2023 National Hurling League Explained

League:	2023 National Hurling League
Dates:	4 February – 9 April 2023
Teams:	35
Team1:	Limerick
Captain1:	Cian Lynch
Manager1:	John Kiely
Titles:	14th
Team2:	Kilkenny
Captain2:	Eoin Cody
Manager2:	Derek Lyng
Twoa:	Offaly
Twob:	Meath
Threea:	Roscommon
Threeb:	Cavan
Previous:	2022
Next:	2024

The 2023 National Hurling League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Allianz Hurling League, was the 92nd season of the National Hurling League, an annual hurling competition held in Ireland for county teams. Three English county teams also feature. Waterford were the title holders.^{[1] [2]}

It took place between 4 February and 9 April.^{[3] [4]}

On 9 April, Limerick won the National Hurling League for the fourteenth time after a 2–20 to 0–15 win against Kilkenny in the final.^[5]

Format

League structure

Thirty-five teams compete in the 2023 NHL –

• twelve teams organised in two six-team groups of approximately equal strength in Division 1^[6]
• six teams in Divisions 2A, 2B and 3A
• five teams in Division 3B.

All thirty-two county teams from Ireland take part. London, Lancashire and Warwickshire complete the lineup.^{[7] [8]}

Teams by Province and Division
Province	Div 1	Div 2A	Div 2B	Div 3A	Div 3B	Total
	1	0	1	2	1	5
	5	3	2	1	1	12
	5	1	0	0	0	6
	1	2	2	3	1	9
	0	0	1	0	2	3
Total	12	6	6	6	5	35

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

Tie-breaker

• If only two teams are level on league points, the team that won the head-to-head match is ranked ahead. If this game was a draw, score difference (total scored minus total conceded in all games) is used to rank the teams.
• If three or more teams are level on league points, score difference is used to rank the teams.

Finals, promotions and relegations

Division 1

• The top two teams in each group play in the NHL semi-finals and final.
• The bottom team in each group meet in a relegation play-off, with the losers being relegated to Division 2A

Division 2A

• Second and third place meet in the Division 2A semi-final
• The first-placed team plays the semi-final winner in the Division 2A final, with the winners being promoted to Division 1
• The bottom team is relegated to Division 2B

Division 2B

• Second and third place meet in the Division 2B semi-final
• The first-placed team plays the semi-final winner in the Division 2B final, with the winners being promoted to Division 2A
• The bottom two teams meet in a relegation play-off, with the losers being relegated to Division 3A

Division 3A

• Second and third place meet in the Division 3A semi-final
• The first-placed team plays the semi-final winner in the Division 3A final, with the winners being promoted to Division 2B
• The bottom team is relegated to Division 3B

Division 3B

• Second and third place meet in the Division 3B semi-final
• The first-placed team plays the semi-final winner in the Division 3B final, with the winners being promoted to Division 3A^[9]

Division 1

Division 1 Format

The top twelve teams compete in Division 1 in two six-team groups of approximately equal strength. This group structure was introduced in 2020; the groups were redrawn for 2022 and 2023.^[6]

Each team play all the other teams in their group once. Two points are awarded for a win and one for a draw. The top two teams in each group qualifies for the NHL semi-finals.^[4]

Division 1 Group A Table

width=165	Team	width=20	Pld	width=20	W	width=20	D	width=20	L	width=40	F	width=40	A	width=20	Diff	width=20	Pts
Cork	5	4	1	0	130	116	14	9
Limerick	5	4	0	1	132	99	33	8
Galway	5	3	0	2	139	112	27	6
Clare	5	2	1	2	152	116	36	5
Wexford	5	1	0	4	98	130	-32	2
	5	0	0	5	86	164	-78	0

Division 1 Group A Rounds 1 to 5

Division 1 Group A Round 1

• This game is also the final of the 2023 Walsh Cup.

Division 1 Group A Round 5

Division 1 Group B Table

width=165	Team	width=20	Pld	width=20	W	width=20	D	width=20	L	width=45	F	width=40	A	width=20	Diff	width=20	Pts
Tipperary	5	5	0	0	172	113	59	10
Kilkenny	5	4	0	1	128	102	26	8
Waterford	5	2	1	2	128	120	8	5
Dublin	5	2	1	2	129	130	-1	5
Antrim	5	1	0	4	106	135	-29	2
Laois (R)	5	0	0	5	105	168	-63	0

Division 1 Group B Rounds 1 to 5

Division 1 Group B Round 5

Division 1 relegation play-off

The bottom teams in the two Division 1 groups meet in a play-off with the losers being relegated to Division 2A.

Division 1 scoring statistics

Overall

Rank	Player	Club	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Billy Drennan	Kilkenny	2-70	76	7	10.85
2	Donal Burke	Dublin	1-55	58	5	11.60
3	Aidan McCarthy	Clare	2-51	57	5	11.40
4	Jason Forde	Tipperary	2-45	51	4	12.75
5	Conal Cunning	Antrim	1-40	43	5	8.60
	Stephen Maher	Laois	0-43	43	6	7.16
7	Killian Doyle	Westmeath	0-41	41	4	10.25
	Evan Niland	Galway	0-41	41	4	10.25
9	Gearóid O'Connor	Tipperary	0-36	36	5	7.20
10	Shane Kingston	Cork	1-31	34	6	5.66

In a single game

Rank	Player	Team	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Jason Forde	Tipperary	1-15	18	Kilkenny
2	Billy Drennan	Kilkenny	1-13	16	Cork
3	Donal Burke	Dublin	0-15	15	Tipperary
4	Aidan McCarthy	Clare	1-11	14	Cork
Jason Forde	Tipperary	0-14	14	Limerick
6	Stephen Bennett	Waterford	2-07	13	Dublin
Conal Cunning	Antrim	1-10	13	Laois
Aidan McCarthy	Clare	1-10	13	Wexford
Jason Forde	Tipperary	1-10	13	Dublin
Billy Drennan	Kilkenny	0-13	13	Dublin
Killian Doyle	Westmeath	0-13	13	Cork
Aidan McCarthy	Clare	0-13	13	Limerick

Division 2A

Division 2A Table

width=165	Team	width=20	Pld	width=20	W	width=20	D	width=20	L	width=35	F	width=35	A	width=20	Diff	width=20	Pts
Kildare	5	4	1	0	123	93	30	9
Offaly (P)	5	4	1	0	121	95	26	9
Kerry	5	3	0	2	111	99	12	6
Carlow	5	2	0	3	108	103	5	4
Down	5	0	1	4	104	126	-22	1
Derry (R)	5	0	1	4	89	140	-51	1

Division 2A Rounds 1 to 5

Division 2A Round 5

Division 2A scoring statistics

Overall

Rank	Player	Club	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Eoghan Cahill	Offaly	0-81	81	7	11.57
2	James Burke	Kildare	0-55	55	6	9.16
3	Cormac O'Doherty	Derry	1-42	45	5	9.00
4	Paul Sheehan	Down	0-44	44	5	8.80
	Pádraig Boyle	Kerry	0-44	44	7	7.33
6	Shane Conway	Kerry	1-27	30	6	5.00
7	Marty Kavanagh	Carlow	0-26	26	4	6.50
8	David Nally	Offaly	2-16	22	7	3.14
9	Gerry Keegan	Kildare	2-11	17	6	2.83
10	Pearse Óg McCrickard	Down	0-15	15	5	3.00

In a single game

Rank	Player	Club	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Cormac O'Doherty	Derry	0-14	14	Kildare
2	Cormac O'Doherty	Derry	1-10	13	Down
Marty Kavanagh	Carlow	0-13	13	Down
Eoghan Cahill	Offaly	0-13	13	Kerry
Eoghan Cahill	Offaly	0-13	13	Kerry
6	Paddy Boland	Carlow	4-00	12	Down
James Burke	Kildare	0-12	12	Kerry
Eoghan Cahill	Offaly	0-12	12	Derry
Paul Sheehan	Down	0-12	12	Offaly
10	Pádraig Boyle	Kerry	0-11	11	Derry
James Burke	Kildare	0-11	11	Carlow
Eoghan Cahill	Offaly	0-11	11	Carlow
Eoghan Cahill	Offaly	0-11	11	Kildare
Cormac O'Doherty	Derry	0-11	11	Carlow
Eoghan Cahill	Offaly	0-11	11	Kildare

Division 2B

Division 2B Table

width=165	Team	width=20	Pld	width=20	W	width=20	D	width=20	L	width=35	F	width=35	A	width=20	Diff	width=20	Pts
Meath (P)	5	5	0	0	129	87	42	10
Wicklow	5	3	0	2	100	84	16	6
Donegal	5	3	0	2	88	110	-22	6
Tyrone	5	2	0	3	90	97	-7	4
London	5	1	0	4	118	127	-9	2
Sligo (R)	5	1	0	4	85	105	-20	2

Division 2B Rounds 1 to 5

Division 2B Round 5

Division 2B scoring statistics

Overall

Rank	Player	Club	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Ronan Crowley	London	2-41	47	5	9.40
2	Pádraig O'Hanrahan	Meath	0-42	42	4	10.50
3	Jack Goulding	London	5-14	29	4	7.25
4	Declan Coulter	Donegal	0-27	27	3	9.00
	Andy Kilcullen	Sligo	0-27	27	4	6.75
6	Éamonn Ó Donnchadha	Meath	3-13	22	5	4.40
	Mickey Little	Tyrone	0-22	22	5	4.40
	Liam McKinney	Donegal	0-22	22	6	3.66
9	Diarmuid Hanniffy	Sligo	0-21	21	5	4.20
10	Dermot Begley	Tyrone	0-20	20	3	6.66
	Christy Moorehouse	Wicklow	0-20	20	4	5.00

In a single game

Rank	Player	Team	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Pádraig O'Hanrahan	Meath	0-15	15	Sligo
2	Ronan Crowley	London	0-13	13	Meath
Jack Regan	Meath	0-13	13	London
4	Ronan Crowley	London	1-09	12	Donegal
Ronan Crowley	London	1-09	12	Sligo
6	Pádraig O'Hanrahan	Meath	0-11	11	Donegal
Pádraig O'Hanrahan	Meath	0-11	11	Wicklow
Mickey Little	Tyrone	0-11	11	London
Declan Coulter	Donegal	0-11	11	London
10	Jack Goulding	London	2-04	10	Tyrone
Andy Kilcullen	Sligo	0-10	10	London
Liam McKinney	Donegal	0-10	10	Wicklow

Division 3A

Division 3A Table

width=165	Team	width=20	Pld	width=20	W	width=20	D	width=20	L	width=60	F	width=60	A	width=20	Diff	width=20	Pts
Roscommon (P)	5	2	2	1	97	76	21	6
Armagh	5	3	0	2	103	114	-11	6
Monaghan	5	3	0	2	91	119	-28	6
Mayo	5	2	1	2	135	91	44	5
Louth	5	2	0	3	93	117	-24	4
Fermanagh (R)	5	1	1	3	101	103	-2	3

Division 3A Rounds 1 to 5

Division 3A Round 5

Division 3A scoring statistics

Overall

Rank	Player	Club	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Fionntain Donnelly	Armagh	1-64	67	7	9.57
2	Fergal Rafter	Monaghan	2-42	48	6	8.00
3	Cormac Phillips	Mayo	0-45	45	5	9.00
4	Luca McCusker	Fermanagh	1-26	29	4	7.25
	Paddy Fallon	Roscommon	0-29	29	6	4.83
6	Darren Geoghegan	Louth	0-28	28	3	9.33
7	Adrian Phillips	Mayo	5-09	24	5	4.80
	Mickey Joe Egan	Roscommon	1-21	24	6	4.00
9	Mark Gahan	Louth	0-18	18	5	3.60
10	Danny Magee	Armagh	4-05	17	7	2.42
	Conor Mulry	Roscommon	2-11	17	5	3.40

In a single game

Rank	Player	Team	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Fionntain Donnelly	Armagh	0-16	16	Monaghan
2	Fergal Rafter	Monaghan	1-11	14	Louth
Fionntain Donnelly	Armagh	1-11	14	Mayo
4	Luca McCusker	Fermanagh	1-09	12	Armagh
Darren Geoghegan	Louth	0-12	12	Monaghan
Fionntain Donnelly	Armagh	0-12	12	Monaghan
7	Cormac Phillips	Mayo	0-11	11	Monaghan
8	Cormac Phillips	Mayo	0-10	10	Roscommon
Luca McCusker	Fermanagh	0-10	10	Roscommon
10	Adrian Phillips	Mayo	2-03	9	Louth
Tomás Galvin	Armagh	2-03	9	Fermanagh
Fionntain Donnelly	Armagh	0-09	9	Fermanagh
Mickey Joe Egan	Roscommon	0-09	9	Mayo
Cormac Phillips	Mayo	0-09	9	Fermanagh
Darren Geoghegan	Louth	0-09	9	Fermanagh
Paddy Fallon	Roscommon	0-09	9	Monaghan
Fergal Rafter	Monaghan	0-09	9	Armagh
Fionntain Donnelly	Armagh	0-09	9	Roscommon

Division 3B

Division 3B Table

width=165	Team	width=20	Pld	width=20	W	width=20	D	width=20	L	width=35	F	width=35	A	width=20	Diff	width=20	Pts
Cavan (P)	4	3	0	1	77	66	11	6
Leitrim	4	3	0	1	81	70	11	6
Longford	4	2	0	2	57	45	12	4
Lancashire	4	2	0	2	90	80	10	4
Warwickshire	4	0	0	4	57	101	-44	0

Division 3B Rounds 1 to 5

Division 3B Round 5

Division 3B scoring statistics

Overall

Rank	Player	Club	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Canice Maher	Cavan	1-43	46	5	9.20
2	Jack Grealish	Warwickshire	3-16	25	4	6.25
	Robin Spencer	Lancashire	1-21	24	3	8.00
4	Luke Hands	Warwickshire	3-13	22	4	5.50
	Michael Dervan	Leitrim	1-19	22	4	5.50
6	Shane Madden	Lancashire	2-13	19	4	4.75
7	Joe Murray	Leitrim	2-12	18	5	3.60
8	Gavin O'Hagan	Leitrim	0-17	17	5	3.40
9	Brendan Delaney	Leitrim	2-10	16	4	4.00
	Cathal Mullane	Longford	0-16	16	3	5.33

In a single game

Rank	Player	Team	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Brendan Delaney	Leitrim	2-06	12	Lancashire
Canice Maher	Cavan	0-12	12	Warwickshire
3	Canice Maher	Cavan	1-08	11	Longford
4	Michael Dervan	Leitrim	2-06	12	Warwickshire
5	Jack Grealish	Warwickshire	1-08	11	Lancashire
6	Shane Madden	Lancashire	2-04	10	Warwickshire
Canice Maher	Cavan	0-10	10	Leitrim
8	Robin Spencer	Lancashire	0-09	9	Warwickshire
Canice Maher	Cavan	0-09	9	Leitrim
10	Luke Hands	Warwickshire	2-02	8	Leitrim
Robin Spencer	Lancashire	0-08	8	Leitrim
Paddy Lynam	Longford	0-08	8	Lancashire

References

1. Web site: GAA 2023: Proposed changes to inter-county calendar in full. James. Fenton. September 22, 2022.
2. Web site: Hurling's new intercounty managers for 2023: The big appointments after a hectic off-season of changes. Sky Sports.
3. Web site: John Fogarty: How the 2023 GAA season will be different. John. Fogarty. July 28, 2022. Irish Examiner.
4. Web site: GAA Master Fixtures for 2023 published. www.gaa.ie.
5. Web site: Classy Limerick claim league honours with ease. 9 April 2023. RTE Sport. 12 April 2023.
6. Web site: 2022 National Hurling and Football Leagues: Groups confirmed for all divisions. Sky Sports.
7. Web site: Congress approves new championship restructure for 2023 with 94.7% approval. SportsJOE.ie.
8. Web site: Fascinating ties in Allianz Hurling League Round Two. Damian. Mullan. www.colerainechronicle.co.uk.
9. News: Hurling League structure to remain in place for 2018. 28 March 2017. www.rte.ie.

External links

• Full Fixtures and Results