2020 Leinster Senior Football Championship final

The 2020 Leinster Senior Football Championship Final was played at Croke Park in Dublin on 21 November 2020. It was contested by Dublin and Meath. Dublin won a tenth consecutive title.^[1]

2020 Leinster Senior Football Championship Final

Event	2020 Leinster Senior Championship
Dublin Meath 3–21 0–9
Date	21 November 2020
Venue	Croke Park, Dublin
Referee	Derek O'Mahoney (Tipperary)
Attendance	0^[note 1]
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Background

The game was held on a date originally intended for the second test of the 2020 International Rules Series. That event was cancelled in April 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the Republic of Ireland, which also led to the delayed championship.^[2][3] The GAA had proposed to hold a memorial ahead of the second test in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Bloody Sunday massacre, which saw fourteen civilians killed at a football match at Croke Park during the Irish War of Independence.^[4] This was instead held ahead of the 2020 Leinster Senior Football Championship Final.

As originally announced, the GAA intended the game to occur after a ceremonial "finishing of the match" featuring Dublin and Tipperary teams consisting of "available county or club players".^[5] However, Dublin were playing in this game and Tipperary qualified for the 2020 Munster Senior Football Championship Final which was held the following day, limiting player availability.

Match details

21 November 2020

Dublin	3–21 – 0–9	Meath
	Report

Croke Park, Dublin

Referee: Derek O'Mahoney (Tipperary)

Dublin

Meath

1 Stephen Cluxton (c) 2 M. Fitzsimons 3 Jonny Cooper 4 Eoin Murchan 5 J. McCarthy 6 J. Small 7 R. McDaid 8 Brian Fenton 9 D. Byrne 10 N. Scully 11 C. Kilkenny 12 S. Bugler 13 P. Small 14 C. O'Callaghan 15 Dean Rock Substitutes: ? B. Howard for Cooper ? P. Mannion for P. Small ? E. Lowndes for J. Small ? C. Costello for O'Callaghan ? K. McManamon for Kilkenny Manager: Dessie Farrell

1 M. Brennan 2 S. Lavin 3 C. McGill 4 D. Toner 5 Donal Keogan 6 Shane McEntee 7 M. Costello 8 B. Menton 9 R. Jones 10 C. O'Sullivan 11 B. McMahon 12 R. Ryan 13 J. Morris 14 S. Walsh 15 T. O'Reilly Substitutes: ? C. Hickey for Toner ? E. Harkin for McGill ? E. Devine for Costello ? J. Scully for McMahon ? J. Wallace for O'Reilly Manager: Andy McEntee

Man of the Match:

Post-match

Dublin captain Stephen Cluxton laid a wreath for the centenary.^[6]

Former Dublin player Ciarán Whelan said the result was "worrying" for the sport and that his former team "have their opponents psychologically smashed".^[7]

The result, combined with the COVID-19 pandemic, meant Dublin directly qualified for an All-Ireland semi-final against Cavan. Dublin won, easily, to qualify for the 2020 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final, the eighth time in ten years that Dublin reached the decider.^[8]

Notes

1. The game was played behind closed doors due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Gaelic games.

References

1. "Dublin secure perfect 10 on emotional night at Croke Park". irishexaminer.com. 21 November 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
2. "Future of International Rules series up in the air as 2020 games cancelled due to coronavirus crisis". independent.ie. Independent News & Media. 5 April 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
3. McFarlane, Glenn (5 April 2020). "AFL calls off International Rules series this year, with doubts on its future viability". Herald Sun. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
4. "Rules return to feature Bloody Sunday memorial". Independent.ie. 19 November 2019.
5. "GAA launch series of tributes to the Croke Park Bloody Sunday victims". Hogan Stand. 2 September 2020.
6. "Ten-in-a-row Dublin have mastered the art of evolution". irishexaminer.com. 22 November 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
7. "Whelan: Rest of Leinster is 'psychologically smashed'". rte.ie. 21 November 2020. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
8. "Dublin beat Cavan at a canter to reach another final". RTÉ. 5 December 2012.