2008 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship

{{short description|Gaelic football competition}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{infobox

|title = 2008 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship

| image =

|bodyclass=vevent

|headerstyle = background:#BFD7FF;

|labelstyle=white-space: nowrap

|datastyle=white-space: nowrap

|header1=Championship details

|label2=Dates

|data2=

|label3=Teams

|data3=

|header4=All-Ireland Champions

|label5=Winning team

|data5=Kerry (10th win)

|label6=Captain

|data6=Killian Young

|label7=Manager

|data7=Seán Geaney

|header8=All-Ireland Finalists

|label9=Losing team

|data9=Kildare

|label10=Captain

|data10=Gary Whyte

|label11=Manager

|data11=Glenn Ryan

|header12=Provincial Champions

|label13=Munster

|data13=Kerry

|label14=Leinster

|data14=Kildare

|label15=Ulster

|data15=Down

|label16=Connacht

|data16=Mayo

}}

The 2008 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship was the 45th staging of the All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1964.

Cork entered the championship as defending champions, however, they were defeated by Kerry in the Munster semi-final.{{cite news|url=http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/late-goulding-free-earns-cork-glory-as-plucky-laois-foiled-32102.html|title=Late Goulding free earns Cork glory as plucky Laois foiled|publisher=Irish Examiner|accessdate=16 July 2017|date=7 May 2007|first=Jim|last=O'Sullivan}}

On 3 May 2008, Kerry won the championship following a 2-12 to 0-11 defeat of Kildare in the All-Ireland final.{{cite news|url=http://www.hoganstand.com/Kerry/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=94166|title=’Players learned from the past’ - Geaney|publisher=Hogan Stand|accessdate=16 July 2017|date=5 May 2008|first=Jim|last=O'Sullivan}} This was their 10th All-Ireland title overall and their first in ten championship seasons.