1977–78 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship#Leinster Senior Club Football Championship
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox hurling championship
| name = 1977–78 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| dates =
| teams = 33
| sponsor =
| champions = Thomond College
| count = 1
| champions captain =
| champions manager =
| runners-up = St John's
| runners-up captain =
| runners-up manager =
| promoted =
| relegated =
| matches =
| goals =
| points =
| top scorer =
| previous year = 1976–77
| previous tournament = 1976–77 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
| next year = 1978–79
| next tournament = 1978–79 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
}}
The 1977–78 All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship was the eighth staging of the All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1970-71.
Austin Stacks were the defending champions, however, they were beaten by Thomond College in the semi-final of the Munster club Championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/legends-of-70s-setting-the-standard-for-austin-stacks-30783841.html|title=Legends of '70s setting the standard for Austin Stacks|date=28 November 2014|publisher=Irish Independent|accessdate=30 June 2020|first=|last=}}
On 26 March 1978, Thomond College won the championship following a 2-14 to 1-03 defeat of St John's in the All-Ireland final at Croke Park.{{cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/fethard-confident-of-their-strengths-1.137182|title=Fethard confident of their strengths|date=13 December 1977|publisher=Irish Times|accessdate=30 June 2020|first=|last=}} It remains their only championship title.
Munster
{{Further|Munster Senior Club Football Championship}}
=First round=
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 27 November 1977
| round = First round
| team1 = Kilrush Shamrocks
| score = 1-04 - 3-07
| team2 = Nemo Rangers
| report =
| goals1 = L McNamara 1-0, B O'Reilly 0-2, J O'Halloran 0-1, A Moloney 0-1.
| goals2 = S Coughlan 1-6, L Good 1-0, J Barrett 1-0, K Collins 0-1.
| stadium = The Cricket Field
| referee =
}}
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 27 November 1977
| round = First round
| team1 = Austin Stacks
| score = 0-10 - 0-03
| team2 = Loughmore–Castleiney
| report =
| goals1 = M Sheehy 0-2, J O'Keeffe 0-2, JL McEligott 0-2, P McCarthy 0-1, T Sweeney 0-1, D Long 0-1, F Ryan 0-1.
| goals2 = T Kiely 0-2, J Meagher 0-1.
| stadium = Austin Stack Park
| referee =
}}
=Semi-finals=
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 12 December 1977
| round = Semi-final
| team1 = Thomond College
| score = 2-06 - 2-06
| team2 = Austin Stacks
| report =
| goals1 = G Dillon 1-1, M Kilcoyne 1-0, R Bell 0-2, J Dunne 0-2, P Spillane 0-1.
| goals2 = M Sheehy 1-3, J Power 1-0, G Power 0-1, P McCarthy 0-1, D Long 0-1.
| stadium = Gaelic Grounds
| referee =
}}
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 12 December 1977
| round = Semi-final
| team1 = Nemo Rangers
| score = 2-14 - 1-04
| team2 = Ardmore
| report =
| goals1 = D Linehan 1-4, N Morgan 1-2, S Coughlan 0-3, D Allen 0-3, K Brady 0-1, L Good 0-1.
| goals2 = D Hennessy 1-1, J Hennessy 0-1, J Dunne 0-1, F North 0-1.
| stadium = Páirc Mac Gearailt
| referee =
}}
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 18 December 1977
| round = Semi-final replay
| team1 = Thomond College
| score = 1-10 - 3-04
| team2 = Austin Stacks
| report =
| goals1 = M Sheehy 1-6, C Mangan 0-1, D Long 0-1, F Ryan 0-1, P Moriarty 0-1.
| goals2 = J O'Connell 2-0, P Spillane 1-1, R Bell 0-1, G Dillon 0-1, J Dunne 0-1.
| stadium = Páirc Uí Chaoimh
| referee =
}}
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 15 January 1978
| round = Semi-final 2nd replay
| team1 = Thomond College
| score = 2-18 - 3-15
(aet)
| team2 = Austin Stacks
| report =
| goals1 = M Kilcoyne 1-3, B Talty 0-6, P Spillane 0-5, J Dunne 1-1, J O'Connell 0-1, T Harkin 0-1, M Houston 0-1.
| goals2 = M Sheehy 1-11, G Power 1-2, P McCarthy 1-1, JL McEligott 0-1.
| stadium = Páirc Uí Chaoimh
| referee =
}}
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 15 January 1978
| round = Semi-final 3rd replay
| team1 = Thomond College
| score = 3-08 - 2-05
| team2 = Austin Stacks
| report =
| goals1 = P Spillane 2-1, B Talty 0-5, R Bell 1-1, D Smyth 0-1.
| goals2 = M Sheehy 1-2, JL McEligott 1-0, G Power 0-1, P McCarthy 0-1, P Moriarty 0-1.
| stadium = Páirc Uí Chaoimh
| referee =
}}
=Final=
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 5 February 1978
| round = Final
| team1 = Nemo Rangers
| score = 1-03 - 0-12
| team2 = Thomond College
| report =
| goals1 = D Linehan 1-0, S Coughlan 0-2, J Barrett 0-1.
| goals2 = J Dunne 0-5, B Talty 0-3, M Kilcoyne 0-2, M Spillane 0-1, R Bell 0-1.
| stadium = Páirc Uí Chaoimh
| referee =
}}
Quarter-final
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 29 January 1978
| round = Quarter-final
| team1 = St John's
| score = 4-09 - 1-08
| team2 = Kingdom
| report =
| goals1 =
| goals2 =
| stadium = Corrigan Park
| referee =
}}
Semi-finals
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 5 March 1978
| round = Semi-final
| team1 = Thomond College
| score = 1-12 - 1-08
| team2 = St Mary's
| report =
| goals1 =
| goals2 =
| stadium = Gaelic Grounds
| referee =
}}
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 5 March 1978
| round = Semi-final
| team1 = St John's
| score = 4-12 - 1-08
| team2 = Summerhill
| report =
| goals1 =
| goals2 =
| stadium = Corrigan Park
| referee =
}}
Final
{{footballbox collapsible
| date = 26 March 1978
| round = Final
| team1 = Thomond College
| score = 2-14 - 1-03
| team2 = St John's
| report =
| goals1 =
| goals2 =
| stadium = Croke Park
| referee =
}}
Statistics
=Miscellaneous=
- St Mary's won the Connacht Club Championship title for the first time in their history. They were also the first team from Sligo to win the provincial title.
- Summerhill won the Leinster Club Championship for the first time in their history. They were also the first team from Meath to win the provincial title.
- St John's won the Ulster Club Championship for the first time in their history. They were also the first team from Antrim to win the provincial title.
References
{{reflist}}
{{All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship}}