National Football League (Ireland)

National Football League
Current season or competition: 2017 National Football League

Irish	Sraith Náisiúnta Peile
Code	Gaelic football
Founded	1925–26
Region	Ireland (GAA)
Trophy	Irish National Insurance Cup
No. of teams	32
Title holders	Dublin (12th title)
First winner	Laois
Most titles	Kerry (19 titles)
Sponsors	Allianz
TV partner(s)	TG4 Setanta Sports
Motto	The world belongs to those who dare.

The National Football League (NFL; Irish: Sraith Náisiúnta Peile) is an annual Gaelic football competition between the senior county teams of Ireland plus London. Sponsored by Allianz, it is officially known as the Allianz National Football League.

The Gaelic Athletic Association organises the league. The winning team receives the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company. The National Football League is the second most prestigious inter-county Gaelic Football competition after the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.^[1]

Unlike many league competitions in sport, each team plays the other teams in their division only once. Teams that meet in the same division over the course of a number of years often play on a home and away basis in alternative years, though this is not strictly adhered to. Once the divisional matches have been played, the latter stages of the league become a knockout competition for the top teams in each division. This is seen as good preparation for the upcoming All-Ireland Championship and there is usually more intensity to the division finals than those played earlier in the league, but still lacking the intensity of Championship matches.

Dublin, the reigning league champions, defeated Kerry in the 2016 league final.

History

The National Football League was first held in 1925–26, thirty-eight years after the first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. Laois won the inaugural National Football League. The NFL has traditionally played second fiddle to the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, with most counties using it as preparation for that event. This was not helped by the fact that the League was initially played in winter (usually November–March), while the Championship had the more attractive summer dates and knockout structure.

Mayo dominated the early NFL, winning seven titles in eight seasons until the tournament was suspended during the Second World War. For many seasons in the 50's and 60's, the winners of the "home" league played New York in the NFL final; the journey to New York formed an additional prize for the winners. New York won three of these finals.

In 2002, the league was changed to a February–April calendar. This has increased interest, boosted attendances and led to live games being broadcast on TG4. The 2009 season was broadcast live on Setanta Sports. Coverage of the 2010 finals in Croke Park saw TG4 become the most watched channel, with 650,000 viewers tuning in to watch some of the games. The Division 1 final had an average audience of 220,000 viewers.^[2]

The National Football League winners receive the Irish National Insurance Cup, first presented to Kerry in 1928–29. Kerry are the most successful team in the League, having played in the final on twenty-four occasions and won nineteen of these. Both of these (final appearances and wins) are records. Kerry also are the team to have most often achieved the "double", by winning both the League and All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.

Finals Listed By Year

Main article: List of National Football League (Ireland) finals

Winners and Runners-Up Listed By County

County	Wins	Runners-up	Winning seasons	Years Runners-up
Kerry	19	5	1927–28, 1928–29, 1930–31, 1931–32, 1958–59, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1976–77, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1996–97, 2004, 2006, 2009	1956-57, 1964-65, 1986-87, 2008, 2016
Dublin	12	12	1952–53, 1954–55, 1957–58, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1986–87, 1990–91, 1992–93, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016	1925-26, 1933-34, 1940-41, 1951-52, 1961-62, 1966-67, 1974-75, 1976-77, 1987-88, 1988-89, 1998-99, 2011
Mayo	11	7	1933–34, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1938–39, 1940–41, 1948–49, 1953–54, 1969–70, 2000–01	1950-51, 1970-71, 1971-72, 1977-78, 2007, 2010, 2012
Cork	8	6	1951–52, 1955–56, 1979–80, 1988–89, 1998–99, 2010, 2011, 2012	1931-32, 1947-48, 1978-79, 1981-82, 1996-97, 2015
Meath	7	6	1932–33, 1945–46, 1950–51, 1974–75, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1993–94	1936-37, 1938-39, 1939-40, 1949-50, 1954-55, 1955-56, 1999-2000
Derry	6	6	1946–47, 1991–92, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1999–2000, 2008	1958-59, 1960-61, 1975-76, 1997-98, 2009, 2014
Galway	4	5	1939-40, 1956-57, 1964-65, 1980-81	1965-66, 1983-84, 2000-01, 2004, 2006
Down	4	4	1959–60, 1961–62, 1967–68, 1982–83	1962-63, 1963-64, 1969-70, 1989-90
New York^[a]	3	7	1949–50, 1963–64, 1966–67
Tyrone	2	2	2002, 2003	1991-92, 2013
Laois	2	1	1925–26, 1985–86	2003
Cavan	1	5	1947–48	1930-31, 1932-33, 1952-53, 1959-60, 2002
Donegal	1	3	2007	1992-93, 1994-95, 1995-96
Armagh	1	3	2005	1982-83, 1984-85, 1993-94
Roscommon	1	2	1978–79	1973-74, 1980/81
Offaly	1	2	1997–98	1968-69, 1972-73,
Monaghan	1	1	1984–85	1985-86
Longford	1	0	1965–66
Kildare	0	5		1927-28, 1928-29, 1957-58, 1967-68, 1990/91
Wexford	0	3		1937-38, 1945-46, 2005
Carlow	0	1		1953-54
Louth	0	1		1948-49
Clare	0	1		1946-47
Fermanagh	0	1		1934-35

a. ^{^} New York received a bye to the final in 10 NFL seasons between 1949–50 and 1988–89.

The top provinces by number of wins are as follows:

	Province	Wins	Top county	Last win
1	Munster	27	Kerry (19)	Cork (2012)
2	Leinster	23	Dublin (12)	Dublin (2016)
3	Ulster	16	Derry (6)	Derry (2008)
4	Connacht	16	Mayo (11)	Mayo (2000–01)
5	Overseas	3	New York (3)	New York (1966–67)

References

↑ Scott, Ronan (30 January 2009). "Only the league...". Gaelic Life. p. 10.
↑ "VIEWING FIGURES FOR GAA BEO - ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE FINALS 2010". TG4. 27 April 2010. Retrieved 3 May 2010.

External links

National Football Leagues

Seasons	1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Finals Records and statistics Winning players

National Leagues of the Gaelic Athletic Association

National Football League (2016)

Division 1	Cork Donegal Down Dublin Kerry Mayo Monaghan Roscommon

Division 2	Armagh Cavan Derry Fermanagh Galway Laois Meath Tyrone

Division 3	Clare Kildare Limerick Longford Offaly Sligo Tipperary Westmeath

Division 4	Antrim Carlow Kilkenny Leitrim London Louth Waterford Wexford Wicklow

Italics indicates a team which did not contest this division.

National Hurling League (2016)

Division 1A	Cork Dublin Galway Kilkenny Tipperary Waterford

Division 1B	Clare Kerry Laois Limerick Offaly Wexford

Division 2A	Antrim Carlow Derry Kildare London Westmeath

Division 2B	Armagh Donegal Down Mayo Meath Wicklow

Division 3A	Fingal Louth Monaghan Roscommon Tyrone Warwickshire

Division 3B	Cavan Fermanagh Leitrim Longford Sligo South Down

Italics indicates a team which did not contest this division.

Gaelic football

Positions

Sam Maguire Cup Senior Championship (2016) National Football League (2016) Under 21 Championship Minor Championship (2016) Junior Championship Club Football Championship All Stars Awards Olympics

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