The 1997 National Hurling League (known as the Church & General National Hurling League for sponsorship reasons) was the 66th season of the National Hurling League.
Structural changes
At a meeting of Central Council on 18 May 1996, the GAA decided to scrap winter league hurling for a two-year trial period. It was also decided, by a margin of 23 votes to 15, to complete the National Hurling League within the calendar year. After further negotiations the GAA decided to run the league on a March to October basis. Other provisions included the playing of three matches in March, two in April and one each in May and June. The league final was to be played in October. Play-offs to determine the standings of teams within the divisions were also abandoned in favour of using scoring averages.
Division 1
Galway came into the season as defending champions of the 1995-96 season. Laois, Limerick and Wexford joined Division 1 as the promoted teams.
On 5 October 1997, Limerick won the title after a 1-12 to 1-9 win over Galway in the final. It was their 11th league title overall and their first since 1991-92.
Clare, Laois and Wexford were relegated.
Kilkenny's D. J. Carey was the Division 1 top scorer with 5-43.
Table
PosTeamPldWDLPtsNotes1 Kilkenny 7502102 Limerick 742110 Division 1 champions3 Galway 750210 Division 1 runners-up4 Tipperary 741295 Offaly 740386 Clare 72145Relegated to Division 27 Wexford 72054Relegated to Division 28 Laois 70070Relegated to Division 2
Group stage
Knock-out stage
Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final
Top scorers
Top scorers overall
Rank Player Team Tally Total Matches Average1D. J. CareyKilkenny5-435896.442Gary KirbyLimerick4-314376.143Johnny DooleyOffaly0-343474.854Aidan FlanaganTipperary1-303384.125Darragh CoenGalway1-293256.406Tom DempseyWexford1-252864.167Éamonn ScallanWexford0-252555.008David CuddyLaois1-212473.42Jamesie O'ConnorClare0-242464.0010Tommy DunneTipperary1-182182.62
Top scorers in a single game
Rank Player Team Tally Total Opposition1D. J. CareyKilkenny2-0915Galway2Gary KirbyLimerick2-0713Laois3Rory GantleyGalway2-0511LaoisAidan FlanaganTipperary1-0811WexfordJohnny DooleyOffaly0-1111GalwayTom DempseyWexford0-1111Limerick7D. J. CareyKilkenny2-0410TipperaryÉamonn ScallanWexford0-1010Laois9Michael ClearyTipperary3-009KilkennyGary KirbyLimerick0-099Wexford
Division 2 Table
PosTeamPldWDLPtsNotes1 Dublin 770014Promoted to Division 12 Cork 760112Promoted to Division 13 Waterford 750210Promoted to Division 14 Antrim 730465 Meath 730466 London 720547 Westmeath 710628 Kerry 71062
Group stage
Top scorers
Top scorers overall
Rank Player Club Tally Total Matches Average1Paul FlynnWaterford5-425778.142Tom MoloneyLondon3-314075.713Ger ManleyCork3-273666.004Joe DeaneCork5-203565.835Connor McCambridgeAntrim1-313474.856Pat PottertonMeath3-243365.607Jamesie BrennanDublin0-323274.578Billy O'SullivanWaterford5-092464.00Seánie McGrathCork4-122473.429Gregory O'KaneAntrim3-122173.00Eamon MorrisseyDublin2-152163.50
Top scorers in a single game
Rank Player Club Tally Total Opposition1Connor McCambridgeAntrim1-1215LondonPaul FlynnWaterford1-1215Westmeath2Alastair ElliotAntrim3-0312WestmeathJoe DeaneCork2-0612AntrimTom MoloneyLondon2-0612Antrim3Alan BrowneCork3-0211WestmeathBrendan O'SullivanKerry1-0811Westmeath4Ger ManleyCork2-0410AntrimPat PottertonMeath2-0410WaterfordSeánie McGrathCork2-0410WaterfordPat PottertonMeath1-0710Antrim
References
External links