History
Creation
Since 1887, the All-Ireland Championship had been steadily growing in interest and in participation. The championship, however, was largely confined to the summer months, resulting in a lack of top class inter-county action between September and April. Inter-county tournament games were popular as a way of filling the void, while some provinces organised their own pre-championship competitions, most notably the Thomond Feis inBeginnings
The inaugural National Hurling League began on 27 September 1925 and ended on 16 May 1926. Seven teams -Development
While no league took place during the 1926-27 season, the 1926-27 league featured nine teams. A single round-robin format was once again used, with each team playing eight games. The second league featured no final, with Tipperary being declared champions after securing 14 points from their group stage games. The 1928-29 league featured twelve teams divided in two groups based on geographical position. The Eastern Division comprised five teams from the province of Leinster, while the Southwestern Division had seven teams from the province of Munster and Galway. The top teams in each division played off in the final to determine the champions. This format was used on a number of occasions until the 1934-35, when the league reverted to a straightforward one-group league with the top-placed team being declared the champions. This format was used again during the leagues in 1935-36 and 1936-37. Ten teams entered the 1937-38 league, with two groups of five teams competing. A third group was added in 1938-39 as the number of teams increased to thirteen. These formats were regularly used over the following seasons, depending on the number of teams participating. Between 1941 and 1945 the league was suspended due to the Emergency. The 1955-56 league saw the introduction of a major change in format. As a result of a lack of interest from defeated first-round teams in recent years, Central Council introduced a two-division league featuring a new system of relegation and promotion. Division 1 was confined to ten teams in two groups of five. The bottom-placed team in each group would play off to decide which of the two teams would be relegated. Division 2 was made up of the 'second tier' hurling teams and featured eight teams divided into two groups. Limerick became the first team to be relegated, while Antrim became the first team to gain promotion under the new system.Schedule
In the 20th century, National League fixtures were played during inter-county windows in the later and early months of the calendar year, while the SHC occupied the inter-county window during those months that made up the middle of the year, e.g. May, August. Club competitions of lesser importance occurred alongside the inter-county games so as to provide meaningful game time for players possessed of insufficient ability to compete at the higher (inter-county) level. FromSponsorship
Since 1985, the National Hurling League has been sponsored. The sponsor has usually been able to determine the league's sponsorship name.Division 1
History
Division 1 has existed in its current form since the 2012 league. Prior to this, Division 1 had existed as a single division of eight teams. The new division, comprising two groups, was created using the final rankings from the 2011 league. The top six teams from that year's Division 1 were added to the new Division 1A. The bottom two teams from Division 1 and the top four teams from Division 2 were added to the new Division 1B. In 2012 andFormat
There are currently twelve teams in Division 1, however, these teams are subdivided into two groups of six - teams ranked one to six in Division 1A and teams ranked seven to twelve in Division 1B. During the course of a season (from January to March) each team plays the others once (a single round-robin system) for a total of 15 games in each group. Teams receive two points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Where two teams are level on points, the team that wins the head-to-head match is ranked ahead. If this game is a draw, points difference (total scored minus total conceded in all games) is used to rank the teams. Where three or more teams are level on points, points difference is used to rank them. At the top end of the group stage competition in Divisions 1A and 1B there is a knock-out section featuring quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final. The top four teams in both Division 1A and 1B qualify for the league quarter-finals, with the top team in 1A playing the fourth team in 1B, the second team in 1A playing the third in 1B and so on. It is therefore possible for a team finishing fourth in Division 1B (8th position overall) to be eventual National Hurling League champions. The quarter-finals and semi-finals finish on the day the games are played, thus avoiding the need for replays. If the score is level after the initial seventy minutes, still level after two ten minute periods of extra time played each way, and still level after a further two five minute periods of extra time, a free-taking competition is held. Each team nominates five players to take frees from their chosen position on the 65-metre line. If the teams score an equal number of the five frees, the outcome of the match is decided by sudden death frees using the same nominated players in the same order. The bottom two teams in Division 1A contest a relegation playoff, with the losing team being relegated to Division 1B the following season. They effectively swap places with the top team in Division 1B, who gain automatic promotion to the top tier. The bottom two teams in Division 1B also contest a relegation playoff, with the losing team being relegated to Division 2A the following season. Their place in the division is then taken by the Division 2A champions, who gain automatic promotion.Teams
Division 1A
The following six teams are competing in Division 1A during the 2019 league.Division 1B
The following six teams are competing in Division 1B during the 2019 league.Venues
Attendances
Stadium attendances are a significant source of regular income for Central Council and for the teams involved. For the knock-out stages of the 2017 league, average attendances were 12,474 with a total aggregate attendance figure of 87,321 for the seven games.Group stage
The league is operated using a home and away basis every second year. Fixtures in the five group stage rounds of the league are played at the home ground of one of the two teams involved. Each team is guaranteed at least two home games.Quarter-finals
The quarter-finals of the league are usually played at the home venue of one of the teams involved. The team which receives home advantage is decided by using the home and away agreement or by a coin toss.Semi-finals
The semi-finals of the league are usually played on the same day at the same venue as part of a double-header of games. Semple Stadium,Final
Since 2000, Semple Stadium has been used on ten occasions as the host venue for the league final. The Gaelic Grounds, Nowlan Park andManagers
General performance
By county
By province
List of finals
Records and statistics
By decade
The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of National Hurling League titles, is as follows: * 1920s: 1 each for Cork (1926), Tipperary (1928) and Dublin (1929) * 1930s: 5 for Limerick (1934-35-36-37-38) * 1940s: 3 for Cork (1940-41-48) * 1950s: 6 for Tipperary (1950-52-54-55-57-59) * 1960s: 5 for Tipperary (1960-61-64-65-68) * 1970s: 3 for Cork (1970-72-74) * 1980s: 3 for Kilkenny (1982-83-86) * 1990s: 2 each for Kilkenny (1990–95), Limerick (1992–97), Cork (1993–98) and Tipperary (1994–99) * 2000s: 5 for Kilkenny (2002-03-05-06-09) * 2010s: 4 for Kilkenny (2012-13-14-18)Gaps
Top ten longest gaps between successive league titles: * 72 years: Dublin (1939-2011) * 44 years: Waterford (1963-2007) * 38 years: Clare (1978-2016) * 31 years: Clare (1946-1977) * 29 years: Kilkenny (1933-1962) * 24 years: Cork (1999–present) * 24 years: Galway (1951-1975) * 24 years: Limerick (1947-1971) * 22 years: Limerick (1997-2019) * 21 years: Tipperary (1928-1949)Division 2A
History
Division 2A has existed in its current form since the 2012 league. Prior to this, Division 2 had existed as a single division of eight teams. The new division was created using the final rankings from the 2011 league. The bottom four teams from that year's Division 2 and the top two teams from Division 3A were added to the new Division 2A.Format
There are currently six teams in Division 2A. During the course of a season (from January to March) each team plays the others once (a single round-robin system) for a total of 15 games. Teams receive two points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Where two teams are level on points, the team that wins the head-to-head match is ranked ahead. If this game is a draw, points difference (total scored minus total conceded in all games) is used to rank the teams. Where three or more teams are level on points, points difference is used to rank them. The top two teams in Division 2A contest the final. The bottom two teams in Division 2A contest a relegation playoff, with the losing team being relegated to Division 2B the following season. Their place in the division is then taken by the Division 2B champions, who gain automatic promotion.Teams
The following six teams are competing in Division 2A during the 2023 league.General performance
List of finals
Relegated teams
Division 2B
History
Division 2B has existed in its current form since the 2012 league. Prior to this, Division 2 had existed as a single division of eight teams. The new division was created using the final rankings from the 2011 league. The bottom four teams from that year's Division 3A and the top two teams from Division 3B were added to the new Division 2B.Format
There are currently six teams in Division 2B. During the course of a season (from January to March) each team plays the others once (a single round-robin system) for a total of 15 games. Teams receive two points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Where two teams are level on points, the team that wins the head-to-head match is ranked ahead. If this game is a draw, points difference (total scored minus total conceded in all games) is used to rank the teams. Where three or more teams are level on points, points difference is used to rank them. The top two teams in Division 2B contest the final. The bottom two teams in Division 2B contest a relegation playoff, with the losing team being relegated to Division 3A the following season. Their place in the division is then taken by the Division 3A champions, who gain automatic promotion.Teams
The following six teams are competing in Division 2B during the 2018 league.General performance
List of finals
Relegated teams
Division 3A
History
Division 3A has existed in its current form since 2012, however, it has existed as a division in its own right since the 2009 league. Prior to this, Division 3 had existed as a single division of five teams. The new division was created using the final rankings from the 2008 league. The third, fourth and fifth ranked teams from that year's Division 2A and 2B were added to the new Division 3A.Format
There are currently six teams in Division 3A. During the course of a season (from January to March) each team plays the others once (a single round-robin system) for a total of 15 games. Teams receive two points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Where two teams are level on points, the team that wins the head-to-head match is ranked ahead. If this game is a draw, points difference (total scored minus total conceded in all games) is used to rank the teams. Where three or more teams are level on points, points difference is used to rank them. The top two teams in Division 3A contest the final. The bottom two teams in Division 3A contest a relegation playoff, with the losing team being relegated to Division 3B the following season. Their place in the division is then taken by the Division 3B champions, who gain automatic promotion.Teams
The following six teams are competing in Division 3A during the 2018 league.General performance
List of finals
Relegated teams
Division 3B
History
Division 3B has existed in its current form since 2012, however, it has existed as a division in its own right since the 2009 league. Prior to this, Division 3 had existed as a single division of five teams. The new division was created using the final rankings from the 2008 league. The two bottom-placed teams from that year's Division 2A and 2B and the remaining four Division 3 teams were added to the new Division 3A. Fingal were added to the division as a seventh team. A restructuring of the entire league system in 2012 saw Division 3B reduced to four teams. It was now the bottom league of the entire National Hurling League. The number of participating teams increased to five during the 2016 league.Format
There are currently five teams in Division 3B. During the course of a season (from January to March) each team plays the others once (a single round-robin system) for a total of 10 games. Teams receive two points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Where two teams are level on points, the team that wins the head-to-head match is ranked ahead. If this game is a draw, points difference (total scored minus total conceded in all games) is used to rank the teams. Where three or more teams are level on points, points difference is used to rank them. The top two teams in Division 3B contest the final.Teams
The following six teams are competing in Division 3A during the 2018 league.General performance
List of finals
Former divisions
Division 1B
Division 2
Division 3
Division 3 Shield
Division 4
Players with most league wins
Broadcasting rights
See also
*References
External links