Puneet Varma (Editor)

2017 National Hurling League

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Teams
  
33

Dates
  
11 February – 23 April 2017

The 2017 National Hurling League is the 86th season of the National Hurling League for senior county hurling teams.

Contents

Clare are the defending champions, winning the title for the first time since 1977–78 after a 1-23 to 2-19 win against Waterford in a replay on 8 May 2016.

Eir Sport and TG4 provide live coverage of the league on Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons respectively. RTÉ2 broadcasts highlights programme League Sunday on Sunday evenings.

Format

League structure

Thirty three teams compete in the 2017 NHL – six teams in the top four divisions (Divisions 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B), four teams in Division 3A and five teams in Division 3B. Thirty-one county teams from Ireland take part (Cavan do not). London and Warwickshire complete the lineup. Fingal were scheduled to compete in Division 3A but have withdrawn for 2017.

Each team plays all the other teams in their division once, either home or away in all divisions except Division 3A where a double round of fixtures are played. Two points are awarded for a win, and one for a draw.

On a pilot basis in 2017, the 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 70 minutes, still level after an initial 20 minutes of extra time, and still level after a further 10 minutes 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 them.

    • 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 playing a relegation/promotion match against the Division 2A champions

    • Division 2A

  • The top two teams meet in Division 2A final, with the winning team playing a relegation/promotion match against the loser of the Division 1B bottom play-off
  • 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
  • The bottom two teams meet in a play-off, with the losing team playing a relegation/promotion match against the Division 3A champions

    • Division 3A

  • The top two teams meet in Division 3A final, with the winning team playing a relegation/promotion match against the loser of the Division 2B bottom play-off

    • Division 3B

  • The top two teams meet in Division 3B final, with the winning team being promoted

    • Division 1 Format

    The 12 teams in Division 1 are ranked into two groups of six teams named Division 1A and Division 1B. Each team play 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 1A and 1B advance to the league quarter-finals with the top team in Division 1A playing the fourth team in Division 1B, the second team in Division 1A playing the third in Division 1B, etc.

    Division 1A Table

      NHL quarter-finals   Bottom play-off, loser relegated

    Division 1B Table

      Promotion & NHL quarter-finals   NHL quarter-finals   Bottom play-off, loser in relegation/promotion play-off

    Division 1 Quarter-Finals

    On a pilot basis in 2017, the hurling quarter-finals will finish on the day the games are played avoiding the need for replays. If a quarter-final is level after 70 minutes, still level after an initial 20 minutes of extra time, and still level after a further 10 minutes of extra time, the outcome will be decided by a free-taking competition.

    Division 1 Semi-Finals

    On a pilot basis in 2017, the hurling semi-finals will finish on the day the games are played avoiding the need for replays. If a semi-final is level after 70 minutes, still level after an initial 20 minutes of extra time, and still level after a further 10 minutes of extra time, the outcome will be decided by a free-taking competition.

    Division 1 Scoring Statistics

    Top scorer overall
    Top scorers in a single game

    Division 2A Table

      Division final, winner in relegation/promotion play-off   Automatic relegation to Division 2B

    Division 2A Scoring Statistics

    Top scorer overall
    Top scorers in a single game

    Division 2B Table

      Division final, winner promoted   Bottom play-off, loser in relegation/promotion play-off

    Division 2B Scoring Statistics

    Top scorer overall
    Top scorers in a single game

    Division 3A Table

    Fingal have withdrawn from hurling competitions in 2017, thereby reducing Division 3A from five to four teams. There will be no relegation from Division 3A and a double round of games in this division will be played.

      Division final, winner in relegation/promotion play-off

    Division 3A Scoring Statistics

    Top scorer overall
    Top scorers in a single game

    Division 3B Table

      Division final, winner promoted

    Division 3B Scoring Statistics

    Top scorer overall
    Top scorers in a single game

    References

    2017 National Hurling League Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA