The 2013 National Hurling League commenced in February 2013. 34 GAA county hurling teams: 32 from Ireland (including Fingal but not Cavan), London and Warwickshire, contested it.
On the final day of fixtures in division 1A on 31 March, all six teams had a chance of either reaching the league semi-finals, or suffering relegation.
Kilkenny won the NHL, defeating Tipperary in the final by 2–17 to 0–20 in the final on 5 May in Nowlan Park. Michael Fennelly scored two goals and three points in the first half as Kilkenny led by 2–07 to 0–11. In the second half Lar Corbett and JJ Delaney were sent off in the 46th minute after they wrestled each other on the ground near the Kilkenny goal.
On 13 May Kilkenny's Lester Ryan was named as the GAA-GPA Hurler of the League for 2013. Ryan scored 1–10 in six games from midfield including 0–3 in the semi-final win over Galway and 0–3 in the final victory against Tipperary.
Format
Division 1A: Top three teams qualify for NHL semi-finals. Bottom two teams play a relegation playoff, with the losing team relegated. Division 1B: Top two teams play division final, with the winner being promoted and qualifying for NHL semi-final. Bottom two teams play a relegation playoff, with the losing team relegated. Divisions 2A and 3A: Top two teams play division final, with the winner being promoted. Bottom two teams play a relegation playoff, with the losing team relegated. Divisions 2B: Top two teams play division final, with the winner being promoted. Bottom team relegated. Division 3B: Top two teams play division final, with the winner being promoted.
The current format of the National Hurling League has been criticised by many including current managers, claiming that it's not benefitting the game in several counties.
Division 1A
Division 1A
Fixtures and results
Division 1 Knockout
Top scorers
Season
Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Colin RyanClare0-585869.672Joe CanningGalway2-485469.003Patrick HorganCork0-454567.504Eoin LarkinKilkenny0-313165.16
Single game Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1Eoin KellyTipperary2-814Clare2Joe CanningGalway1-1013TipperaryPatrick HorganCork0-1313Tipperary4Joe CanningGalway1-912ClareColin RyanClare0-1212Cork6Colin RyanClare0-1111KilkennyPatrick HorganCork0-1111Clare8Séamus CallananTipperary1-710DublinEoin LarkinKilkenny0-1010GalwayJoe CanningGalway0-1010CorkColin RyanClare0-1010CorkSéamus CallananTipperary0-1010Waterford13John O'DwyerTipperary1-69GalwayColin RyanClare0-99WaterfordEoin KellyTipperary0-99KilkennyRichie PowerKilkenny0-99TipperaryPatrick HorganCork0-99Clare
Division 1B Division 1B
Fixtures and results
Top scorers
Season
Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Shane DooleyOffaly4-374959.802Neil McManusAntrim1-414458.80Declan HannonLimerick3-354458.804Paul RyanDublin2-303657.205Paul MorrisWexford1-262955.806Marty KavanaghCarlow0-232345.757Shane KavanaghCarlow0-222254.40
Single game Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1Shane DooleyOffaly2-915Dublin2Shane DooleyOffaly2-612LimerickDeclan HannonLimerick2-612CarlowNeil McManusAntrim0-1212Offaly5Paul RyanDublin1-811LimerickNeil McManusAntrim0-1111Limerick7Declan HannonLimerick1-710DublinPaul MorrisWexford0-1010OffalyShane DooleyOffaly0-1010Antrim10Neil McManusAntrim1-69CarlowGary MooreWexford0-99CarlowDeclan HannonLimerick0-99AntrimShane KavanaghCarlow0-99LimerickDeclan HannonLimerick0-99Dublin
Division 2A Division 2A
Fixtures and results
Top scorers
Season
Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Shane NolanKerry4-344659.202Paul DivillyKildare1-303356.603Jonathan O'NeillWicklow1-293256.40Derek McNicholasWestmeath0-323256.405Stephen MaherLaois1-283156.20
Single game Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1Shane NolanKerry2-1016Kildare2Niall O'BrienWestmeath1-912DerryDerek McNicholasWestmeath0-1212Laois4Shane NolanKerry1-710WestmeathStephen MaherLaois1-710Kerry6Jonathan O'NeillWicklow0-99LaoisStephen MaherLaois0-99Kildare8Michael KirpatrickDerry1-58KerryShane NolanKerry1-58WicklowPaul DivillyKildare1-58LaoisPaddy HenryDerry0-88KildareDerek McNicholasWestmeath0-88KildarePaul DivillyKildare0-88Westmeath
Division 2B Division 2B
Fixtures and results
Top scorers
Season
Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Paul BraniffDown2-394559.002Kenny FeeneyMayo1-404358.603Stephen ClynchMeath1-343749.25
Single game Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1Stephen ClynchMeath1-1215Down2Paul BraniffDown1-1013MeathPaul BraniffDown1-1013RoscommonKenny FeeneyMayo0-1313Roscommon5Seán ReganMayo2-612ArmaghGerard HennellyLondon0-1212Down7Declan CoulterArmagh1-811RoscommonGerard HennellyLondon0-1111Armagh
Division 3A Division 3A
Results
Division 3B Division 3B
Fixtures and results
Top scorers
Season
Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Eoin DonnellanLongford1-2932310.66Clement CunniffeLeitrim1-2932310.663Connor RobbinsWarwickshire0-3030310.004Gary WaldronSligo2-121836.00
Single game Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1Clement CunniffeLeitrim1-1316Warwickshire1Eoin DonnellanLongford1-1114Warwickshire2Eoin DonnellanLongford0-1313Leitrim3Connor RobbinsWarwickshire0-1111Sligo4Alan O'NeillWarwickshire3-110LeitrimClement CunniffeLeitrim0-1010LongfordConnor RobbinsWarwickshire0-1010Longford
Broadcasting rights Setanta Sports and TG4 will provide live coverage of matches in Ireland with RTÉ providing highlights on Sunday nights. Setanta Sports broadcast live matches in Australia. Setanta Sports also provided coverage of matches from the National Hurling League to viewers in Asia.
References
External links 2013 National Hurling League at the GAA 2013 National Hurling League Fixtures at The Score 2013 National Hurling League at GAA Info