The 2016 National Hurling League was the 85th season of the National Hurling League for inter-county hurling teams since its establishment in 1925. The fixtures were announced on 16 November 2015. The season began on 13 February 2016, and finished on 8 May 2016.
Waterford came into the season as defending champions of the 2015 season. Kerry entered Division 1 as the promoted team from the 2015 season.
Clare won the title for the first time since 1978 after a 1-23 to 2-19 win against Waterford in a replay.
Format
League structure
Thirty four teams compete in the 2016 NHL – six teams in the top five divisions (Divisions 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B & 3A) and four teams in Division 3B. Thirty one county teams from Ireland take part (Cavan do not). Fingal, London and Warwickshire complete the lineup.
Each team plays all the other teams in their division once, either home or away. 2 points are awarded for a win, and 1 for a draw.
Tie-breaker If only two teams are level on league points, the team that won the head-to-head match is ranked ahead. If this game was a draw, score difference (total scored minus total conceded in all games) is used to rank the teams. If three or more teams are level on league points, score difference is used to rank them.
Finals, promotions and relegations
Division 1A The top four teams qualify for the Division 1 quarter-finals The bottom two teams meet in a relegation play-off, with the loser relegated to Division 1B Division 1B The top 2 teams are promoted to Division 1A and qualify for the Division 1 quarter-finals Teams ranked 2, 3 & 4 qualify for the Division 1 quarter-finals The bottom two teams meet in a play-off, with the loser playing a relegation/promotion match against the Division 2A champions Division 2A The top two teams meet in Division 2A final, with both teams being promoted The bottom team is relegated to Division 2B Division 2B The top two teams meet in Division 2B final, with both being promoted The bottom two teams meet in a play-off, with the loser playing a relegation/promotion match against the Division 3A champions Division 3A The top two teams meet in Division 3A final, with both being promoted The second bottom team play a relegation/promotion match against the Division 3B champions The bottom team is relegated to Division 3B Division 3B The top two teams meet in Division 3B final, with both being promoted
Division 1A
Waterford came into the season as defending champions of the 2015 season. Kerry entered Division 1 as the promoted team.
On 8 May 2016, Clare won the title following a 1-23 to 2-19 win over Waterford in a replay of the final. It was their first league title since 1978 and their fourth National League title overall.
Galway, who actually finished above Cork, were relegated from Division 1A after losing the relegation play-off to Cork by 2-22 to 0-25. Clare, who were undefeated in Division 1B, secured promotion to the top tier.
Kilkenny's T. J. Reid was the Division 1 top scorer with 2-61. Clare's Patrick Kelly was the top goalkeeper having kept 4 clean sheets.
Structure
The 12 teams in Division 1 were divided into two groups of six teams named Division 1A and Division 1B. Each team played all the others in its group once. Two points were awarded for a win and 1 for a draw. The first four teams in 1A and 1B advanced to the league quarter-finals with the top team in Division 1A playing the fourth team in Division 1B, the second team in Division 1A playing the third in Division 1B, etc.
Division 1A Table
Division 1A Rounds 1 to 5
Division 1B Division 1B Table
Division 1B Rounds 1 to 5
Division 1 Knockout Division 1 Quarter-finals
Division 1 Semi-finals
Division 1 Final & Replay
Division 1A relegation play-off
Division 1B play-off
Division 1B Relegation/Promotion play-off
Statistics
Top scorer overall
Rank Player Team Tally Total Matches Average1T. J. ReidKilkenny2-6167611.162Shane DooleyOffaly0-6262610.333Joe CanningGalway1-525560.164P. J. ScullyLaois2-475377.575Patrick HorganCork3-435268.666Patrick CurranWaterford2-455186.377David TreacyDublin2-424868.08Conor McGrathClare1-414485.509John O'DwyerTipperary0-383866.3310Conor McGrathClare1-333675.14
Top scorer in a single game
Rank Player Team Tally Total Opposition1John FitzgibbonLimerick1-1417Laois2T. J. ReidKilkenny1-1215CorkShane DooleyOffaly0-1515Wexford4Conor McDonaldWexford2-814OffalyJoe CanningGalway1-1114TipperaryT. J. ReidKilkenny0-1414Galway7John EganKerry1-1013OffalyShane DooleyOffaly0-1313KerryConor McGrathClare0-1313WaterfordJoe CanningGalway0-1313Cork
Clean sheets
Rank Goalkeeper Team Clean sheets1Patrick KellyClare42Eoin MurphyKilkenny3Stephen O'KeeffeWaterfordJames SkehillGalwayConor O'LearyWexford6Nickie QuaidLimerick2Conor DooleyDublinAnthony NashCorkEnda RowlandLaois10Darren GleesonTipperary1Mark FanningWexfordJames DempseyOffalyAndrew FaheyClareGary MaguireDublinPaddy MaloneyWestmeath
Division 2A
On 26 March 2016, Westneath won the title after a 0-10 to 0-8 win over Carlow. It was their first league title since 2008 when they claimed the Division 2 title in the old system.
London's Kevin O'Loughlin was the Division 2A top scorer with 3-37.
Table
Rounds 1 to 5
Division 2A Final
Statistics
Top scorer overall Rank Player Team Tally Total Matches Average1Kevin O'LoughlinLondon3-374659.22Ruairí ConveryDerry1-323557.03Denis MurphyCarlow1-2831310.34Martin FitzgeraldKildare1-273056.05Ciarán ClarkeAntrim1-252855.66Brendan MurtaghWestmeath1-202363.87Derek McNicholasWestmeath2-131953.88Gerry KeeganKildare1-141755.49Marty KavanaghCarlow1-121543.7510Kevin McKernanAntrim0-131352.6
Single game
Rank Player Club Tally Total Opposition1Kevin O'LoughlinLondon3-918Carlow2Denis MurphyCarlow1-1215Derry3Ciarán ClarkeAntrim1-912KildareMartin FitzgeraldKildare1-912Derry5Ruairí ConveryDerry1-811Antrim6Kevin O'LoughlinLondon0-1010WestmeathRuairí ConveryDerry0-1010Kildare8Denis MurphyCarlow0-99Kildare9Derek McNicholasWestmeath1-58AntrimCiarán ClarkeAntrim0-88DerryKevin O'LoughlinLondon0-88Antrim
Division 2B
On 26 March 2016, Armagh won the title after a 0-20 to 1-15 win over Down. It was their first league title since 2006 when they claimed the Division 3 title in the old system. The victory also secured promotion to Division 2A for 2017.
Armagh's Ryan Gaffney was the Division 2B top scorer with 0-53.
Table
Rounds 1 to 5
Division 2B Final
Division 2B play-off
Division 2B Relegation/Promotion play-off
Statistics
Top scorer overall Rank Player Team Tally Total Matches Average1Ryan GaffneyArmagh0-535268.62Danny TonerDown2-394567.53Kenny FeeneyMayo1-404358.64Lee HendersonDonegal0-292955.85John KeenaMeath1-222555.06Conor CorvanArmagh3-142354.6
Single game
Rank Player Club Tally Total Opposition1Kenny FeeneyMayo0-1313DownRyan GaffneyArmagh0-1313Meath3Stephen ClynchMeath0-1212Donegal4Mikey LeeWicklow1-811DonegalLee HendersonDonegal0-1111DownRyan GaffneyArmagh0-1111DownDiarmuid MastersonWicklow0-1111Donegal8Adrian MurphyDonegal3-09RoscommonDanny TonerDown1-69ArmaghKenny FeeneyMayo0-99WicklowDanny TonerDown0-99Meath
Clean sheets
Rank Goalkeeper Team Clean sheets1Shane McGannMeath4Stephen KeithDown3Donal O'BrienMayo2D O'NeillWicklow5Bob FitzgeraldWicklow1
Division 3A
On 26 March 2016, Roscommon won the title after a 4-15 to 0-7 win over Monaghan. It was their first league title since 2011 when they claimed the Division 3B title in the old system. The victory also secured automatic promotion to Division 2B for 2017.
At the other end of the table, Warwickshire were relegated after losing all five of their group stage games. They had secured promotion in 2015 but will return to Division 3B in 2017.
Tyrone's Damian Casey was the Division 3A top scorer with 2-52. Roscommon's Noel Fallon was the top goalkeeper having kept 3 clean sheets.
Table
Rounds 1 to 5
Division 3A Final
Division 3A Relegation/Promotion play-off
Statistics
Top scorer overall Rank Player Team Tally Total Matches Average1Damian CaseyTyrone2-5258511.62Stephen LambeMonaghan2-333966.53Gerry FallonRoscommon0-373766.164John Matthew SheridanFingal2-263256.45Liam DwanLouth2-222847.06Kieran O'SullivanFingal3-152446.07Shane MorrisseyWarwickshire4-102254.408Pauric CrehanWarwickshire2-152145.259Diarmuid MurphyLouth2-142054.010Mark TreanorMonaghan3-101963.16
Single game
Rank Player Team Tally Total Opposition1Damian CaseyTyrone1-1114Louth2Pauric CrehanWarwickshire2-713Roscommon3Kieran O'SullivanFingal2-612WarwickshireDamian CaseyTyrone0-1212FingalDamian CaseyTyrone0-1212WarwickshireGerry FallonRoscommon0-1212Warwickshire7Shane MorrisseyWarwickshire2-511LouthKieran O'SullivanFingal1-811Tyrone9Damian CaseyTyrone1-710RoscommonDamian CaseyTyrone0-1010MonaghanJohn Matthew SheridanFingal0-1010Tyrone
Clean sheets
Rank Goalkeeper Team Clean sheets1Noel FallonRoscommon32Michael CreminWarwickshire1
Division 3B
On 26 March 2016, Fermanagh won the title after a 2-13 to 3-8 win over Longford. It was their first league title since 2013 when they also claimed the Division 3B title.
Longford's Joe O'Brien was the Division 3B top scorer with 3-22. Longford's Reuben Murray was the top goalkeeper having kept one clean sheet.
Table
Rounds 1 to 3
Division 3B Final
Statistics
Top scorer overall Rank Player Team Tally Total Matches Average1Joe O'BrienLongford4-263849.52Cathal MullaneLongford8-103448.53Seán CorriganFermanagh1-242746.754Seán KennySligo4-132538.335Pádraig O'DonnellLeitrim2-162237.36Keith RaymondSligo1-172036.667Paddy FarringtonLongford2-51142.758Clement CunniffeLeitrim0-101033.33Joe DuffyFermanagh1-71042.510Declan McGarryFermanagh1-5832.66
Single game
Rank Player Team Tally Total Opposition1Seán KennySligo3-817Longford2Joe O'BrienLongford1-1013Sligo3Cathal MullaneLongford3-312SligoPádraig O'DonnellLeitrim1-912Fermanagh5Seán CorriganFermanagh1-811Leitrim6Pádraig O'DonnellLeitrim1-710SligoJoe O'BrienLongford1-710FermanaghSeán CorriganFermanagh0-1010Longford9Cathal MullaneLongford2-39Leitrim10Joe O'BrienLongford1-58LeitrimKeith RaymondSligo0-88Leitrim
Clean sheets
Rank Goalkeeper Team Clean sheets1Reuben MurrayLongford1
References
External links Full Fixtures and Results