The 2010 National Hurling League (known as the Allianz National Hurling League for sponsorship reasons) was the 79th season of the National Hurling League. 35 teams competed in the league.
Galway were the champions, defeating Cork in the final.
Teams
Team summaries
Team Stadium Manager Position last seasonKilkennyNowlan ParkBrian CodyTipperarySemple StadiumLiam SheedyGalwayPearse StadiumJohn McIntyreDublinParnell ParkAnthony DalyWaterfordWalsh ParkDavy FitzgeraldLimerickGaelic GroundsJustin McCarthyCorkPáirc Uí ChaoimhDenis WalshOffalyO'Connor ParkJoe Dooley
Format
The 2010 format of the National Hurling League is a system consisting of five divisions. There are thirty-five teams competing: Divisions One and Two have eight teams in each, Division Three A contains six, Division Three B seven, and there are six teams in Division Four.
Division 1
Division 1 contains eight teams. Each team plays all the others once. The top two play the final; the winners of the final are the 2010 NHL champions. The last-placed team is relegated.
Division 2
Division 2 contains eight teams. Each team plays all the others once. The top two play the final; the winners of the final are the 2010 Division Two champions and are promoted. The last-placed team is relegated to Division 3A.
Division 3A Division 3A contains six teams. The top two teams shall contest the final; the winners of the final are the 2010 Division Three champions and are promoted. The last-placed team is relegated to Division 3B.
Division 3B
Division 3B contains seven teams. The top two teams shall contest the final; the winners of the final are the 2010 Division 3B champions and are promoted to Division 3A. The last-placed team is relegated.
Division 4 Division 4 contains six teams. Each team plays all the others once. The top two play the final; the winners of the final are the 2010 Division Four champions and are promoted to Division 3B.
Division 1
Kilkenny came into the season as defending champions of the 2009 season. Offaly entered Division 1 as the promoted team.
On 2 May 2010, Galway won the title following a 2–22 to 1–17 win over Cork in the final. It was their first league title since 2004 and their 9th National League title overall.
Limerick, who lost all of their group stage matches, were relegated from Division 1. Wexford won Division 2 and secured promotion to the top tier.
Offaly's Shane Dooley was the Division 1 top scorer with 6-57.
Table
Group stage
Knock-out stage
Final
Scoring statistics
Top scorers overall Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Shane DooleyOffaly6-5775710.712Eoin KellyWaterford4-4759511.803Alan McCrabbeDublin1-475077.144Ger FarragherGalway0-444476.285Patrick HorganCork2-374376.146Eoin KellyTipperary2-354166.837Paudie McNamaraLimerick3-273675.148Richie PowerKilkenny2-293548.759Niall HealyGalway3-152464.00Maurice ShanahanWaterford0-242464.00
Top scorers in a single game
Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1Eoin KellyWaterford1-1720Cork2Shane DooleyOffaly2-1016Dublin3Niall HealyGalway2-0915Cork4Richie PowerKilkenny2-0713DublinShane DooleyOffaly1-1013WaterfordEoin KellyWaterford1-1013Limerick7Shane DooleyOffaly2-0612Tipperary8Shane DooleyOffaly1-0811CorkPaudie McNamaraLimerick0-1111Kilkenny10Eoin KellyTipperary1-0710KilkennyPatrick HorganCork1-0710TipperaryEoin KellyWaterford1-0710TipperaryPaudie McNamaraLimerick1-0710DublinAlan McCrabbeDublin0-1010TipperaryShane DooleyOffaly0-1010LimerickAlan McCrabbeDublin0-1010Limerick
Division 2
Clare and Kildare entered Division 2 as the respective relegated and promoted teams from the 2009 season.
On 2 May 2010, Wexford won the title following a 1–16 to 2–9 win over Clare in the final.
Kildare were relegated from Division 2 after losing all but one of their group stage matches. They spent just one season in Division 2.
Wexford's Diarmuid Lyng was the Division 2 top scorer with 1-58.
Table
Group stage
Knock-out stage
Final
Scoring statistics
Top scorers overall
Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Diarmuid LyngWexford1-586187.622Colin RyanClare5-365186.373Willie HylandLaois2-434977.004Paudie KehoeCarlow6-264476.285Brendan MurtaghWestmeath1-363975.576Neil McManusAntrim6-193766.167Rory JacobWexford4-183074.288Andrew MitchellWestmeath2-192573.579Peter AtkinsonWexford3-152483.0010Paul ShielsAntrim0-232354.60
Top scorers in a single game
Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1Mark FlahertyClare2-1016Down2Paudie KehoeCarlow2-0713Down3Diarmuid LyngWexford1-0912ClareColin RyanClare1-0912WestmeathPaul BraniffDown1-0912KildareWillie HylandLaois0-1212Antrim7Andrew MitchellWestmeath2-0511ClarePaudie KehoeCarlow2-0511WestmeathDiarmuid LyngWexford0-1111Down10Peter AtkinsonWexford2-0410AntrimNeil McManusAntrim1-0710Kildare
Division 3A
Kerry and London entered Division 3A as the respective relegated and promoted teams from the 2010 season.
On 10 April 2010, Kerry won the title following a 2–18 to 1–15 win over Derry in the final.
Mayo were relegated from Division 3A after losing all but one of their group stage matches.
London's Martin Finn was the Division 3A top scorer with 2-27.
Table
Group stage
Knock-out stage
Final
Scoring statistics
Top scorers overall
Rank Player County Tally Total1Martin FinnLondon2-27332Paddy HenryDerry2-25313Neil HackettMeath2-2329Shane BrickKerry0-29295Darragh O'ConnellKerry2-19256Paddy McCloskeyDerry5-0419Mike ConwayKerry2-13198Brian MoranMayo0-18189Peter DurninMeath2-1117Kevin HinpheyDerry2-1117
Top scorers in a single game
Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1Shane BrickKerry0-1515Meath2Paddy McCloskeyDerry4-0113LondonMartin FinnLondon1-1013Mayo4Shane BrickKerry0-1212MayoDarragh O'ConnellKerry0-1212Derry6Martin FinnLondon0-1010KerryPaddy HenryDerry0-1010LondonBrian MoranMayo0-1010Armagh9Darragh O'ConnellKerry2-039Derry10Kevin HinpheyDerry2-028Meath
Division 3B
Table
Knock-out stage
Final
Division 4 Table
Knock-out stage
Final
Monaghan won promotion to Division 3B for 2011 while Longford remained in Division 4 for 2011
External links Fixtures on gaa.ie 2010 National Hurling League Fixtures and Results National Hurling League 2010 at gaainfo.com
References