The 2012 National Hurling League commenced in February 2012. 34 GAA county hurling teams: 32 from Ireland (including Fingal but not Cavan), London and Warwickshire, contested it.
On 6 May Kilkenny defeated Cork in the final to win their 15th NHL title, moving them to second place in the all-time roll of honour, behind Tipperary who have won 19 Leagues.
Format The 2012 format was originally to consist of five divisions: Divisions 1 and 2 having eight teams in each, Division 3A six, Division 3B seven, and six teams in Division 4.
However, this was controversially altered to a system of six divisions, with six teams in divisions 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B and 3A, and four in division 3B. This meant that many counties were effectively relegated to a lower division. It was agreed in October 2011 that there would no longer be an eight-team Division 1, with the top division hurling counties giving their approval to the new system. The league settings are as follows:
Division 1A: Top three teams qualify for NHL semi-finals. Bottom two teams play a relegation playoff, with the losing team relegated. Division 1B: Top two teams play division final, with the winner being promoted and qualifying for NHL semi-final. Bottom two teams play a relegation playoff, with the losing team relegated. Division 2A: Top two teams play division final, with the winner being promoted. Bottom two teams play a relegation playoff, with the losing team relegated. Division 2B: Top two teams play division final, with the winner being promoted. No relegation. Division 3A: Top two teams play division final, but the winner is not promoted. Bottom two teams play a relegation playoff, with the losing team relegated. Division 3B: Top two teams play division final, with the winner being promoted.
Division 1A
Division 1A
Fixtures and results
Division 1 Knockout
Top scorers
Season
Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Richie PowerKilkenny3-4958511.602Niall BurkeGalway1-475077.143Pa BourkeTipperary2-384467.334Patrick HorganCork0-434367.16
Single game Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1Richie PowerKilkenny1-1114CorkRichie PowerKilkenny1-1114Tipperary3Joe CanningGalway2-713DublinNiall BurkeGalway1-1013Cork5Joe CanningGalway0-1212Dublin6Paul RyanDublin0-1111GalwayRichie PowerKilkenny1-811Dublin8Eoin LarkinKilkenny1-710GalwayNiall BurkeGalway0-1010DublinRichie PowerKilkenny0-1010Waterford11Danny SutcliffeDublin2-39KilkennyT. J. ReidKilkenny1-69GalwayPa BourkeTipperary1-69GalwayPa BourkeTipperary1-69CorkPaul RyanDublin0-99GalwayPatrick HorganCork0-99TipperaryPatrick HorganCork0-99TipperaryRichie PowerKilkenny0-99Clare19Paul RyanDublin0-88CorkPatrick HorganCork0-88Kilkenny
Division 1B Division 1B
Fixtures and results
Top scorers
Season
Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Willie HylandLaois1-6164610.662Shane DooleyOffaly3-4352510.403Shane McNaughtonAntrim2-394559.004Conor McGrathClare2-3541410.25
Single game Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1Jack GuineyWexford3-514Laois2Conor McGrathClare1-1013LimerickShane DooleyOffaly1-1013Antrim4Jack GuineyWexford0-1212ClareConor McGrathClare0-1212LimerickShane DooleyOffaly0-1212Clare7Shane DooleyOffaly2-511LimerickJack GuineyWexford1-811LaoisShane McNaughtonAntrim1-811LaoisWillie HylandLaois0-1111Wexford11Shane DowlingLimerick2-410AntrimShane DowlingLimerick1-710ClareShane McNaughtonAntrim1-710WexfordConor McGrathClare1-710WexfordShane McNaughtonAntrim0-1010Offaly16Willie HylandLaois1-69ClareShane DooleyOffaly0-99WexfordWillie HylandLaois0-99AntrimWillie HylandLaois0-99WexfordShane McNaughtonAntrim0-99Limerick
Division 2A Division 2A
Fixtures and results
Top scorers
Season
Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Brendan MurtaghWestmeath3-5160610.002Paul BraniffDown3-374659.203Paddy HenryDerry1-313448.50
Single game Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1Brendan MurtaghWestmeath2-915Wicklow2Brendan MurtaghWestmeath1-1013CarlowPaddy HenryDerry1-1013DownPaul BraniffDown0-1313WestmeathBrendan MurtaghWestmeath0-1313Kerry6Paul BraniffDown1-811DerryPaudie KehoeCarlow0-1111KerryJonathan O'NeillWicklow0-1111Derry9Paddy HenryDerry0-1010WestmeathAndy O'BrienWicklow0-1010CarlowShane BrickKerry0-1010Wicklow12Pádraig BoyleKerry3-09WestmeathShane NolanKerry1-69DownPaul BraniffDown1-69KerryPaul BraniffDown1-69WicklowBrendan MurtaghWestmeath0-99DerryJonathan O'NeillWicklow0-99DownPaddy HenryDerry0-99Carlow
Division 2B Division 2B
Fixtures and results
Division 3A Division 3A
Fixtures and results
The Monaghan team gave a walkover after a dispute with the county board, who had refused to reschedule Gaelic football club games to allow their players to rest for the final.
Division 3B Division 3B
Fixtures and results
Broadcasting rights Setanta Sports and TG4 provided live coverage of matches in Ireland with RTÉ providing highlights on Sunday nights. The finals were all shown live on TG4. Setanta Sports broadcast live matches in Australia. Setanta Sports also provided coverage of matches from the National Hurling League to viewers in Asia.
References
External links 2012 National Hurling League Fixtures and Results