# All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final referees

In Gaelic football, the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, the deciding match of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship competition, is considered the highest honour for referees to be appointed to officiate.
The most recent final (2024) was refereed by Sean Hurson, with Brendan Cawley on standby; Paddy Neilan as linesman; Derek O'Mahoney on sideline; and two umpires from Ardboe and one each from Clonoe and Coalisland. The 2022 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final was also refereed by Hurson, with Neilan on standby; Barry Cassidy as linesman; Sean Laverty on sideline; and two umpires from Ardboe and one each from Clonoe and Moortown. The 2021 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final was refereed by Joe McQuillan, with David Gough on standby; Brendan Cawley as linesman; Ciaran Brannigan on sideline; and two umpires from Kill Shamrocks and one each from Drumalee and Killygarry. The 2019 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship final was refereed by David Gough, with Conor Lane on standby; Barry Cassidy as linesman.

## Selection

According to The Irish Times, the referee is often "centre stage" during All-Ireland SFC finals.
Men who referee a final that ends in a draw cannot also referee the replay. This rule was highlighted in 2019, when David Gough — thought by consensus to have had a good game — was replaced by Conor Lane for the replay. Colm O'Rourke in the Sunday Independent column, "The GAA's view that the referee of a drawn game cannot take the replay defies common sense and logic. Why disqualify a referee when he has done a good job? If the referee is not up to it then certainly he should be left off, but when there is almost universal agreement that he is the best referee in the country then give him all the big games and replays too. The players want the best referees".
Brian White was the first to benefit from the rule change when he got to referee the 2000 replay.
Referees are chosen by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) for their impartiality and their assessed performance scores over that championship season. A clue to the identity of the final referee may be found among those chosen to referee All-Ireland quarter-finals. In recent years, a referee who has overseen an All-Ireland SFC semi-final is never chosen for the final. However, he has tended to have refereed a quarter-final.
A referee who has officiated at one of the semi-finals is traditionally overlooked when deciding the referee for the same year's final.
When the decision is made, the identity of the referee chosen is revealed following the All-Ireland SFC semi-finals and ahead of the final. A period of media attention may ensue, sometimes even before the announcement has been made.

## Traditions

On the day, the referee is introduced to the President of Ireland ahead of the game.
The referee receives a Celtic cross for each final he officiates.

## Referees
### Pre-1928

| Year | Referee | Co. |
| 1887 | John Cullinane | Tipperary |
| 1889 | T. O'Driscoll | |
| 1890 | J. J. Kenny | Dublin |
| 1891 | T. J. Whelan | Laois |
| 1892 | Dan Fraher | Waterford |
| 1893 | T. Gilligan | Dublin |
| 1894 (1st/2nd?) | R. T. Blake (Dick Blake) | Meath |
| 1895 | J. J. Kenny | Dublin |
| 1896 | Thomas Dooley | Cork |
| 1897 | Spencer Lyons | Limerick |
| 1898 | John McCarthy | Kilkenny |
| 1899 | L. Stanley | Louth |
| 1900 | T. H. Redmond | |
| 1901 | John McCarthy | Kilkenny |
| 1902 | Thomas F. O'Sullivan | Kerry |
| 1903 | John McCarthy | Kilkenny |
| 1904 | John Fitzgerald | Cork |
| 1905 | M. F. Crowe | Dublin |
| 1906 | John Fitzgerald | Kildare |
| 1907 | John Fitzgerald | Kildare |
| 1908 | M Conroy | Dublin |
| 1909 | M. F. Crowe | Dublin |
| 1910 | w/o /scr. |
| 1911 | M. O'Brennan | Roscommon |
| 1912 | Tom Irwin | |
| 1913 | M. F. Crowe | Dublin |
| 1914 (1st/2nd) | Harry Boland | Dublin |
| 1915 | Pat Dunphy | Laois |
| 1916 | Pat Dunphy | Laois |
| 1917 | Pat Dunphy | Laois |
| 1918 | Pat Dunphy | Laois |
| 1919 | Pat Dunphy | Laois |
| 1920 | Willie Walsh | Waterford |
| 1921 | Willie Walsh | Waterford |
| 1922 | Pat Dunphy | Laois |
| 1923 | James Byrne | Wexford |
| 1924 | T. Shevlin | Roscommon |
| 1925 | ? | |
| 1926 (1st/2nd?) | ? | |
| 1927 | T. Shevlin | Roscommon |

### 1928 to 1969: Introduction of the Sam Maguire Cup

| Year | Referee | Co. |
| 1928 | Tom Burke | Louth |
| 1929 | Tom Burke | Louth |
| 1930 | Jim Byrne | Wexford |
| 1931 | T. Keating | Tipp |
| 1932 | Martin O'Neill | Wexford |
| 1933 | Martin O'Neill | Wexford |
| 1934 | Sean McCarthy | Kerry |
| 1935 | Stephen Jordan | Galway |
| 1936 | Sean McCarthy | Kerry |
| 1937 (1st/2nd?) | M. Hennessy | Dublin |
| 1938 (1st) | P. Maguire | Cavan |
| 1938 (2nd) | Peter Waters | Kildare |
| 1939 | J. Flaherty | Offaly |
| 1940 | Seamus Burke | Kildare |
| 1941 | Patrick McKenna | Limerick |
| 1942 | Sean Kennedy | Donegal |
| 1943 (1st) | Patrick McKenna | Limerick |
| 1943 (2nd) | P O Miotain | Wexford |
| 1944 | Paddy Mythen | Wexford |
| 1945 | John Dunne | Galway |
| 1946 (1st) | Bill Delaney | Laois |
| 1946 (2nd) | Paddy Mythen | Wexford |
| 1947 | M. O'Neill | Wexford |
| 1948 | M. J. Flaherty | Offaly |
| 1949 | D. Ryan | Kerry |
| 1950 | Simon Deignan | Cavan |
| 1951 | Bill Delaney | Laois |
| 1952 (1st/2nd) | Sean Hayes | Tipperary |
| 1953 | Peter McDermott | Meath |
| 1954 | Simon Deignan | Cavan |
| 1955 | Willie Goodison | Wexford |
| 1956 | Peter McDermott | Meath |
| 1957 | Patsy Geraghty | Galway |
| 1958 | Simon Deignan | Cavan |
| 1959 | John Dowling | Offaly |
| 1960 | John Dowling | Offaly |
| 1961 | L. Maguire | Cavan |
| 1962 | Eamonn Moules | Wicklow |
| 1963 | Eamonn Moules | Wicklow |
| 1964 | Jimmy Hatton | Wicklow |
| 1965 | Mick Loftus | Mayo |
| 1966 | Jimmy Hatton | Wicklow |
| 1967 | John Moloney | Tipp |
| 1968 | Mick Loftus | Mayo |
| 1969 | John Moloney | Tipp |

### 1970 to 2000

| Year | Referee | Co. | Referee's club |
| 1970 | P. Kelly | Dublin | |
| 1971 | P. Kelly | Dublin | |
| 1972 (1st) | Fintan Tierney | Cavan; originally from Longford | Butlersbridge |
| 1972 (2nd) | Paddy Devlin | Tyrone | |
| 1973 | John Moloney | Tipp | |
| 1974 | Paddy Devlin | Tyrone | |
| 1975 | John Moloney | Tipp | |
| 1976 | Paddy Collins | Westmeath | |
| 1977 | John Moloney | Tipp | |
| 1978 | Seamus Aldridge | Kildare | |
| 1979 | Hugh Duggan | Armagh | |
| 1980 | Seamus Murray | Monaghan | |
| 1981 | Paddy Collins | Westmeath | |
| 1982 | P. J. McGrath | Mayo | Kilmaine |
| 1983 | John Gough | Antrim | |
| 1984 | Paddy Collins | Westmeath | |
| 1985 | Paddy Kavanagh | Meath | |
| 1986 | Jimmy Dennigan | Cork | |
| 1987 | Pat Lane | Limerick | St Senan's |
| 1988 (1st/2nd) | Tommy Sugrue | Kerry | |
| 1989 | Paddy Collins | Westmeath | |
| 1990 | Paddy Russell | Tipp | |
| 1991 | Séamus Prior | Leitrim | Aughnasheelin |
| 1992 | Tommy Sugrue | Kerry | |
| 1993 | Tommy Howard | Kildare | |
| 1994 | Tommy Sugrue | Kerry | |
| Year | Referee | Co. | Referee's club | Other linesman |
| 1995 | Paddy Russell | Tipp | | |
| 1996 (1st/2nd) | Pat McEnaney | Monaghan | Corduff | Paddy Russell |
| 1997 | Brian White | Wexford | Cushinstown | |
| 1998 | John Bannon | Longford | Legan Sarsfields | |
| 1999 | Mick Curley | Galway | | |
| 2000 (1st) | Pat McEnaney | Monaghan | Corduff | |
| 2000 (2nd) | Brian White | Wexford | Cushinstown | |

### 2001 to present

| Year | Referee | Co. | Referee's club | Standby referee | Other linesman | Sideline official |
| 2001 | Michael Collins | Cork | Clonakilty | | | |
| 2002 | John Bannon | Longford | Legan Sarsfields | | | |
| 2003 | Brian White | Wexford | Cushinstown | | | |
| 2004 | Pat McEnaney | Monaghan | Corduff | | | |
| 2005 | Michael Monahan | Kildare | Raheens | | | |
| 2006 | Brian Crowe | Cavan | Cavan Gaels | | | |
| 2007 | David Coldrick | Meath | Blackhall Gaels | | | |
| 2008 | Maurice Deegan | Laois | Stradbally | | | |
| 2009 | Marty Duffy | Sligo | Kilgass | | | |
| 2010 | David Coldrick | Meath | Blackhall Gaels | Gearoid O Conamha | Maurice Deegan | Syl Doyle |
| 2011 | Joe McQuillan | Cavan | Kill Shamrocks | David Coldrick | Pat McEnaney | Maurice Condon |
| 2012 | Maurice Deegan | Laois | Stradbally | | | |
| 2013 | Joe McQuillan | Cavan | Kill Shamrocks | Cormac Reilly | Padraig O'Sullivan | Michael Duffy |
| 2014 | Eddie Kinsella | Laois | Courtwood | Marty Duffy | Pádraig Hughes | Rory Hickey |
| 2015 | David Coldrick | Meath | Blackhall Gaels | Joe McQuillan | Conor Lane | Derek Fahy |
| 2016 (1st) | Conor Lane | Cork | Banteer | | | Maurice Deegan |
| 2016 (2nd) | Maurice Deegan | Laois | Stradbally | David Coldrick/Sean Hurson | David Coldrick/Sean Hurson | |
| 2017 | Joe McQuillan | Cavan | Kill Shamrocks | Conor Lane | Padraig O'Sullivan | Niall Cullen |
| 2018 | Conor Lane | Cork | Banteer | | | |
| 2019 (1st) | David Gough | Meath | Slane | Conor Lane | Barry Cassidy | Sean Hurson |
| 2019 (2nd) | Conor Lane | Cork | Banteer | | | |
| 2020 | David Coldrick | Meath | Blackhall Gaels | | | |
| 2021 | Joe McQuillan | Cavan | Kill Shamrocks | David Gough | Brendan Cawley | Ciaran Brannigan |
| 2022 | Sean Hurson | Tyrone | Galbally Parses | Paddy Neilan | Barry Cassidy | Sean Laverty |
| 2023 | David Gough | Meath | Slane | Martin McNally | James Molloy | Fergal Kelly |
| 2024 | Sean Hurson | Tyrone | Galbally Parses | Brendan Cawley | Paddy Neilan | Derek O'Mahoney |

## Referees with more than one final

Bold = referee still active at inter-county level
| Referee | Number of finals | Years |
| Pat Dunphy | 6 | 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1922 |
| John Moloney | 5 | 1967, 1969, 1973, 1975, 1977 |
| Paddy Collins | 4 | 1976, 1981, 1984, 1989 |
| Tommy Sugrue | 4 | 1988 (draw), 1988 (replay) 1992, 1994 |
| Pat McEnaney | 4 | 1996 (draw) 1996 (replay), 2000 (draw), 2004 |
| David Coldrick | 4 | 2007, 2010, 2015, 2020 |
| Joe McQuillan | 4 | 2011, 2013, 2017, 2021 |
| Paddy Mythen | 3 | 1943 (replay), 1944, 1946 (replay) |
| John McCarthy | 3 | 1898, 1901, 1903 |
| M. F. Crowe | 3 | 1905, 1909, 1913 |
| Brian White | 3 | 1997, 2000 (replay), 2003 |
| Maurice Deegan | 3 | 2008, 2012, 2016 (replay) |
| Conor Lane | 3 | 2016 (draw), 2018, 2019 (replay) |
| Simon Deignan | 3 | 1950, 1954, 1958 |
| J. J. Kenny | 2 | 1890, 1895 |
| R. T. Blake | 2 | 1894 (1st), 1894 (replay) |
| John Fitzgerald | 2 | 1906, 1907, a man by the same name done the 1904 final but it says Cork and not Kildare? |
| Harry Boland | 2? | 1914 (draw), 1914 (replay) |
| Willie Walsh | 2 | 1920, 1921 |
| T. Shevlin | 2 | 1924, 1927 |
| Tom Burke | 2 | 1928, 1929 |
| Martin O'Neill | 2 | 1932, 1933 |
| Sean McCarthy | 2 | 1934, 1936 |
| M. Hennessy | 2? | 1937 (draw), 1937 (replay) |
| P. Maguire | 2? | 1938 (draw), 1938 (replay) |
| Patrick McKenna | 2 | 1941, 1943 (draw) |
| Sean Hayes | | 1952 (draw), 1952 (replay) |
| John Dowling | 2 | 1959, 1960 |
| Eamonn Moules | 2 | 1962, 1963 |
| Mick Loftus | 2 | 1965, 1968 |
| P. Kelly | 2 | 1970, 1971 |
| Paddy Russell | 2 | 1990, 1995 |
| John Bannon | 2 | 1998, 2002 |
| David Gough | 2 | 2019 (draw), 2023 |
| Sean Hurson | 2 | 2022, 2024 |
* James Byrne did 1923, a Jim Byrne did 1930?
* J Flaherty (Offaly) did 1939, then an MJ Flaherty (Offaly) did 1948?
* Pat Dunphy (1922) has the distinction of also taking charge of the 1922 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final in the same year.
* John Dowling (1960) has the distinction of also taking charge of the 1960 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final in the same year.
* Jimmy Hatton (1966) has the distinction of also taking charge of the 1966 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final in the same year.