The 2018 National Hurling League was the 87th season of the National Hurling League for county teams.
Wexford finished top of Division 1B in 2017 and were promoted to Division 1A for 2018. Galway finished second in Division 1B in 2017 and so missed out on promotion, even though they subsequently won the Division 1 league final.
Cavan re-entered the National Hurling League in Division 3B, having previously withdrawn. Lancashire also entered in Division 3B for the first time.
Eir Sport and TG4 provided live TV coverage of the league on Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons respectively. Highlights programmes – RTÉ2 broadcast League Sunday on Sunday evenings, TG4 broadcast GAA 2018 on Monday evenings.
Kilkenny were the winners, defeating Tipperary in the final on 8 April by 2–23 to 2-17. It was an 18th League title for Kilkenny.
As National Hurling League champions Kilkenny played the 2017 All-Ireland champions Galway in Australia on 11 November 2018 for the Wild Geese Trophy as part of the Sydney Irish Festival.
Format
League structure
Thirty five teams compete in the 2018 NHL – six teams in the top five divisions (Divisions 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, 3A) and five teams in Division 3B. All thirty-two county teams from Ireland take part. London, Lancashire and Warwickshire complete the lineup.
Teams by Province and Division Province Div 1A Div 1B Div 2A Div 2B Div 3A Div 3B Total Connacht 0 1 0 1 1 2 5 Leinster 2 3 4 1 2 0 12 Munster 4 1 1 0 0 0 6 Ulster 0 1 0 4 2 2 9 Britain 0 0 1 0 1 1 3 Total 6 6 6 6 6 5 35
Each team plays all the other teams in their division once, either home or away. Two points are awarded for a win, and one for a draw.
The Division 1 hurling quarter-finals and semi-finals will finish on the day the games are played avoiding the need for replays. If a quarter-final or semi-final is level after the initial seventy minutes, still level after two ten minute periods of extra time played each way, and still level after two further five minute periods of extra time, the outcome will be decided by a free-taking competition. This will prevent games from going to a replay and allow the league finals to be held on the scheduled date.
Tie-breaker If only two teams are level on league points, the team that won the head-to-head match is ranked ahead. If this game was a draw, score difference (total scored minus total conceded in all games) is used to rank the teams. If three or more teams are level on league points, score difference is used to rank the teams.
Finals, promotions and relegations
Division 1A The top four teams qualify for the Division 1 quarter-finals The bottom two teams meet in a relegation play-off, with the losing team relegated to Division 1B Division 1B The top team is promoted to Division 1A The top four teams qualify for the Division 1 quarter-finals The bottom two teams meet in a play-off, with the losing team relegated to Division 2A Division 2A The top two teams meet in Division 2A final, with the winning team promoted to Division 1B The bottom team is relegated to Division 2B Division 2B The top two teams meet in Division 2B final, with the winning team being promoted to Division 2A The bottom two teams meet in a play-off, with the losing team relegated to Division 3A Division 3A The top two teams meet in Division 3A final, with the winning team promoted to Division 2B Division 3B The top two teams meet in Division 3B final, with the winner promoted to Division 3A
Division 1A
Division 1 Format
The 12 teams in Division 1 are ranked into two groups - teams ranked one to six in Division 1A and teams ranked seven to twelve in Division 1B. Each team plays all the other teams in its group once. Two points are awarded for a win and one for a draw. The top four teams in both 1A and 1B advance to 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, etc. Two semi-finals and a final follow.
Division 1A Table
Division 1A Rounds 1 to 5
Division 1A Round 1
Division 1A Round 2
Division 1A Round 3
Division 1A Round 4
Division 1A Round 5
Division 1B Division 1B Table
Division 1B Rounds 1 to 5
Division 1B Round 1
Division 1B Round 2
Division 1B Round 3
Division 1B Round 4
Division 1B Round 5
Division 1 Knockout Division 1 Quarter-Finals
The hurling quarter-finals finish on the day the games are played, 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 a sixty five metre line selected by the referee and without defenders. The nominated players from each team take alternate turns. 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 fixtures are 1st in Division 1A plays 4th in Division 1B, 2nd in Division 1A plays 3rd in Division 1B, etc. Home advantage is decided by whichever team has played fewer home games in their five league games, with a coin toss taking place if this number is the same for both teams.
Division 1 Semi-Finals
The hurling semi-finals finish on the day the games are played, 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 a sixty five metre line selected by the referee and without defenders. The nominated players from each team take alternate turns. 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.
Division 1 Final
Division 1A relegation play-off
The losing team is relegated and plays in next year's Division 1B.
Division 1B relegation play-off
The losing team is relegated and plays in next year's Division 2A.
Division 1 scoring statistics
Top scorers overall
Rank Player Team Tally Total Matches Average1Jason FordeTipperary7-7293713.283T. J. ReidKilkenny1-8184712.002Aaron GillaneLimerick5-5772710.284Neil McManusAntrim0-6262610.335Ross KingLaois0-585869.666Patrick HorganCork2-465268.667Peter DugganClare1-485168.508Shane DooleyOffaly2-313766.16Pauric MahonyWaterford0-373766.169Donal BurkeDublin0-343465.66
Top scorers in a single game
Rank Player Club Tally Total Opposition1Peter DugganClare0-1919Limerick2Jason FordeTipperary2-1218Kilkenny3Jason FordeTipperary2-1117Limerick4Patrick CurranWaterford1-1316Clare5Neil McManusAntrim0-1616Dublin6Michael BreenTipperary2-0915KilkennyJason FordeTipperary2-0915WexfordT. J. ReidKilkenny0-1515WexfordRoss KingLaois0-1515AntrimT. J. ReidKilkenny0-1515Tipperary
Division 2A
Division 2A Table
Division 2A Rounds 1 to 5
Division 2A Round 1
Division 2A Round 2
Division 2A Round 3
Division 2A Round 4
Division 2A Round 5
Division 2A Final
Division 2A scoring statistics
Top scorers overall
Rank Player Team Tally Total Matches Average1Jack ReganMeath2-4753510.602Allan DevineWestmeath1-374066.663Richard MurphyLondon0-393957.804Martin KavanaghCarlow3-273666.005James BurkeKildare0-282847.006Chris NolanCarlow2-182464.00Shane ConwayKerry1-212446.007James DoyleCarlow3-091853.60Pádraig BoyleKerry1-151853.60Shane NolanKerry0-181844.50
Top scorers in a single game
Rank Player Club Tally Total Opposition1Jack ReganMeath1-1215Westmeath2Jack ReganMeath1-1013KildareAllan DevineWestmeath1-1013Kerry3Martin KavanaghCarlow2-0612KildareMartin KavanaghCarlow1-0912Westmeath4Shane NolanKerry0-1111LondonRichard MurphyLondon0-1111Kildare5Jack ReganMeath0-1010LondonRichard MurphyLondon0-1010CarlowShane ConwayKerry0-1010WestmeathJack ReganMeath0-1010Carlow
Division 2B
Division 2B Table
Division 2B Rounds 1 to 5
Division 2B Round 1
Division 2B Round 2
Division 2B Round 3
Division 2B Round 4
Division 2B Round 5
Division 2B Final
Division 2B relegation play-off
The losing team is relegated and plays in next year's Division 3A.
Division 2B scoring statistics
Top scorers overall
Rank Player Team Tally Total Matches Average1Andy O'BrienWicklow4-4153510.602Paul SheehanDown1-394267.003Alan GrantDerry1-343766.16Kenny FeeneyMayo1-343766.164David CarvillArmagh1-313456.80Lee HendersonDonegal0-343456.805Keith HigginsMayo2-162263.666Conor McAnallenArmagh0-212163.507Shane BolandMayo0-191963.168Danny TonerDown3-071644.00
Top scorers in a single game
Rank Player Club Tally Total Opposition1David CarvillArmagh1-1215Wicklow2Andy O'BrienWicklow2-0713Armagh3Kenny FeeneyMayo0-1212Down4Andy O'BrienWicklow0-1111Donegal5Andy O'BrienWicklow2-0410DerryPaul SheehanDown1-0710ArmaghAlan GrantDerry1-0710DonegalKenny FeenyMayo0-1010WicklowAlan GrantDerry0-1010DownPaul SheehanDown0-1010DerryAndy O'BrienWicklow0-1010Down
Division 3A
Division 3A Table
Division 3A Rounds 1 to 5
Division 3A Round 1
Division 3A Round 2
Division 3A Round 3
Division 3A Round 4
Division 3A Round 5
Division 3A Final
Division 3A scoring statistics
Top scorers overall
Rank Player Team Tally Total Matches Average1Niall ArthurLouth7-5071611.832Damian CaseyTyrone2-6066513.203Niall McKennaWarwickshire2-394567.50Daniel GlynnRoscommon0-454559.00Fergal RafterMonaghan0-454559.004Cathal MullaneLongford1-212446.005John O'BrienLongford2-1622211.006Ian DwyerWarwickshire3-051462.337Patrick WalshLongford3-041352.608Paul HobanWarwickshire0-121243.00
Top scorers in a single game
Rank Player Club Tally Total Opposition1Niall ArthurLouth4-1224Longford2Damian CaseyTyrone2-1117Monaghan3Niall ArthurLouth2-0915TyroneDamian CaseyTyrone0-1515Longford4Niall McKennaWarwickshire1-1013RoscommonDaniel GlynnRoscommon0-1313LouthDaniel GlynnRoscommon0-1313LongfordDamian CaseyTyrone0-1313LouthDamian CaseyTyrone0-1313Roscommon5Niall ArthurLouth1-0912MonaghanJoe O'BrienLongford0-1212TyroneFergal RafterMonaghan0-1212Tyrone
Division 3B
Division 3B Table
Division 3B Rounds 1 to 5
Division 3B Round 1
Division 3B Round 2
Division 3B Round 3
Division 3B Round 4
Division 3B Round 5
Division 3B Final
Division 3B scoring statistics
Top scorers overall
Rank Player Team Tally Total Matches Average1Ronan CrowleyLancashire4-6274514.802Clement CunniffeLeitrim5-3550510.003Shea CurranFermanagh0-212145.254Zak MoradiLeitrim3-101953.805Seán KeatingCavan1-141744.256John DuffyFermanagh1-121543.757Martin HawleyLancashire4-021452.808Ruairí BrennanSligo0-131343.259Tony O'Kelly-LynchSligo4-001243.00Cormac WallCavan2-061234.00Kevin GilmartinSligo1-091226.00
Top scorers in a single game
Rank Player Club Tally Total Opposition1Ronan CrowleyLancashire2-1420Fermanagh2Clement CunniffeLeitrim4-0618Cavan3Ronan CrowleyLancashire0-1616Leitrim4Ronan CrowleyLancashire2-0814Sligo5Clement CunniffeLeitrim1-1013LancashireRonan CrowleyLancashire0-1313Leitrim6Shea CurranFermanagh0-1111Cavan7Zak MoradiLeitrim2-0410CavanKevin GilmartinSligo1-0710FermanaghRonan CrowleyLancashire0-1010Cavan
References
External links Full Fixtures and Results