The 1963–64 National Football League was the 33rd staging of the National Football League (NFL), an annual Gaelic football tournament for the Gaelic Athletic Association county teams of Ireland.
New York again got a bye to the final. Dublin met them after a win over Down in the Home Final, and travelled to The Bronx for the final, also billed as the "World Championship". A Brendan O'Donnell goal after half-time allowed NY to build up a seven-point lead, which a Dublin rally reduced to one point. Late in the game, players brawled on the field and were joined by a spectator, who received a black eye. New York captain Tom Hennessy scored a late point to seal victory.
Format
Divisions Division I: 8 team. Split into two groups (one of five, one of four) Division II: 7 teams Division III: 7 teams. Division III: 9 teams. Split into two groups (one of five, one of four)
Round-robin format Each team played every other team in its division (or group where the division is split) once, either home or away.
Points awarded 2 points were awarded for a win and 1 for a draw.
Titles Teams in all three divisions competed for the National Football League title.
Division I also doubled as the Dr Lagan Cup
Knockout stage qualifiers Division I: winners Division II: winners Division III: winners Division IV: winners
Knockout phase structure 4 Division winners play Semi-finals
Promotion and relegation
None
Separation of teams on equal points
In the event that teams finish on equal points, then a play-off will be used to determine group placings if necessary, i.e. where to decide semi-finalists.
Group stage
Division I (Dr Lagan Cup)
Inter-group play-offs
Group A TeamPldWDLPtsStatus 3 3 0 0 6 3 2 0 1 4 3 0 1 2 1 3 0 1 2 1
Group B TeamPldWDLPtsStatus 3 3 0 0 6 Win Dr Lagan Cup; advance to Knockout Stage 3 2 0 1 4 3 1 0 2 2 3 0 0 3 0
"National League Positions" Irish Press, 29/10/1963, p. 15
Division II TeamPldWDLPtsStatus 6 5 0 1 10 Qualified for knockout stage 6 4 0 2 8 6 4 02 8 6 3 0 3 6 6 3 0 3 6 6 1 0 5 2 6 1 0 5 2 "Football League Tables", Irish Press, 09/03/1964, p. 18
Division III TeamPldWDLPtsStatus 6 5 0 1 10 Qualified for knockout stage 6 4 1 1 9 6 3 03 6 6 3 0 3 6 6 2 1 3 5 6 2 1 3 5 6 0 1 5 1 "Football League Tables", Irish Press, 09/03/1964, p. 18
Division IV
Inter-group play-offs
Group A TeamPldWDLPtsStatus 4 4 0 0 8 Advance to Knockout stage 4 2 1 1 5 4 2 0 2 4 4 1 0 3 2 4 0 1 3 1 "National Football League", Irish Independent, 10 March 1964, p.17
Group B TeamPldWDLPtsStatus 3 3 0 0 6 3 1 1 1 3 3 1 1 1 3 3 0 1 2 1
Knockout stages
Semi-finals
Finals
References