2004 National Hurling League

2004 National Hurling League
League details
Dates 14 February – 9 May 2004
Teams 32
League champions
Winners Galway (8th win)
Captain Ollie Canning
Manager Conor Hayes
League runners-up
Runners-up Waterford
Captain Ken McGrath
Manager Justin McCarthy
Other division winners
Division 2 Down
Division 3 Sligo
Division 3 Shield Donegal
2003
2005
Offaly v. Dublin, 18 April 2004

The 2004 National Hurling League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Allianz National Hurling League, was the 73rd edition of the National Hurling League (NHL), an annual hurling competition for the GAA county teams. Galway won the league, beating Waterford in the final.[1][2][3]

Structure

Division 1

There are 12 teams in Division 1, divided into 1A and 1B. Each team plays all the others in its group once, earning 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw.

  • The top three in 1A and 1B advance to the Division 1 Final Group.
  • The bottom three in 1A and 1B go into the Division 1 Relegation Group.

Each team in the Final Group plays the other three teams that it did not play in the first five games. The top two teams go into the NHL final – only points earned in these last three games count. Each team in the Relegation Group plays the other three teams that it did not play in the first five games. The bottom team is relegated – only points earned in these last three games count.

Division 2

There are 10 teams in Division 2, divided into 2A and 2B. Each team plays all the others in its group once, earning 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw.

  • The top three in 2A and 2B advance to the Division 2 Promotion Group.
  • The bottom two in 2A and 2B go into the Division 2 Relegation Group.

Each team in the Promotion Group plays the other three teams that it did not play in the first four games. The top two teams go into the Division 2 final – only points earned in these last three games count. Final winners are promoted. Each team in the Relegation Group plays the other two teams that it did not play in the first four games. The bottom team is relegated – only points earned in these last two games count.

Division 3

There are 10 teams in Division 3, divided into 3A and 3B. Each team plays all the others in its group once, earning 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw.

  • The top three in 3A and 3B advance to the Division 3 Promotion Group.
  • The bottom two in 3A and 3B go into the Division 3 Shield Group.

Each team in the Promotion Group plays the other three teams that it did not play in the first four games. The top two teams go into the Division 3 final – only points earned in these last three games count. Final winners are promoted. Each team in the Shield Group plays the other two teams that it did not play in the first four games. The top two play the Division 3 Shield Final.

Overview

Division 1

Galway won their first league title in four seasons, as 'the Westerners' recorded two defeats throughout the entire league. Waterford, who were league runners-up, suffered three defeats in the group stages before falling to Galway in the final.

Down at the other end of the table, Dublin and Antrim went through the initial group stages without a single victory. However, a relegation group of six teams resulted in Offaly ending up at the bottom and facing relegation for the following season.

Division 1

National Hurling League Division 1
Season 2004
Champions Galway
9th National League title
Captain: Ollie Canning
Manager: Conor Hayes
Relegated Offaly
Matches played 49
Top goalscorer Eugene Cloonan (10-62)
Biggest home win Tipperary 5-23 - 0-13 Antrim
(21 March 2004)
Biggest away win Waterford 2-12 - 6-17 Dublin
(13 March 2004)
Highest scoring Kilkenny 3-31 - 3-7 Antrim
(25 April 2004)
2003
2005
All statistics correct as of 12 April 2017.

Kilkenny came into the season as defending champions of the 2003 season. Antrim entered Division 1 as the promoted team.

On 9 May 2004, Galway won the title following a 2-15 to 1-13 win over Waterford in the final.[4] It was their first league title since 2000 and their 8th National League title overall.

Offaly, who were unlucky not to make the final group, were relegated from Division 1 after losing all of their group stage matches in the relegation group.

Galway's Eugene Cloonan was the Division 1 top scorer with 10-62.

Division 1A table

Pos Team Pld W D L Pts Notes
1 Galway 54018 Advanced to Group 1
2 Clare 54018
3 Waterford 53026
4 Kilkenny 53026 Advanced to Group 2
5 Laois 51042
6 Dublin 50050

Group stage results

Division 1B table

Pos Team Pld W D L Pts Notes
1 Cork 54109 Advanced to Group 1
2 Tipperary 53118
3 Limerick 53026
4 Offaly 53026 Advanced to Group 2
5 Wexford 51042
6 Antrim 50050

Group stage results

Group 1 table

Pos Team Pld W D L Pts Notes
1 Waterford 32105 Division 1 runners-up
2 Galway 32014 Division 1 champions
3 Clare 32014
4 Tipperary 31113
5 Limerick 31022
6 Cork 30030

Group 1 results

Group 2 table

Pos Team Pld W D L Pts Notes
1 Kilkenny 33006
2 Laois 32105
3 Dublin 31113
4 Wexford 31113
5 Antrim 30121
6 Offaly 30030 Relegated to Division 2

Group 2 results

Knock-out stage

Final

Scoring statistics

Top scorers overall
Rank Player Team Tally Total Matches Average
1 Eugene Cloonan Galway 10-62 92 9 10.22
2 Paul Flynn Waterford 5-58 73 9 8.11
3 James Young Laois 3-48 57 8 7.12
4 Eoin Kelly Tipperary 5-39 54
5 Liam Watson Antrim 8-26 50 8 6.25
6 Niall Gilligan Clare 5-33 48
7 Jonathan O'Callaghan Cork 0-45 45
8 Henry Shefflin Kilkenny 3-32 41 6 6.83
9 Rory Hanniffy Offaly 1-30 33
10 Conal Keaney Dublin 5-17 32
Andrew O'Shaughnessy Limerick 3-23 32
David Curtin Dublin 0-32 32
Top scorers in a single game
Rank Player Team Tally Total Opposition
1 Eugene Cloonan Galway 3-07 16 Waterford
2 Eoin Kelly Tipperary 2-08 14 Antrim
Paul Flynn Waterford 1-11 14 Tipperary
4 Liam Watson Antrim 3-04 13 Kilkenny
5 Eugene Cloonan Galway 1-09 12 Laois
Eoin Kelly Tipperary 1-09 12 Limerick
Jimmy Coogan Kilkenny 1-09 12 Antrim
Eugene Cloonan Galway 0-12 12 Kilkenny
9 Paul O'Brien Waterford 3-02 11 Dublin
Henry Shefflin Kilkenny 1-08 11 Clare
Niall Gilligan Clare 1-08 11 Cork
Eugene Cloonan Galway 1-08 11 Limerick
Barry Lambert Wexford 1-08 11 Laois

Division 2

National Hurling League Division 2
Season 2004
Champions Down
Captain: Simon Wilson
Manager: John Crossey
Relegated Mayo
Matches played 32
Top goalscorer Andrew Mitchell (1-56)
Biggest home win Westmeath 1-25 - 0-10 Wicklow
(11 April 2004)
Biggest away win Kerry 9-13 - 0-15 Carlow
(29 February 2004)
Highest scoring Down 2-28 - 4-11 Kerry
(11 April 2004)
2003
2005
All statistics correct as of 12 April 2017.

Derry and Mayo entered Division 2 as the respective relegated and promoted teams from the 2003 season.

On 9 May 2004, Down won the title following a 5-15 to 3-7 win over Westmeath in the final.[5]

Mayo were relegated from Division 2 after losing all of their group stage matches in the relegation group.

Westmeath's Andrew Mitchell was the Division 2 top scorer with 1-56.

Division 2A table

Pos Team Pld W D L Pts Notes
1 Down 43107 Advanced to Group 1
2 Westmeath 43107
3 Roscommon 42024
4 Kildare 41032 Advanced to Group 2
5 Derry 40040

Group stage results

Division 2B table

Pos Team Pld W D L Pts Notes
1 Kerry 44008 Advanced to Group 1
2 Wicklow 42024
3 Meath 42024
4 Mayo 41032 Advanced to Group 2
5 Carlow 40040

Group stage results

Group 1 table

Pos Team Pld W D L Pts Notes
1 Westmeath 33006 Division 2 runners-up
2 Down 22004 Division 2 champions
3 Roscommon 32014
4 Kerry 31022
5 Meath 20020
6 Wicklow 30030

Group 1 results

Group 2 table

Pos Team Pld W D L Pts Notes
1 Kildare 11002
2 Derry 11002
3 Carlow 21012
4 Mayo 20020 Relegated to Division 3

Group 2 results

Knock-out stage

Final

Scoring statistics

Top scorers overall
Rank Player Team Tally Total Matches Average
1 Andrew Mitchell Westmeath 1-56 59 8 7.37
2 Shane Brick Kerry 3-38 47 7 6.71
Top scorers in a single game
Rank Player Team Tally Total Opposition
1 Shane Brick Kerry 3-09 18 Carlow
Paul Barniff Down 3-09 18 Westmeath
3 John Mike Dooley Kerry 4-02 14 Carlow
Jonathan O'Neill Wicklow 2-08 14 Down
5 Gregory Biggs Derry 2-07 13 Westmeath
Tom Carew Kildare 0-13 13 Westmeath
7 Keith Higgins Mayo 1-08 11 Carlow
Tom Carew Kildare 1-08 11 Derry
Andrew Mitchell Westmeath 0-11 11 Wicklow
Andrew Mitchell Westmeath 0-11 11 Kerry

Division 3

Division 3A table

Pos Team Pld W D L Pts Notes
1 Sligo 43107 Advanced to Group 1
2 Armagh 43016
3 Leitrim 41214
4 Longford 40222 Advanced to Group 2
5 Donegal 40131

Group stage results

Division 3B table

Pos Team Pld W D L Pts Notes
1 Tyrone 43107 Advanced to Group 1
2 Fermanagh 43107
3 Louth 41123
4 Monaghan 41032 Advanced to Group 2
5 Cavan 40131

Group 1 table

Pos Team Pld W D L Pts Notes
1 Sligo 33006 Division 3 champions
2 Tyrone 32014 Division 3 runners-up
3 Fermanagh 32014
4 Armagh 31022
5 Leitrim 31022
6 Louth 30030

Group 2 table

Pos Team Pld W D L Pts Notes
1 Donegal 22004 Division 3 Shield champion
2 Cavan 21012 Division 3 Shield runner-up
3 Longford 20111
4 Monaghan 20111

Knock-out stage

Shield final

Final

References

  1. "National Hurling League Results 1925-2009". Hogan Stand. Archived from the original on 5 August 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
  2. 2002 Hurling League fixtures
  3. "Galway cruise to League glory". Breaking News. 9 May 2004. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  4. "Down claim NHL Division 2 title". Breaking News. 9 May 2004. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
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