1976–77 National Football League (Ireland)

1976–77 National Football League

League details
Dates	October 1976 – 17 April 1977
Teams	32
League champions
Winners	Kerry (13th win)
Captain	John O'Keeffe
Manager	Mick O'Dwyer
League runners-up
Runners-up	Dublin
Captain	Tony Hanahoe
Manager	Tony Hanahoe (player-manager)
← 1975–76 1977–78 →

The 1976–77 National Football League was the 46th staging of the National Football League (NFL), an annual Gaelic football tournament for the Gaelic Athletic Association county teams of Ireland.

Kerry narrowly beat Dublin in the final.^[1][2][3]

Format

All 32 counties of Ireland compete: 12 in Division 1 and 20 in Division 2.

Division 1 is composed of two groups of 6 teams (North and South). Each team plays the other teams in its group once, earning 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw.

• The first-placed team in each group advances to the NFL semi-finals.
• The second-placed team in each group advances to the NFL quarter-finals.
• The last-placed team is relegated.

Division 2 is composed of two groups of 10 teams (North and South). Each of these is further divided into two groups of 5. The top two in each group play semi-finals and finals, with the North champions and the South champions advancing to the NFL quarter-finals and being promoted.

Group stage

Division One (North)

Play-offs

Mayo v Roscommon

6 February 1977 For 1st Place	Mayo	1-9 — 1-6	Roscommon	Tuam

Antrim v Sligo

13 March 1977 For 5th Place	Antrim	2-7 — 0-10	Sligo	Clones

Table

Team	Pld	W	D	L	Pts	Notes
Mayo	5	4	0	1	8	Qualified for Knockout Stages
Roscommon	5	4	0	1	8
Tyrone	5	3	0	2	6
Derry	5	2	0	3	4
Antrim	5	1	0	4	2
Sligo	5	1	0	4	2	Relegated to Division Two of the 1977–78 NFL

^[4]

Division One (South)

Play-offs

Galway v Meath

13 March 1977 For 5th Place	Galway	0-16 — 2-6	Meath	O'Connor Park, Tullamore

Table

Team	Pld	W	D	L	Pts	Notes
Kerry	5	4	1	0	9	Qualified for Knockout Stages
Dublin	5	3	1	1	7
Cork	5	2	2	1	6
Kildare	5	2	0	3	4
Galway	5	0	2	3	2
Meath	5	0	2	3	2	Relegated to Division Two of the 1977–78 NFL

Division Two (North)

Group B Play-offs

Cavan v Leitrim

16 January 1977 For 1st Place	Cavan	2-10 — 1-5	Leitrim	Pearse Park, Longford

Donegal v Leitrim

30 January 1977 For 2nd Place	Donegal	0-14 — 1-9 AET	Leitrim	Sligo[5]

Inter-Group Play-offs

Cavan v Armagh

6 February 1977 Semi-Final	Cavan	0-12 — 0-9	Armagh	Ballybay

Donegal v Down

6 February 1977 Semi-Final	Donegal	1-8 — 0-8	Down	Dungannon

Cavan v Donegal

6 March 1977 Final	Cavan	0-12 — 0-9	Donegal	Irvinestown

Group A Table

Team	Pld	W	D	L	Pts	Notes
Armagh	4	3	1	0	7
Down	4	3	1	0	7
Monaghan	4	2	0	2	4
Westmeath	4	1	0	3	2
Louth	4	0	0	4	0

Group B Table

Team	Pld	W	D	L	Pts	Notes
Cavan	4	3	0	1	6	Qualified for Knockout Stages; promoted to Division One of the 1977–78 NFL
Donegal	4	3	0	1	6
Leitrim	4	3	0	1	6
Fermanagh	4	1	0	3	2
Longford	4	0	0	4	0

Division Two (South)

Inter-Group Play-offs

Laois v Waterford

6 February 1977 Semi-Final	Laois	2-9 — 2-8	Waterford	Carlow

Offaly v Wicklow

6 February 1977 Semi-Final	Offaly	4-14 — 2-2	Wicklow	Croke Park, Dublin

Offaly v Laois

6 March 1977 Final	Offaly	2-13 — 0-9	Laois	Croke Park, Dublin

Group A Table

Team	Pld	W	D	L	Pts	Notes
Offaly	4	3	1	0	7	Qualified for Knockout Stages; promoted to Division One of the 1977–78 NFL
Laois	4	2	1	1	5
Clare	4	2	0	2	4
Tipperary	4	2	0	2	4
Limerick	4	0	0	4	0

Group B Table

Team	Pld	W	D	L	Pts	Notes
Waterford	4	3	1	0	7
Wicklow	4	2	1	1	5
Carlow	4	2	0	2	4
Wexford	4	1	2	1	4
Kilkenny	4	0	0	4	0

Knockout stage

References