The All-Ireland Senior B Football Championship was a Gaelic football competition held between 1990 and 2000 and organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA). It was contested by those county teams which were typically defeated in the early rounds of their provincial championships in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.
The championship was first contested in 1990, when Leitrim became the inaugural winner.
Designed to improve the standard of football in counties which were not as strong as others, the competition was held for the last time in 2000, as a result of the introduction of the All-Ireland Qualifiers for the 2001 football championship. This new qualifier system gave each defeated county a second chance via the "back-door", after losing in the provincial championships.
Format The championship was played on a straight knockout basis, typically starting in October each year alongside the National League fixtures, then concluding in November or December.
Roll of honour
By county CountyTitle(s)Runners-upYears wonYears runner-up Fermanagh221996, 20001998, 1999 Clare1119911997 Wicklow1119922000 Antrim1119991992 Leitrim101990 — Laois101993 — Carlow101994 — Tipperary101995 — Louth101997 — Monaghan101998 —
By province ProvinceTitlesRunners-upTotal Leinster459 Ulster437 Munster213 Connacht123
List of Finals
List of Senior B finals YearDateWinnersRunners-upVenueWinning MarginWinning CaptainWinning ManagerCountyScoreCountyScore200019 NovemberFermanagh3-15Wicklow2-06Páirc Tailteann12Tom BrewsterJohn Maughan19995 December Antrim2-10Fermanagh1-10Casement Park3Anto FinneganBrian White199822 NovemberMonaghan2-11Fermanagh0-13Scotstown4Edwin MurphyÉamonn McEneaney19979 NovemberLouth1-11Clare1-08Duggan Park3Gareth O'NeillPaddy Clarke19968 DecemberFermanagh0-12Longford0-09*Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada3Cormac McAdamPat King199527 AugustTipperary2-12Longford2-05St Brendan's Park, Birr7Philly RyanSéamus McCarthy199420 NovemberCarlow2-10Westmeath1-11O'Connor Park2Hughie BrennanBobby Miller199314 NovemberLaois0-17Sligo0-05Pearse Park12Denis LalorColm Browne19926 DecemberWicklow1-05Antrim0-04Páirc Tailteann4Kevin O'BrienNiall Rennick199117 NovemberClare1-12Longford0-09**Duggan Park6Gerry KilleenJohn Maughan199011 NovemberLeitrim2-11Sligo0-02Dr Hyde Park15Mickey QuinnP.J. Carroll
Notes * Replay | ** AET
See also All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Tommy Murphy Cup (2004–2008) Tailteann Cup (2022–present)
References