2013 National Football League (Ireland) Explained

League:2013 National Football League
Dates:2 February – 28 April 2013
Teams:32
Team1:Dublin
Captain1:Stephen Cluxton
Manager1:Jim Gavin
Titles:9th
Team2:Tyrone
Captain2:Niall Morgan
Manager2:Mickey Harte
Two:Derry
Three:Monaghan
Four:Limerick
Previous:2012
Next:2014

The 2013 National Football League known for sponsorship reasons as the Allianz National Football League was the 82nd staging of the National Football League (NFL), an annual Gaelic football tournament for the Gaelic Athletic Association county teams of Ireland. The League began on Saturday 1 February 2014. Thirty-one Gaelic football county teams from the island of Ireland, plus London, participated. Kilkenny, who participated in previous years, withdrew from the competition.[1]

The reigning League Champions were Cork. 2012 All-Ireland Champions Donegal competed in the top division, as did Mayo whom they beat in the 2012 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Final. The losing All-Ireland finalists in 2010 and 2011, respectively Down and Kerry, were there too. The top division was completed by newly promoted Kildare and Tyrone and 2011 All-Ireland Champions Dublin. All-Ireland Champions Donegal travelled to Croke Park to play Kildare in their first league game of the season on 3 February 2013.[2]

On 28 April, Dublin defeated Tyrone by 0-18 to 0-17 to win their first league title since 1993. Two late points by Dean Rock and one by Jack McCaffrey in the final four minutes steered Dublin to victory[3]

Format

League structure

The 2013 format of the National Football League was a system of four divisions of eight teams. Each team played every other team in its division once, either home or away. 2 points were awarded for a win and 1 for a draw.

Tie-breaker

If only two teams were level on points:

If three or more teams were level on points, points difference was used to rank the teams.

Finals, promotions and relegations

The top four teams in Division 1 contested the 2013 NFL semi-finals (first played fourth and second played third) and final. The top two teams in divisions 2, 3 and 4 were promoted, and contested the finals of their respective divisions. The bottom two teams in divisions 1, 2 and 3 were relegated.

Division 1

Division 1 final

Division 2

Division 2 final

Division 3

Division 3 final

Division 4

Division 4 final

Statistics

Scoring

Top scorers

Overall
RankPlayerCountyTallyTotalMatchesAverage
1Bernard Brogan Dublin2-384467.3
Sean McCormack Longford4-324476.3
3Emlyn Mulligan Leitrim1-404376.1
Mickey Newman Meath4-314376.1
5Donal O'Hare Down2-354175.9
6Conor McManus Monaghan2-323875.4
John Heslin Westmeath2-323875.4
8Michael Murphy Donegal1-343775.3
9James Kielt Derry3-273684.5
Adrian Marren Sligo2-303675.1
Barry Grogan Tipperary2-303675.1
12Ian Ryan Limerick1-323575
13David Tubridy Clare1-313474.9
14Shane Lennon Louth3-202964.8
15Stephen O'Neill Tyrone3-192883.5
Single game

Notes and References

  1. News: Kilkenny footballers withdraw from Allianz League. Hogan Stand. 10 October 2012. 10 October 2012.
  2. News: Gallagher welcomes Croker opportunity. Hogan Stand. 14 December 2012. 14 December 2012.
  3. News: Supersub Rock breaks Tyrone hearts in epic final. 28 April 2013. Irish Independent. 29 April 2013.
  4. News: Results. Hogan Stand. 31 December 2013. 26 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160320220614/http://hoganstand.com/Results.aspx. 2016-03-20. dead.