The 2005 National Hurling League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Allianz National Hurling League, was the 74th edition of the National Hurling League (NHL), an annual hurling competition for the GAA county teams. Kilkenny won the league, beating Clare in the final.
An experimental rule was trialled in the 2005 NHL, with two points being awarded for a point scored directly from a sideline cut.
Structure
Division 1 There are 12 teams in Division 1, divided into 1A and 1B. Each team plays all the others in its group once, earning 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw. The top three in 1A and 1B advance to Division 1 Section 1. The bottom three in 1A and 1B go into the Division 1 Section 2.
Each team in Section 1 plays the other three teams that it did not play in the first five games. The top two teams go into the NHL final – only points earned in these last three games count. Each team in Section 2 plays the other three teams that it did not play in the first five games. The bottom team is relegated – only points earned in these last three games count.
Division 2 There are 10 teams in Division 2, divided into 2A and 2B. Each team plays all the others in its group once, earning 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw. The top three in 2A and 2B advance to the Division 2 Section 1. The bottom two in 2A and 2B go into the Division 2 Section 2.
Each team in Section 1 plays the other three teams that it did not play in the first four games. The top two teams go into the Division 2 final – only points earned in these last three games count. Final winners are promoted. Each team in Section 2 plays the other two teams that it did not play in the first four games. The bottom team is relegated – only points earned in these last two games count.
Division 3 There are 10 teams in Division 3, divided into 3A and 3B. Each team plays all the others in its group once, earning 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw. The top three in 3A and 3B advance to the Division 3 Section 1. The bottom two in 3A and 3B go into the Division 3 Section 2.
Each team in Section 1 plays the other three teams that it did not play in the first four games. The top two teams go into the Division 3 final – only points earned in these last three games count. Final winners are promoted. Each team in Section 2 plays the other two teams that it did not play in the first four games. The top two play the Division 3 Shield Final.
Overview
Division 1 Brian Cody won his third league title in four seasons with Kilkenny, as 'the Cats' recorded just a single defeat in the entire league. Clare, who were league runners-up, also suffered just one defeat in the group stages, however, they fell to Kilkenny in the final.
Down at the other end of the table, Dublin and Down went through the group stages without a single victory. A relegation group of six teams meant that 'the Dubs' ended up at the bottom and faced relegation for the following season.
Division 2 Offaly won the Division 2 title after recording just one defeat throughout the group stages, thus returning to the top flight having been relegated the previous year. Runners-up Carlow also faced only one defeat throughout the group stages until the last day of the league when they were defeated in the final by Offaly. Going down were Sligo who only had a draw with Wicklow to show for their entire campaign.
Division 3 Mayo and Donegal qualified for the league final in this division with Mayo winning promotion. Cavan, having failed to win a single game in the group stage, finished bottom of Division 3B and could thus be regarded as the worst team of all the divisions.
Division 1
Galway came into the season as defending champions of the 2004 season. Down entered Division 1 as the promoted team.
On 2 May 2005, Kilkenny won the title following a 3-20 to 0-15 win over Clare in the final. It was their first league title since 2003 and their 12th National League title overall.
Dublin, who lost all of their group stage matches, were relegated from Division 1 after losing all of their matches in the relegation group. Offaly won Division 2 and secured promotion to the top tier.
Galway's Ger Farragher was the Division 1 top scorer with 2-54.
Division 1A table
PosTeamPldWDLPts1 Kilkenny540182 Galway540183 Clare540184 Waterford520345 Laois510426 Dublin50050
Group stage
Division 1B table
PosTeamPldWDLPts1 Cork5500102 Wexford540183 Tipperary530264 Limerick520345 Antrim510426 Down50050
Group stage
Group 1 table
PosTeamPldWDLPts1 Kilkenny (C)330062 Clare330063 Galway320144 Tipperary310225 Wexford300306 Cork30030
Group 1 results
Group 2 table
PosTeamPldWDLPts1 Waterford330062 Limerick320143 Laois311134 Antrim311134 Down310226 Dublin (R)30030
Group 2 results
Knock-out stage
Final
Scoring statistics
Top scorers overall
Rank Player Team Tally Total Matches Average1Ger FarragherGalway2-546078.572Niall GilliganClare4-475987.373James YoungLaois1-464977.004Eoin KellyTipperary2-384467.335Eoin KellyWaterford2-374385.376David CurtinDublin0-424276.007Tony CarmodyClare4-273994.338Alan O'ConnorLimerick3-293884.759Paul FlynnWaterford3-283766.16Martin CoulterDown2-313775.28
Top scorers in a single game
Rank Player Team Tally Total Opposition1Ger FarragherGalway0-1515Kilkenny2Eoin KellyTipperary2-0814AntrimPaul FlynnWaterford1-1114Limerick4Joe DeaneCork1-1013Galway5Tony CarmodyClare2-0612WexfordPaul FlynnWaterford2-0612ClareGer FarragherGalway1-0912LaoisNiall GilliganClare0-1212KilkennyGer FarragherGalway0-1212Wexford10Marcus WalshDublin3-0211DownJames YoungLaois0-1111GalwayPaul CarleyWexford0-1111TipperaryNeil RonanCork0-1111Down
Miscellaneous
Wexford record their first victory over Tipperary at Semple Stadium since 1984.
Division 2
Division 2A table
PosTeamPldWDLPts1 Offaly440082 Westmeath430163 Derry420244 Roscommon410325 Kildare40040
Division 2B table
PosTeamPldWDLPts1 Carlow5500102 Kerry530263 Meath530264 London520345 Wicklow511336 Sligo50141
Group 1 table
PosTeamPldWDLPts1 Offaly (C, P)320142 Carlow220043 Derry210124 Westmeath210125 Meath210126 Kerry30030
Group 2 table
PosTeamPldWDLPts1 Kildare220042 Wicklow210123 Roscommon210124 Sligo (R)20020
Knock-out stage
Final
Division 3
Division 3A table
PosTeamPldWDLPtsNotes1 Mayo 43016 Advanced to Group 12 Armagh 430163 Donegal 421154 Longford 41123 Advanced to Group 25 Leitrim 40040
Division 3B table
PosTeamPldWDLPtsNotes1 Louth 43107 Advanced to Group 12 Monaghan 422063 Tyrone 420244 Fermanagh 41123 Advanced to Group 25 Cavan 40040
Group 1 table
PosTeamPldWDLPtsNotes1 Donegal 33006 Division 3 champions2 Armagh 33006 Division 3 runners-up3 Mayo 220044 Tyrone 200205 Louth 300306 Monaghan 30030
Group 2 table
PosTeamPldWDLPtsNotes1 Longford 21103 Division 3 Shield champion2 Fermanagh 21103 Division 3 Shield runner-up3 Leitrim 210124 Cavan 20020
Knock-out stage
Shield Final
Final
References
External links