

Dublin

0-13 – 0-10

Laois

O'Moore Park, Portlaoise

Semi-Finals

Meath v Louth

1971 Semi-Final

Meath

2-06 – 1-12

Louth

Croke Park, Dublin

Dublin v Offaly

1971 Semi-Final

Dublin

1-14 – 0-08

Offaly

Croke Park, Dublin

Final

Dublin v Louth

25 July 1971 Final[4][5]	Dublin	2-07 – 0-04	Louth	Croke Park, Dublin
			A. Hoey (0-3, 3f), S. Ross (0-1)	Referee: P. Clandillon (Wicklow)

GK 1 Tony Fayne RCB 2 Dave Billings FB 3 Dermot Hobbs LCB 4 Gerry McCaul RHB 5 Pat Glavey CHB 6 Vinnie Holden LHB 7 Brendan Pocock MF 8 John McCarthy MF 9 Bernard Salmon RHF 10 Seán McCarthy CHF 11 Pat Hickey LHF 12 Dave Redmond RCF 13 Mick Hickey FF 14 Mick Holden LCF 15 Martin O'Donoghue Substitutes:

GK 1 Tom Matthews (Newtown Blues) RCB 2 Andy Devine (St Mary's) FB 3 Páidín O'Hare (Kilkerley Emmets) LCB 4 Liam O'Neill (Oliver Plunketts) RHB 5 Paul Fitzpatrick (Oliver Plunketts) CHB 6 Pat Taaffe (Glyde Rangers) LHB 7 Gerry Gorham (St Joseph's) MF 8 Jimmy Kirk (Cooley Kickhams) MF 9 Willie Kirk (Cooley Kickhams) RHF 10 Niall O'Dowd (Oliver Plunketts) CHF 11 Frank Taaffe (Oliver Plunketts) LHF 12 Mickey Lynch (Newtown Blues) c) RCF 13 Declan Keegan (Wolfe Tones) FF 14 Seán Ross (St Mary's) LCF 15 Anthony Hoey (St Bride's) Substitutes: 16 Kevin Thornton (Cooley Kickhams) for Gorham 17 Joe O'Donoghue (Oliver Plunketts) for Hoey

Ulster Minor Football Championship Quarter-Final Armagh v Down 1971 Quarter-Final Armagh 1-06 – 5-08 Down St. Mary's Park, Castleblaney Semi-Final Cavan v Down 1971 Semi-Final Cavan 2-11 – 0-09 Down Pearse Park, Ballybay Final Tyrone v Fermanagh 25 July 1971 Final Tyrone 0-19 – 0-07 Fermanagh Casement Park, Belfast All-Ireland Minor Football Championship Semi-Finals Mayo v Tyrone 8 August 1971 Semi-Final Mayo 3-08 - 0-13 Tyrone Croke Park, Dublin Cork v Dublin 22 August 1971 Semi-Final Cork 2-13 - 1-10 Dublin Croke Park, Dublin Referee: S. Martin (Roscommon) Final Mayo v Cork 26 September 1971 Final Mayo 2-15 - 2-07 Cork Croke Park, Dublin References ↑ Carney, Jim (8 December 2010). "40th anniversary of Galway Minor football team's stunning All-Ireland Final victory over Kerry". The Tuam Herald. Retrieved 7 July 2017. ↑ Kenny, Tom (9 June 2011). "Galway minors, All Ireland champions 1970". Galway Advertiser. Retrieved 7 July 2017. ↑ Hickey, Paddy (24 September 1999). "Kean's minor success a sideline boost for Mayo". Irish Independent. Retrieved 7 July 2017. ↑ "Louth fail to topple a far superior Dublin side". Drogheda Independent. 30 July 1971. ↑ "Double blow for Louth GAA fans". The Argus. 27 July 2011.