The GAA Football Under-20 All-Ireland Championship (known for sponsorship reasons as the Dalata Hotel Group GAA Football Under-20 All-Ireland Championship) is an annual inter-county Gaelic football competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It is the highest inter-county Gaelic football competition for male players between the ages of 17 and 20 in Ireland. The championship was contested as the All-Ireland Under-21 Championship between 1964 and 2017 before changing to an under-20 age category from 2018.

The final, usually held in August, serves as the culmination of a series of games played during the summer months, and the results determine which team receives the Clarke Cup. The All-Ireland Championship has always been played on a straight knockout basis whereby once a team loses they are eliminated from the championship.

Four teams currently participate in the All-Ireland Championship, with the most successful teams coming from the province of Munster. Teams representing this province have won a total of 22 All-Ireland titles.

The title has been won by 16 different teams, 10 of whom have won the title more than once. The all-time record-holders are Cork, who have won the championship on 12 occasions. Tyrone are the current holders. The current Dalata Hotel Group Difference Maker of the Year, as selected by the Gaelic Writers Association, is Eoin McElholm from Tyrone.

Overview

The All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship was created in 1964 in response to a Congress motion put forward by the Kerry County Board. Since then the competition has grown in importance and profile. The championship is run on an inter-county provincial basis with the winners from Munster, Leinster, Ulster and Connacht playing off against each other in two semi-finals. Cork are the most successful team in the history of the Under-21 Championship. Two teams have achieved three-in-a-rows; Kerry from 1975 to 1977 and Cork from 1984 to 1986. The coveted treble of winning the 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.

It is usually considered the mark of a player to play for both a county's Under-21 and Senior team at the same time. Many players have achieved this, although one particular example would be Frank McGuigan, who, in 1973, represented Tyrone in the Ulster Finals of the Minors, Seniors and Under-21s.

Roll of Honour

CountyTitlesRunners-upYears wonYears runner-up
Cork1251970, 1971, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1994, 2007, 2009, 20191965, 1979, 2006, 2013, 2016
Kerry1081964, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1990, 1995, 1996, 1998, 20081967, 1972, 1978, 1987, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2024
Tyrone821991, 1992, 2000, 2001, 2015, 2022, 2024, 20251990, 2003
Galway641972, 2002, 2005, 2011, 2013, 20201981, 1989, 1992, 2017
Mayo571967, 1974, 1983, 2006, 20161973, 1984, 1994, 1995, 2001, 2004, 2018
Dublin552003, 2010, 2012, 2014, 20171975, 1980, 2002, 2019, 2020
Kildare341965, 2018, 20231966, 1976, 2008, 2022
Roscommon251966, 19781969, 1982, 2012, 2014, 2021
Derry221968, 19971983, 1985
Offaly221988, 20211968, 1986
Donegal211982, 19872010
Down1319791977, 2005, 2009
Antrim1119691974
Meath1119931997
Westmeath101999—
Armagh102004—
Laois03—1964, 1998, 2007
Cavan03—1988, 1996, 2011
Fermanagh02—1970, 1971
Limerick01—2000
Tipperary01—2015
Sligo01—2023
Louth01—2025

Appearances in final

CountyAppearancesWinsRunners-up
Cork17125
Kerry17107
Mayo1257
Galway1064
Dublin1055
Tyrone1082
Roscommon725
Kildare734
Derry422
Offaly422
Down413
Donegal321
Cavan303
Laois303
Antrim211
Meath211
Fermanagh202
Armagh110
Westmeath110
Limerick101
Tipperary101
Sligo101
Louth101

Finals listed by year

Under-20 Competition
YearWinnerScoreRunner UpScore
2025Tyrone5-16Louth0-17
2024Tyrone1-20Kerry1-14
2023Kildare1-17Sligo0-12
2022Tyrone1–20Kildare1–14
2021Offaly1–14Roscommon1–11
2020Galway1–11Dublin0–13
2019Cork3–16Dublin1–14
2018Kildare1–18Mayo1–16
Under-21 Competition
YearWinnerScoreRunner UpScore
2017Dublin2–13Galway2–07
2016Mayo5–07Cork1–14
2015Tyrone1–11Tipperary0–13
2014Dublin1–21Roscommon3–06
2013Galway1–14Cork1–11
2012Dublin2–12Roscommon0–11
2011Galway2–16Cavan1–09
2010Dublin1–10Donegal1–08
2009Cork1–13Down2–09
2008Kerry2–12Kildare0–11
2007Cork2–10Laois0–15
2006Mayo1–13Cork1–11
2005Galway6–05Down4–06
2004Armagh2–08Mayo1–09
2003Dublin0–12Tyrone0–07
2002Galway0–15Dublin0–07
2001Tyrone0–13Mayo0–10
2000Tyrone3–12Limerick0–13
1999Westmeath0–12Kerry0–09
1998Kerry2–08Laois0–11
1997Derry1–12Meath0–05
1996Kerry1–17Cavan2–10
1995Kerry2–12, 3–10 (R)Mayo3–09, 1–12 (R)
1994Cork1–12Mayo1–05
1993Meath1–08Kerry0–10
1992Tyrone1–10Galway1–07
1991Tyrone4–16Kerry1–05
1990Kerry5–12Tyrone2–11
1989Cork2–08Galway1–10
1988Offaly0–11Cavan0–09
1987Donegal1–07, 1–12 (R)Kerry0–10, 2-04 (R)
1986Cork3–16Offaly0–12
1985Cork0–14Derry1–08
1984Cork0–09Mayo0–06
1983Mayo2–05, 1-08 (R)Derry1–08, 1-05 (R)
1982Donegal0–08Roscommon0–05
1981Cork0–14, 2-09 (R)Galway2–08, 1-06 (R)
1980Cork2–08Dublin1–05
1979Down1–09Cork0–07
1978Roscommon1–09Kerry1–08
1977Kerry1–11Down1–05
1976Kerry0–14Kildare1–03
1975Kerry1–15Dublin0–10
1974Mayo0–09, 2–10 (R)Antrim0–09, 2-08 (R)
1973Kerry2–13Mayo0–13
1972Galway2–06Kerry0–07
1971Cork3–10Fermanagh0–03
1970Cork2–11Fermanagh0–09
1969Antrim1–08Roscommon0–10
1968Derry3–09Offaly1–09
1967Mayo2–10, 4-09 (R)Kerry2–10, 1-07 (R)
1966Roscommon2–10Kildare1–12
1965Kildare2–11Cork1–07
1964Kerry1–10Laois1–03

External links