2016 National Hurling League Explained

League:National Hurling League 2016
Dates:13 February – 8 May 2016
Teams:34
Team1:Clare
Captain1:Tony Kelly & Cian Dillon
Manager1:Davy Fitzgerald
Titles:4th
Team2:Waterford
Captain2:Kevin Moran
Manager2:Derek McGrath
Oneb:Clare
Twoa:Westmeath
Twob:Armagh
Threea:Roscommon
Threeb:Fermanagh
Previous:2015
Next:2017

The 2016 National Hurling League was the 85th season of the National Hurling League for inter-county hurling teams since its establishment in 1925. The fixtures were announced on 16 November 2015.[1] The season began on 13 February 2016, and finished on 8 May 2016.

Waterford came into the season as defending champions of the 2015 season. Kerry entered Division 1 as the promoted team from the 2015 season.

Clare won the title for the first time since 1978 after a 1-23 to 2-19 win against Waterford in a replay.[2] [3]

Format

League structure

Thirty four teams compete in the 2016 NHL – six teams in the top five divisions (Divisions 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B & 3A) and four teams in Division 3B. Thirty one county teams from Ireland take part (Cavan do not). Fingal, London and Warwickshire complete the lineup.

Each team plays all the other teams in their division once, either home or away. 2 points are awarded for a win, and 1 for a draw.

Tie-breaker

Finals, promotions and relegations

Division 1A

Competition:National Hurling League Division 1
Season:2016
League Topscorer:T. J. Reid (2-61)
Biggest Home Win:Limerick 6-29 - 1-12 Laois
(12 March 2016)
Biggest Away Win:Wexford 2-25 - 0-8 Kerry
(6 March 2016)
Highest Scoring:Limerick 6-29 - 1-12 Laois
(12 March 2016)
Matches:41
Prevseason:2015
Nextseason:2017
Updated:8 May 2016

Waterford came into the season as defending champions of the 2015 season. Kerry entered Division 1 as the promoted team.

On 8 May 2016, Clare won the title following a 1-23 to 2-19 win over Waterford in a replay of the final. It was their first league title since 1978 and their fourth National League title overall.

Galway, who actually finished above Cork, were relegated from Division 1A after losing the relegation play-off to Cork by 2-22 to 0-25. Clare, who were undefeated in Division 1B, secured promotion to the top tier.

Kilkenny's T. J. Reid was the Division 1 top scorer with 2-61. Clare's Patrick Kelly was the top goalkeeper having kept 4 clean sheets.

Structure

The 12 teams in Division 1 were divided into two groups of six teams named Division 1A and Division 1B. Each team played all the others in its group once. Two points were awarded for a win and 1 for a draw. The first four teams in 1A and 1B advanced to the league quarter-finals with the top team in Division 1A playing the fourth team in Division 1B, the second team in Division 1A playing the third in Division 1B, etc.

Division 1A Rounds 1 to 5

Division 1B

Division 1B Rounds 1 to 5

Division 1 Knockout

Statistics

Top scorer overall
RankPlayerTeamTallyTotalMatchesAverage
1T. J. ReidKilkenny2-6167611.16
2Shane DooleyOffaly0-6262610.33
3Joe CanningGalway1-525560.16
4P. J. ScullyLaois2-475377.57
5Patrick HorganCork3-435268.66
6Patrick CurranWaterford2-455186.37
7David TreacyDublin2-424868.0
8Conor McGrathClare1-414485.50
9John O'DwyerTipperary0-383866.33
10Conor McGrathClare1-333675.14
Top scorer in a single game
RankPlayerTeamTallyTotalOpposition
1John FitzgibbonLimerick1-1417Laois
2T. J. ReidKilkenny1-1215Cork
Shane DooleyOffaly0-1515Wexford
4Conor McDonaldWexford2-814Offaly
Joe CanningGalway1-1114Tipperary
T. J. ReidKilkenny0-1414Galway
7John EganKerry1-1013Offaly
Shane DooleyOffaly0-1313Kerry
Conor McGrathClare0-1313Waterford
Joe CanningGalway0-1313Cork
Clean sheets
RankGoalkeeperTeamClean sheets
1Patrick KellyClare4
2Eoin MurphyKilkenny3
Stephen O'KeeffeWaterford
James SkehillGalway
Conor O'LearyWexford
6Nickie QuaidLimerick2
Conor DooleyDublin
Anthony NashCork
Enda RowlandLaois
10Darren GleesonTipperary1
Mark FanningWexford
James DempseyOffaly
Andrew FaheyClare
Gary MaguireDublin
Paddy MaloneyWestmeath

Division 2A

Competition:National League Division 2A
Season:2016
Winners:Westmeath
Relegated:Derry
League Topscorer:Kevin O'Loughlin (3-37)
Best Goalkeeper:Patrick Maloney (4 clean sheets)
Biggest Home Win:Carlow 2-25 - 0-9 Derry
(6 March 2016)
Biggest Away Win:Carlow 1-11 - 5-16 London
(21 February 2016)
Highest Scoring:Antrim 3-25 - 3-13 Kildare
(21 February 2016)
Matches:16
Prevseason:2015
Nextseason:2017
Updated:29 March 2016

On 26 March 2016, Westneath won the title after a 0-10 to 0-8 win over Carlow.[4] It was their first league title since 2008 when they claimed the Division 2 title in the old system.

London's Kevin O'Loughlin was the Division 2A top scorer with 3-37.

Statistics

Top scorer overall
RankPlayerTeamTallyTotalMatchesAverage
1Kevin O'LoughlinLondon3-374659.2
2Ruairí ConveryDerry1-323557.0
3Denis MurphyCarlow1-2831310.3
4Martin FitzgeraldKildare1-273056.0
5Ciarán ClarkeAntrim1-252855.6
6Brendan MurtaghWestmeath1-202363.8
7Derek McNicholasWestmeath2-131953.8
8Gerry KeeganKildare1-141755.4
9Marty KavanaghCarlow1-121543.75
10Kevin McKernanAntrim0-131352.6
Single game
RankPlayerClubTallyTotalOpposition
1Kevin O'LoughlinLondon3-918Carlow
2Denis MurphyCarlow1-1215Derry
3Ciarán ClarkeAntrim1-912Kildare
Martin FitzgeraldKildare1-912Derry
5Ruairí ConveryDerry1-811Antrim
6Kevin O'LoughlinLondon0-1010Westmeath
Ruairí ConveryDerry0-1010Kildare
8Denis MurphyCarlow0-99Kildare
9Derek McNicholasWestmeath1-58Antrim
Ciarán ClarkeAntrim0-88Derry
Kevin O'LoughlinLondon0-88Antrim

Division 2B

Competition:National League Division 2B
Season:2016
Winners:Armagh
League Topscorer:Ryan Gaffney (0-53)
Biggest Home Win:Meath 2-35 - 0-9 Donegal
(6 March 2016)
Biggest Away Win:Donegal 0-14 - 3-22 Down
(13 March 2016)
Highest Scoring:Wicklow 2-27 - 0-17 Donegal
(20 March 2016)
Matches:17
Prevseason:2015
Nextseason:2017
Updated:30 March 2016

On 26 March 2016, Armagh won the title after a 0-20 to 1-15 win over Down.[5] It was their first league title since 2006 when they claimed the Division 3 title in the old system. The victory also secured promotion to Division 2A for 2017.

Armagh's Ryan Gaffney was the Division 2B top scorer with 0-53.

Statistics

Top scorer overall
RankPlayerTeamTallyTotalMatchesAverage
1Ryan GaffneyArmagh0-535268.6
2Danny TonerDown2-394567.5
3Kenny FeeneyMayo1-404358.6
4Lee HendersonDonegal0-292955.8
5John KeenaMeath1-222555.0
6Conor CorvanArmagh3-142354.6
Single game
RankPlayerClubTallyTotalOpposition
1Kenny FeeneyMayo0-1313Down
Ryan GaffneyArmagh0-1313Meath
3Stephen ClynchMeath0-1212Donegal
4Mikey LeeWicklow1-811Donegal
Lee HendersonDonegal0-1111Down
Ryan GaffneyArmagh0-1111Down
Diarmuid MastersonWicklow0-1111Donegal
8Adrian MurphyDonegal3-09Roscommon
Danny TonerDown1-69Armagh
Kenny FeeneyMayo0-99Wicklow
Danny TonerDown0-99Meath
Clean sheets
RankGoalkeeperTeamClean sheets
1Shane McGannMeath4
Stephen KeithDown
3Donal O'BrienMayo2
D O'NeillWicklow
5Bob FitzgeraldWicklow1

Division 3A

Competition:National League Division 3A
Season:2016
Winners:Roscommon
Relegated:Warwickshire
League Topscorer:Damian Casey (2-52)
Best Goalkeeper:Noel Fallon (3 clean sheets)
Biggest Home Win:Fingal 4-18 - 1-6 Warwickshire
(14 February 2016)
Biggest Away Win:Monaghan 2-13 - 2-18 Tyrone
(14 February 2016)
Highest Scoring:Louth 2-19 - 2-16 Tyrone
(13 March 2016)
Matches:16
Prevseason:2015
Nextseason:2017
Updated:30 March 2016

On 26 March 2016, Roscommon won the title after a 4-15 to 0-7 win over Monaghan.[6] It was their first league title since 2011 when they claimed the Division 3B title in the old system. The victory also secured automatic promotion to Division 2B for 2017.

At the other end of the table, Warwickshire were relegated after losing all five of their group stage games. They had secured promotion in 2015 but will return to Division 3B in 2017.

Tyrone's Damian Casey was the Division 3A top scorer with 2-52. Roscommon's Noel Fallon was the top goalkeeper having kept 3 clean sheets.

Statistics

Top scorer overall
RankPlayerTeamTallyTotalMatchesAverage
1Damian CaseyTyrone2-5258511.6
2Stephen LambeMonaghan2-333966.5
3Gerry FallonRoscommon0-373766.16
4John Matthew SheridanFingal2-263256.4
5Liam DwanLouth2-222847.0
6Kieran O'SullivanFingal3-152446.0
7Shane MorrisseyWarwickshire4-102254.40
8Pauric CrehanWarwickshire2-152145.25
9Diarmuid MurphyLouth2-142054.0
10Mark TreanorMonaghan3-101963.16
Single game
RankPlayerTeamTallyTotalOpposition
1Damian CaseyTyrone1-1114Louth
2Pauric CrehanWarwickshire2-713Roscommon
3Kieran O'SullivanFingal2-612Warwickshire
Damian CaseyTyrone0-1212Fingal
Damian CaseyTyrone0-1212Warwickshire
Gerry FallonRoscommon0-1212Warwickshire
7Shane MorrisseyWarwickshire2-511Louth
Kieran O'SullivanFingal1-811Tyrone
9Damian CaseyTyrone1-710Roscommon
Damian CaseyTyrone0-1010Monaghan
John Matthew SheridanFingal0-1010Tyrone
Clean sheets
RankGoalkeeperTeamClean sheets
1Noel FallonRoscommon3
2Michael CreminWarwickshire1

Division 3B

Competition:National League Division 3B
Season:2016
Winners:Fermanagh
League Topscorer:Joe O'Brien (4-26)
Best Goalkeeper:Reuben Murray (1 clean sheet)
Biggest Home Win:Longford 3-12 - 0-13 Leitrim
(6 March 2016)
Highest Scoring:Sligo 5-13 - 5-21 Longford
(20 March 2016)
Matches:7
Prevseason:2015
Nextseason:2017
Updated:21 March 2016

On 26 March 2016, Fermanagh won the title after a 2-13 to 3-8 win over Longford.[7] It was their first league title since 2013 when they also claimed the Division 3B title.

Longford's Joe O'Brien was the Division 3B top scorer with 3-22. Longford's Reuben Murray was the top goalkeeper having kept one clean sheet.

Statistics

Top scorer overall
RankPlayerTeamTallyTotalMatchesAverage
1Joe O'BrienLongford4-263849.5
2Cathal MullaneLongford8-103448.5
3Seán CorriganFermanagh1-242746.75
4Seán KennySligo4-132538.33
5Pádraig O'DonnellLeitrim2-162237.3
6Keith RaymondSligo1-172036.66
7Paddy FarringtonLongford2-51142.75
8Clement CunniffeLeitrim0-101033.33
Joe DuffyFermanagh1-71042.5
10Declan McGarryFermanagh1-5832.66
Single game
RankPlayerTeamTallyTotalOpposition
1Seán KennySligo3-817Longford
2Joe O'BrienLongford1-1013Sligo
3Cathal MullaneLongford3-312Sligo
Pádraig O'DonnellLeitrim1-912Fermanagh
5Seán CorriganFermanagh1-811Leitrim
6Pádraig O'DonnellLeitrim1-710Sligo
Joe O'BrienLongford1-710Fermanagh
Seán CorriganFermanagh0-1010Longford
9Cathal MullaneLongford2-39Leitrim
10Joe O'BrienLongford1-58Leitrim
Keith RaymondSligo0-88Leitrim
Clean sheets

References

  1. News: Allianz Football and Hurling fixture lists announced. Irish Times. 16 November 2015. 15 February 2016.
  2. Web site: Tony Kelly inspires Banner to first League title since 1978. 8 May 2016. Irish Independent. 9 May 2016.
  3. Web site: Clare take long-awaited Div 1 title in controversial circumstances against Waterford. 8 May 2016. Irish Examiner. 9 May 2016.
  4. Web site: HL2A final: Westmeath hang on. Hogan Stand. 26 March 2016. 30 March 2016.
  5. Web site: Gaffney pick of Orchard crop. Irish Independent. 28 March 2016. 30 March 2016.
  6. Web site: Roscommon's second half surge helps them to Division 3A title at Monaghan's expense. Irish Independent. 26 March 2016. 30 March 2016.
  7. Web site: Fermanagh clinch 3B title. Irish Independent. 27 March 2016. 30 March 2016.

External links

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