2018 National Football League (Ireland)

2018 National Football League
League details
Dates 27 January – 1 April 2018
Teams 32
League champions
Winners Dublin (13th win)
Captain Stephen Cluxton
Manager Jim Gavin
League runners-up
Runners-up Galway
Captain Damien Comer
Manager Kevin Walsh
Other division winners
Division 2 Roscommon
Division 3 Armagh
Division 4 Laois
← 2017
2019 →

The 2018 National Football League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Allianz National Football League, was the 87th staging of the National Football League (NFL), an annual Gaelic football tournament for Gaelic Athletic Association county teams. Thirty-one county teams from the island of Ireland, plus London, compete. Kilkenny do not participate.

The first six rounds in all four divisions were scheduled to have been played before 24 March 2018, allowing the final round seven matches to be played on that date. Due to poor winter weather, some fixtures in Division 2 (round 6) and Division 4 (rounds 5 and 6) had not been played by that date. The GAA decided to proceed with the final round seven matches in the four divisions before the completion of the earlier rounds. This decision proved controversial - for instance, in the rescheduled Division 2 match between Louth and Meath which was played on 31 March 2018, Meath needed to win to avoid relegation while Louth had nothing to play for as they were already relegated irrespective of the result. Meath beat Louth by 1-12 to 0-07, thereby ensuring that Down were relegated.

Eir Sport and TG4 provide live TV coverage of the league on Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons respectively. The highlights programmes are RTÉ2's League Sunday on Sunday evenings and TG4's GAA 2018 on Monday evenings.

The league concluded on 1 April 2018 with Dublin defeating Galway in the division 1 final. It was their fifth Division 1 title in six years.[1][2]

Format

League structure

The 2018 National Football League consists of four divisions of eight teams. Each team plays every other team in its division once, usually four home and three away or three home and four away. Two points are awarded for a win and one point for a draw.

Teams by Province and Division
ProvinceDivision 1Division 2Division 3Division 4Total
Connacht21115
Leinster224311
Munster13026
Ulster32319
Britain00011
Total888832

Tie-breaker

If only two teams are level on league points -

  • The team that won the head-to-head match is ranked first
  • If this game was a draw, score difference (total scored minus total conceded in all games) is used to rank the teams
  • If score difference is identical, total scored is used to rank the teams
  • If still identical, a play-off is required

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 Division 1 contest the National Football League final. The bottom two teams are relegated to Division 2.

Division 2, Division 3 & Division 4

The top two teams in Divisions 2, 3 and 4 are promoted and contest the finals of their respective divisions. The bottom two teams in Divisions 2 and 3 are relegated.

Division 1

Division 1 Table

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Galway 7 6 1 0 106 83 +23 13 Advance to Division 1 Final
2 Dublin 7 5 1 1 131 99 +32 11
3 Monaghan 7 5 0 2 106 100 +6 10
4 Tyrone 7 4 0 3 114 98 +16 8
5 Kerry 7 3 0 4 114 127 −13 6
6 Mayo 7 2 1 4 94 110 −16 5
7 Donegal 7 1 1 5 109 126 −17 3 Relegation to Division 2
8 Kildare 7 0 0 7 101 130 −29 0
Updated to match(es) played on 25 March 2018. Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: 1) League points 2) Where only two teams are level, the winner of the game between the two teams is ranked first 3) Scoring Difference 4) Highest Total Score For 5) A Play-Off.

Division 1 Rounds 1 to 7


Round 1


Round 2


Round 3


Round 4


Round 5


Round 6


Round 7


Division 1 Final

Sunday, April 1
4:00 pm
Final		 Dublin 0-18 – 0-14 Galway Croke Park
Attendance: 36,572
Referee: A Nolan (Wicklow)
Man of the Match: Ciaran Kilkenny (Castleknock)
Dean Rock 0-7 (0-5f, 1 '45), Paul Mannion 0-3, Ciaran Kilkenny and Colm Basquel 0-2, Philly McMahon, John Small, Niall Scully, Eric Lowndes 0-1 each Report Barry McHugh 0-6 (0-5f), Damien Comer 0-3, Johnny Heaney and Shane Walsh (0-1f) 0-2 each, Paul Conroy 0-1

Division 2

Division 2 Table

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Roscommon 7 5 1 1 126 105 +21 11 Advance to Division 2 Final
2 Cavan 7 5 1 1 122 99 +23 11
3 Clare 7 3 2 2 101 111 −10 8
4 Tipperary 7 3 1 3 128 106 +22 7
5 Meath 7 3 1 3 126 112 +14 7
6 Cork 7 3 0 4 111 108 +3 6
7 Down 7 3 0 4 100 106 −6 6 Relegation to Division 3
8 Louth 7 0 0 7 76 143 −67 0
Updated to match(es) played on 25 March 2018. Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: 1) League points 2) Where only two teams are involved, the outcome of the meeting of the two teams in the competition 3) Scoring Difference 4) Highest Total Score For 5) A Play-Off.

Division 2 Rounds 1 to 7


Round 1


Round 2


Round 3


Round 4


Round 5


Round 6


Round 7


Division 2 Final

Sunday, April 1
2:00 pm
Final		 Roscommon 4-16 – 4-12 Cavan Croke Park
Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone)
Man of the Match: Conor Devaney (Kilbride)
Cathal Cregg 2-1, Niall Kilroy 1-1, Diarmiud Murtagh 0-4 (0-2f), David Murray 1-0, Conor Devaney and Donie Smith 0-3 each, Ciaran Murtagh (0-1f), Niall McInerney, Enda Smith, Ian Kilbride 0-1 each Report Dara McVeety 1-3, Seanie Johnston 0-4 (0-2f), Enda Flanagan, Martin Reilly (1-0 pen), Conor Bradley 1-0 each, Raymond Galligan (1 '45), Padraig Faulkner, Ciaran Brady, Gearoid McKiernan (0-1f), Caoimhin O’Reilly (0-1f) 0-1 each

Division 3

Division 3 Table

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Armagh 7 5 1 1 114 81 +33 11 Advance to Division 3 Final
2 Fermanagh 7 5 1 1 97 78 +19 11
3 Longford 7 4 1 2 120 94 +26 9
4 Westmeath 7 4 0 3 119 124 −5 8
5 Sligo 7 2 2 3 96 116 −20 6
6 Offaly 7 2 1 4 97 118 −21 5
7 Derry 7 2 0 5 122 126 −4 4 Relegation to Division 4
8 Wexford 7 1 0 6 91 119 −28 2
Updated to match(es) played on 28 February 2018. Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: 1) League points 2) Where only two teams are involved, the outcome of the meeting of the two teams in the competition 3) Scoring Difference 4) Highest Total Score For 5) A Play-Off.

Division 3 Rounds 1 to 7


Round 1


Round 2


Round 3


Round 4


Round 5


Round 6


Round 7


Division 3 Final

Saturday, March 31
5.00 pm
Final		 Armagh 1-16 – 0-17 Fermanagh Croke Park
Referee: James Molloy (Galway)
Man of the Match: Andrew Murnin (St Paul's Lurgan)
Andrew Murnin 1-3, Niall Grimley 0-4 (0-3f), Patrick Burns, Aidan Forker, Ryan McShane 0-2 each, Niall Rowland, Gregory McCabe, Ben Crealey 0-1 each Report Seamus Quigley 0-9f, Conall Jones 0-3, Ryan Jones 0-2, Barry Mulrone, Declan McCusker, Tomas Corrigan 0-1 each

Division 4

Division 4 Table

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Laois 6 6 0 0 106 75 +31 12 Advance to Division 4 Final
2 Carlow 7 6 0 1 115 81 +34 12
3 Antrim 6 4 1 1 90 67 +23 9
4 London 7 2 1 4 93 97 −4 5
5 Leitrim 6 2 0 4 74 79 −5 4
6 Limerick 6 1 1 4 76 104 −28 3
7 Waterford 6 1 1 4 85 99 −14 3
8 Wicklow 6 0 2 4 66 103 −37 2
Updated to match(es) played on 24 February 2018. Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: 1) League points 2) Where only two teams are involved, the outcome of the meeting of the two teams in the competition 3) Scoring Difference 4) Highest Total Score For 5) A Play-Off.
  • Three games (Laois v Antrim, Waterford v Leitrim and Wicklow v Limerick) were postponed due to poor weather. The CCCC decided to cancel them as the results were irrelevant to determining the league finalists. Several managers and the Gaelic Players Association criticised the decision as undermining the integrity of the division, arguing that Division 1 games would not be cancelled in the same fashion.[3][4]

Division 4 Rounds 1 to 7


Round 1


Round 2


Round 3


Round 4


Round 5


Round 6


Round 7


Division 4 Final

Saturday, March 31
3:00 pm		 Laois 0-15 – 0-11 Carlow Croke Park
Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan)
Man of the Match: Graham Brody (Portlaoise)
Donie Kingston 0-5 (0-2f), Ross Munnelly 0-4 (0-2f), Eoin Lowry 0-3 (0-1f), John O'Louglin, Kieran Lillis, Alan Farrell 0-1 each Report Sean Gannon and Darragh Foley (0-1f) 0-3 each, Paul Broderick 0-2, Shane Redmond, Brendan Murphy, Sean Murphy 0-1 each

League Statistics

  • All scores correct as of 3 April 2018[5]

Top Scorer: Overall

Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average
1 Gary Walsh Laois 4-41 53 6 8.8
2 Paul Broderick Carlow 2-46 52 8 6.5
3 Seamus Quigley Fermanagh 4-37 49 7 7
4 Conor Sweeney Tipperary 3-31 40 6 6.7
5 John Heslin Westmeath 1-36 39 6 6.5
6 Keith Beirne Leitrim 3-28 37 5 7.4
7 Lee Brennan Tyrone 2-30 36 7 5.1
Diarmuid Murtagh Roscommon 3-27 36 8 4.5
9 Dean Rock Dublin 1-32 35 8 4.4
10 Patrick McBrearty Donegal 0-34 34 5 6.8
11 Nigel Dunne Offaly 0-32 32 7 4.6
Colm O'Neill Cork 2-26 32 7 4.6
13 Mark Collins Cork 1-28 31 7 4.4
Donie Smith Roscommon 1-28 31 8 3.9
Robbie Smyth Longford 2-25 31 7 4.4
16 Barry McHugh Galway 1-27 30 5 6

Top Scorer: Single game

Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition
1 Keith Beirne Leitrim 2-08 14 Limerick
2 Jason Curry Waterford 1-09 12 London
3 Gary Walsh Laois 0-11 11 London
Seamus Quigley Fermanagh 1-08 11 Derry
Gary Walsh Laois 1-08 11 Leitrim
Liam McGrath Tipperary 2-05 11 Cork
7 Patrick McBrearty Donegal 0-10 10 Kerry
Gary Walsh Laois 0-10 10 Waterford
Paul Broderick Carlow 1-07 10 Wicklow
Liam Gavaghan London 1-07 10 Wicklow
John Heslin Westmeath 1-07 10 Derry
Conor Sweeney Tipperary 2-04 10 Roscommon

Scoring Events

  • Widest winning margin: 14
  • Most goals in a match: 8
  • Most points in a match: 35
  • Most goals by one team in a match: 4
  • Highest aggregate score: 52 points
  • Lowest aggregate score: 14 points

References

  1. ↑ https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2018/0401/951546-dublin-0-18-galway-0-14/
  2. ↑ "Dublin defeat Galway to claim fifth Division 1 title in six seasons". Irish Examiner. 1 April 2018. Retrieved 6 April 2018.
  3. ↑ "Three Division 4 league games declared null and void". 26 March 2018.
  4. ↑ https://www.thesun.ie/sport/gaa-football/2372837/the-gaa-have-no-plans-to-offer-refunds-to-division-4-season-ticket-holders/
  5. ↑ "Results". Hogan Stand. 3 April 2018. Archived from the original on 2016-03-20. Retrieved 3 April 2018.
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