2017 National Hurling League Explained

League:National Hurling League 2017
Dates:11 February – 23 April 2017
Teams:33
Team1:Galway
Captain1:David Burke
Manager1:Micheál Donoghue
Titles:10th
Team2:Tipperary
Captain2:Pádraic Maher
Manager2:Michael Ryan
Twoa:Antrim
Twob:Meath
Threea:Donegal
Threeb:Longford
Previous:2016
Next:2018

The 2017 National Hurling League was the 86th season of the National Hurling League for county teams.

Clare were the defending champions, winning the title for the first time since 1977–78 after a 1–23 to 2–19 win against Waterford in a replay on 8 May 2016.

Eir Sport (formerly Setanta) and TG4 provide live coverage of the league on Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons respectively, with highlights shown on GAA 2017 during the week. RTÉ2 broadcasts highlights programme Allianz League Sunday on Sunday evenings.

In the Division 1 final on 23 April, Galway won the title after a 3–21 to 0–14 win against Tipperary at the Gaelic Grounds.[1] [2]

Format

League structure

Thirty three teams compete in the 2017 NHL – six teams in the top four divisions (Divisions 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B), four teams in Division 3A and five teams in Division 3B. Thirty-one county teams from Ireland take part (Cavan do not). London and Warwickshire complete the lineup. Fingal were scheduled to compete in Division 3A but have withdrawn for 2017.

Each team plays all the other teams in their division once, either home or away in all divisions except Division 3A where a double round of fixtures are played. Two points are awarded for a win, and one for a draw.

On a pilot basis in 2017, the hurling quarter-finals and semi-finals will finish on the day the games are played avoiding the need for replays. If a quarter-final or semi-final is level after the initial seventy minutes, still level after two ten minute periods of extra time played each way, and still level after two further five minute periods of extra time, the outcome will be decided by a free-taking competition. This will prevent games from going to a replay and allow the league finals to be held on the scheduled date.[3]

Tie-breaker

Finals, promotions and relegations

Division 1A

Division 1B

Division 2A

Division 2B

Division 3A

Division 3B

Division 1A

Division 1 Format

The 12 teams in Division 1 are ranked into two groups of six teams named Division 1A and Division 1B. Each team play all the other teams in its group once. Two points are awarded for a win and one for a draw. The top four teams in 1A and 1B advance 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 1A Round 5

Division 1B

Division 1B Rounds 1 to 5

Division 1B Round 5

Division 1 Knockout

Division 1 Quarter-Finals

On a pilot basis in 2017, the hurling quarter-finals will finish on the day the games are played avoiding the need for replays. If the score is level after the initial seventy minutes, still level after two ten minute periods of extra time played each way, and still level after a further two five minute periods of extra time, a free-taking competition will be held. Each team will nominate five players to take frees from their chosen position on the sixty five metre line. If the teams score an equal number of the five frees, the outcome of the match will be decided by sudden death frees using the same nominated players in the same order.[4]

Division 1 Semi-Finals

On a pilot basis in 2017, the hurling semi-finals will finish on the day the games are played avoiding the need for replays. If the score is level after the initial seventy minutes, still level after two ten minute periods of extra time played each way, and still level after a further two five minute periods of extra time, a free-taking competition will be held. Each team will nominate five players to take frees from their chosen position on the sixty five metre line. If the teams score an equal number of the five frees, the outcome of the match will be decided by sudden death frees using the same nominated players in the same order.

Division 1 Scoring Statistics

Top scorer overall
RankPlayerTeamTallyTotalMatchesAverage
1Shane DooleyOffaly4-5365610.83
2T. J. ReidKilkenny3-495869.66
3Joe CanningGalway3-475678.00
4Conor McDonaldWexford3-465577.85
5Pauric MahonyWaterford0-484868.00
6Séamus CallananTipperary4-344659.20
7John McGrathTipperary5-274276.00
8Ross KingLaois0-393966.50
9Donal BurkeDublin2-323866.33
10Shane DowlingLimerick1-333649.00
Top scorers in a single game
RankPlayerClubTallyTotalOpposition
1Ronan LynchLimerick3-1120Kerry
2Shane DooleyOffaly2-1117Limerick
Séamus CallananTipperary2-1117Offaly
4Jason FlynnGalway2-1016Offaly
5Patrick HorganCork0-1515Tipperary
6T. J. ReidKilkenny3-0514Tipperary
7Joe CanningGalway1-1013Waterford
8Gearóid HegartyLimerick2-0612Laois
Séamus CallananTipperary2-0612Cork
Donal BurkeDublin1-0912Kilkenny
Stephen MaherLaois0-1212Offaly
Pauric MahonyWaterford0-1212Dublin
Ross KingLaois0-1212Kerry

Division 2A

Division 2A Rounds 1 to 5

Division 2A Round 5

Division 2A Scoring Statistics

Top scorer overall
RankPlayerTeamTallyTotalMatchesAverage
1Allan DevineWestmeath1-464959.80
2David ReidyKildare2-424859.60
3Ciarán ClarkeAntrim4-314367.16
6Paul CoadyCarlow0-333356.60
4Kevin O'LoughlinLondon4-172947.25
David CarvillArmagh0-292955.80
7Déaglán MurphyAntrim0-252555.00
8Craig WallCarlow4-061853.60
9Chris NolanCarlow2-091562.50
10Cahal CarvillArmagh2-081452.80
Top scorers in a single game
RankPlayerClubTallyTotalOpposition
1Ciarán ClarkeAntrim1-1215Carlow
2Allan DevineWestmeath1-1114Armagh
3David ReidyKildare1-1013London
4Kevin O'LoughlinLondon2-0612Westmeath
Déaglán MurphyAntrim0-1212Westmeath
Allan DevineWestmeath0-1212Antrim
7David ReidyKildare1-0811Carlow
Allan DevineWestmeath0-1111London
9Eoin PriceWestmeath1-0710Armagh
David CarvillArmagh0-1010Westmeath

Division 2B

Division 2B Rounds 1 to 5

Division 2B Round 5

Division 2B Scoring Statistics

Top scorer overall
RankPlayerTeamTallyTotalMatchesAverage
1Kenny FeeneyMayo1-444767.83
2Danny TonerDown3-303957.80
Christy MoorehouseWicklow1-363957.80
4Stephen ClynchMeath0-313147.75
5Andy O'BrienWicklow3-162555.00
6Ruairí ConveryDerry2-162254.40
7Peter FarrellMeath1-152045.00
8Mark O'SullivanMeath3-081735.66
Alan GrantDerry1-141753.40
Seán QuigleyRoscommon1-141735.66
Top scorers in a single game
RankPlayerClubTallyTotalOpposition
1Peter FarrellMeath1-1215Wicklow
2Mark O'SullivanMeath3-0514Wicklow
3Kenny FeeneyMayo1-1013Roscommon
4Danny TonerDown1-0912Mayo
Peter SheehanDown1-0912Derry
Danny TonerDown0-1212Roscommon
7Stephen ClynchMeath0-1111Mayo
8Christy MoorehouseWicklow1-0710Roscommon
Kenny FeeneyMayo0-1010Down
10Christy MoorehouseWicklow0-099Down
Kenny FeeneyMayo0-099Meath
Seán QuigleyMeath0-099Roscommon

Division 3A

Division 3A Table

Fingal withdrew from hurling competitions in 2017, thereby reducing Division 3A from five to four teams. There was no relegation from Division 3A and a double round of games in this division was played.

Division 3A Rounds 1 to 6

Division 3A Round 6

Division 3A Scoring Statistics

Top scorer overall
RankPlayerTeamTallyTotalMatchesAverage
1Diarmuid MurphyLouth1-212446.00
2David FlynnDonegal3-142337.66
Damian CaseyTyrone2-172337.66
4Donal MeeganMonaghan0-222237.33
5Lee HendersonDonegal0-161635.33
6Fergal RafterMonaghan0-121243-00
7Brian McGuiganMonaghan3-011033-33
Top scorers in a single game
RankPlayerClubTallyTotalOpposition
1David FlynnDonegal2-0814Tyrone
2Donal MeeganMonaghan0-1212Donegal
3Damian CaseyTyrone1-0710Monaghan
4Damian CaseyTyrone1-058Louth
Lee HendersonDonegal0-088Louth
Diarmuid MurphyLouth0-088Tyrone
7Brian McGuiganMonaghan2-017Tyrone
Donal MeeganMonaghan2-017Tyrone
9Diarmuid MurphyLouth1-036Monaghan
Diarmuid MurphyLouth0-066Donegal
Liam DwanLouth0-066Donegal
Lee HendersonDonegal0-066Monaghan

Division 3B

Division 3B Rounds 1 to 5

Division 3B Round 5

Division 3B Scoring Statistics

Top scorer overall
RankPlayerTeamTallyTotalMatchesAverage
1Liam WatsonWarwickshire4-2840313.33
2Johnson CaseyLongford80-24002460312.00
3Cathal MullaneLongford2-283448.50
Top scorers in a single game
RankPlayerClubTallyTotalOpposition
1Liam WatsonWarwickshire2-1016Fermanagh
Keith RaymondSligo2-1016Leitrim
3Liam WatsonWarwickshire2-0713Sligo
4Keith RaymondSligo2-0713Leitrim
5Pádraig O'DonnellLeitrim2-0612Sligo
Cathal BeirneLeitrim1-0912Longford
Cathal MullaneLongford1-0912Leitrim
8Cathal MullaneLongford1-0811Warwickshire
Liam WatsonWarwickshire0-1111Leitrim
10Seán CorriganFermanagh0-1010Sligo

References

  1. Web site: Flynn fires two goals as Galway hand out 16-point beating to Tipperary in league final. 23 April 2017. The 42. 26 April 2017.
  2. Web site: Clinical Galway leave Tipp reeling in league final. 23 April 2017. RTÉ Sport. 26 April 2017.
  3. Web site: Shoot-outs will decide deadlocked NHL play-offs. 22 November 2016. Irish Independent. 22 November 2016.
  4. Web site: Here's next weekend's Allianz hurling league quarter-final clashes. 26 March 2017. The 42. 27 March 2017.

External links