2004 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

The 2004 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, known for sponsorship reasons as the 2004 Bank of Ireland All-Ireland Senior Football Championship was the premier Gaelic football competition in 2005. It consisted of 33 teams and began on Sunday 2 May 2004. The championship concluded on Sunday 26 September 2004, when Mayo were defeated by Kerry by 1–20 to 2–9.

Format

Since the introduction of the so-called "back-door" system, a number of changes have taken place in the championship format. In 2004 the following system was used:

The provincial championships in Munster, Leinster, Ulster and Connacht ran as usual on a "knock-out" basis. These provincial games were then followed by the "Qualifier" system:

• Round 1 of the qualifiers included all the counties (except New York) that do not qualify for the Provincial Semifinals. An open draw was made to give eight pairings.
• Round 2 consisted of the eight defeated teams in the Provincial Semifinals playing against the eight winners from Round 1. A draw was made to determine the eight pairings.
• Round 3 consisted of the eight winners from Round 2. Another open draw was made to determine the four pairings.
• Round 4 consisted of each of the four teams defeated in the Provincial Finals playing against the four winners from Round 3. A draw was made to determine the four pairings.

The All-Ireland Quarterfinals: Each of the four Provincial Champions played one of the four winners from Round 4. The All-Ireland Semifinals were on a Provincial rota basis, initially determined by the Central Council. If a Provincial Championship winning was defeated in its Quarterfinal, the team that defeated it would take its place in the semifinal.

Provincial championships

Munster Senior Football Championship

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

Leinster Senior Football Championship

First round

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

Ulster Senior Football Championship

Preliminary round

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

Connacht Senior Football Championship

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

Qualifiers

Round 1

The losers of the preliminary-round matches and quarter final matches of each provincial championship started the qualifier.

Tipperary withdrew from the competition following the resignation of their manager, Andy Shorthall, giving Fermanagh a walkover into Round 2.

Round 2

The winners of round 1 were joined by the semi-final losers of each provincial championship. The matches would be between a round 2 winner and a provincial championship semi final loser.

Round 3

The winners of round 2 contest as the matches from here were lowered to four. Matches were open.

Round 4

The winners of round 3 were joined by the losers of each provincial championship final. The matches would be between a round 3 winner and the loser of a provincial championship final.

All-Ireland Senior Football Championship

The provincial champions and the winners of round 4 contested the quarter-finals. The quarter final matches would be between a provincial champion and a round 4 winner.

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

Championship statistics

Miscellaneous

• Carlow defeat Longford in the Leinster Championship for the first time since 1977.
• Limerick and Waterford meet in the Munster Championship for the first time since 1991.
• The Ulster final was moved from St Tiernach's Park, Clones to Croke Park, Dublin the venue hosted before in the 1939 replay.
• Westmeath win the Leinster Championship for the very first time in their history.

Top scorers

References