1986–87 National Football League (Ireland)

1986–87 National Football League
League details
Dates October 1986 – 26 April 1987
League champions
Winners Dublin (6th win)
Captain Barney Rock
Manager Gerry McCaul
League runners-up
Runners-up Kerry
Captain Mikey Sheehy
Manager Mick O'Dwyer

The 1986–87 National Football League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Ford National Football League, was the 56th staging of the National Football League (NFL), an annual Gaelic football tournament for the Gaelic Athletic Association county teams of Ireland.

The quarter-final rounds were notable for the Dublin–Cork tie. After the game ended in a draw, Cork refused to play extra time and Dublin took the field unopposed, Barney Rock scoring a goal into an empty net before the referee awarded them victory (later chosen as one of the Top 20 GAA Moments). The Dubs went on to defeat Kerry in the final.[1][2][3][4]

Format

Divisions

  • Division One: 8 teams
  • Division Two: 8 teams
  • Division Three: 16 teams. Split into two regional groups of 8 (North and South)

Round-Robin Format

Each team played every other team in its division (or group where the division is split) once, either home or away.

Points awarded

2 points were awarded for a win and 1 for a draw.

Titles

Teams in all three divisions competed for the National Football League title.

Knockout stage qualifiers

  • Division One: top 4 teams
  • Division Two: top 2 teams
  • Division Three (North): group winners
  • Division Three (South): group winners

Knockout phase structure

In the Quarter-Finals, the match-ups were as follows:

  • Quarter-final 1: First-placed team in Division One v First-placed team in Division Three (South)
  • Quarter-final 2: Second-placed team in Division One v First-placed team in Division Three (North)
  • Quarter-final 3: Third-placed team in Division One v Second-placed team in Division Two
  • Quarter-final 4: Fourth-placed team in Division One v First-placed team in Division Two

The semi-final match-ups are:

  • Semi-final 1: Winner Quarter-final 1 v Winner Quarter-final 4
  • Semi-final 2: Winner Quarter-final 2 v Winner Quarter-final 3

The final match-up is: Winner Semi-final 1 v Winner Semi-final 2.

Promotion and Relegation

  • Division One: bottom 2 teams demoted to Division Two
  • Division Two: top 2 teams promoted to Division One. Bottom 2 teams demoted to Division Three.
  • Division Three (North): group winners promoted to Division Two.
  • Division Three (South): group winners promoted to Division Two.

Separation of teams on equal points

In the event that teams finish on equal points, then a play-off will be used to determine group placings if necessary, i.e. where to decide relegation places or quarter-finalists.

League Phase Tables and Results

Division One

Play-Off

Table

Team Pld W D L Pts Status
Kerry 750210Advance to knockout stage
Meath 74129
Monaghan 74129
Dublin 74038
Mayo 73046
Armagh 72145
Roscommon 72145Relegated to Division Two of the 1987–88 NFL
Down 72054

[6]

Division Two

Team Pld W D L Pts Status
Cork 760112Promoted to Division One of the 1987–88 NFL and advance to knockout stage
Derry 750210
Donegal 73228
Kildare 74038
Laois 73046
Cavan 72145
Longford 72054Relegated to Division Three of the 1987–88 NFL
Tyrone 71153

Division Three

Division Three (North) Table

Team Pld W D L Pts Status
Galway 770014Promoted to Division Two of the 1987–88 NFL and advance to knockout stage
Antrim 74129
Offaly 73137
Louth 73137
Westmeath 72236
Sligo 72145
Leitrim 72145
Fermanagh 71153

Division Three (South) Table

Team Pld W D L Pts Status
Clare 760112Promoted to Division Two of the 1987–88 NFL and advance to knockout stage
Tipperary 74129
Limerick 74129
Waterford 73137
Wicklow 73137
Wexford 73137
Carlow 72145
Kilkenny 70070

[7]

Knockout Stages

Quarter-Finals

Dublin 0-10 – 1-7 Cork
Report
Referee: Michael Greenan
  • Cork refused to play extra time and so Dublin were awarded the game.
Monaghan 1-7 – 0-5 Derry
Kerry 1-10 – 0-10 Clare
Galway 1-8 – 0-9 Meath

Semi-Finals

Kerry 2-11 – 2-9 Monaghan
Referee: [8]
Dublin 1-8 – 0-8 Galway
Attendance: 15,800
Referee: J.J. Landers (Waterford)[9]

Final

Dublin 1-11 – 0-11 Kerry

References

  1. ↑ GAA Final Teams Archived 2015-07-17 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ↑ Terrace Talk 1987
  3. ↑ GAA Archive 1987
  4. ↑ NFL Final 1987 programme
  5. ↑ "Early goals clinch it for Armagh", Irish Independent, 06/04/1987, p. 15
  6. ↑ "Your Gaelic Games Scoreboard", Irish Independent, 09/03/1987, p. 10
  7. ↑ "Your Gaelic Games Scoreboard", Irish Independent, 09/03/1987, p. 10
  8. ↑ http://www.terracetalk.com/kerry-football/year/1987/League
  9. ↑ "Unimpressive Dubs earn tilt at Kerry", Irish Independent, 20/04/1987, p. 10
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