The 1979 All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship was the 16th staging of the All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship since its establishment by the Gaelic Athletic Association in 1964.

Roscommon entered the championship as defending champions, however, they were defeated in the Connacht Championship.^[1]

On 23 September 1979, Down won the championship following a 1-9 to 0-7 defeat of Cork in the All-Ireland final. This was their first All-Ireland title.

The final was refereed by Gerry Mc Cabe from Clonoe in Co Tyrone

Results

Leinster Under-21 Football Championship

15 July^[2]

Final

Offaly	4-14 - 5-04	Louth
Connor 2-3, Owens 0-6, B. Lowry 1-3, Scally 1-0, Henry 0-1, Currams 0-1		Lennon 1-1, Lynch 1-1, Short 1-0, Wiseman 1-0, Judge 1-0, Carroll 0-1, McDonnell 0-1

Páirc Tailteann, Navan

Referee: P. Kavanagh (Meath)

GK 1 Noel Fitzgerald RCB 2 Michael Darby FB 3 Ernie Maguire LCB 4 Joe Slevin RHB 5 Larry Lynam CHB 6 Christy McGlynn LHB 7 Mick Lowry MF 8 Johnny Mooney MF 9 Gerry Carroll RHF 10 Liam Currams CHF 11 Vincent Henry LHF 12 Ollie Scally RCF 13 Brendan Lowry FF 14 Matt Connor LCF 15 Danny Owens Substitutes: 16 Pat Maher for Maguire 17 Noel O'Dea for Slevin

GK 1 Michael Ward (Mattock Rangers) RCB 2 Paul Matthews (Newtown Blues) FB 3 Brendan Byrne (St Mochta's) LCB 4 Ray Faulkner (Newtown Blues) RHB 5 Gary O'Callaghan (Clan na Gael) CHB 6 Aidan Wiseman (Clan na Gael) LHB 7 Noel Cluskey (Seán McDermott's) MF 8 Jim Lynch (Kilkerley Emmets) MF 9 Frank Short (Naomh Malachi) RHF 10 Jimmy McDonnell (Geraldines) CHF 11 Eugene Judge (Newtown Blues) LHF 12 Seán Reid (Mattock Rangers) RCF 13 Kevin Carroll (Seán McDermott's) FF 14 Paul Reneghan (Geraldines) LCF 15 Pat Lennon (Kilkerley Emmets) (c) Substitutes: 16 Jim Tenanty (St Mary's) for Faulkner 17 Paddy Matthews (Oliver Plunketts) for Cluskey 18 Seán McGahon (Seán McDermott's) for Lynch

Munster Under-21 Football Championship Ulster Under-21 Football Championship All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship Semi-finals Cork v Offaly 26 August 1979 Semi-final Cork 1-08 - 1-07 Offaly Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Cork Down v Galway 26 August 1979 Semi-final Down 0-11 - 0-09 Galway Páirc Esler, Newry Final Down v Cork 23 September 1979 Final Down 1-09 - 0-07 Cork Croke Park, Dublin Statistics Miscellaneous The All-Ireland semi-final between Cork and Offaly is the first ever championship meeting between the two teams. The All-Ireland final between Cork and Down is the first ever championship meeting between the two teams. References ↑ "Hayden: Kerry scalp in '78 was 'mighty'". Roscommon People. 1 January 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2017. ↑ "Louth bid farewell to Leinster U-21 title". The Argus. 20 July 1979.