National Football League (Ireland)

National Football League
Current season or competition: 2016 National Football League

Irish	Sraith Náisiúnta Peile
Code	Gaelic football
Founded	1925–26
Region	Ireland (GAA)
Trophy	Irish National Insurance Cup
No. of teams	32
Title holders	Dublin (11th title)
First winner	Laois
Most titles	Kerry (19 titles)
Sponsors	Allianz
TV partner(s)	TG4 Setanta Sports
Motto	Unexpect the Expected

The National Football League (NFL; Irish: Sraith Náisiúnta Peile) is an annual Gaelic football competition between the county teams of Ireland plus London. Sponsored by Allianz, it is therefore officially known as the Allianz National Football League.

The Gaelic Athletic Association organises the league. The winning team receives the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company. The National Football League is considered to be the second most prestigious inter-county competition in its code, with the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship held in higher regard.^[1]

Dublin, the reigning league champions, defeated Cork in the 2015 league final.

History

The National Football League was first held in 1925–26, thirty-eight years after the first All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. Laois won the inaugural National Football League. The NFL has traditionally played second fiddle to the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, with most counties using it as preparation for that event. This was not helped by the fact that the League was initially played in winter (usually November–March), while the Championship had the more attractive summer dates and knockout structure.

Mayo dominated the early NFL, winning seven titles in eight seasons until the tournament was suspended during the Second World War. For many seasons in the 50's and 60's, the winners of the "home" league played New York in the NFL final; the journey to New York formed an additional prize for the winners. New York won three of these finals.

In 2002, the league was changed to a February–April calendar. This has increased interest, boosted attendances and led to live games being broadcast on TG4. The 2009 season was broadcast live on Setanta Sports. Coverage of the 2010 finals in Croke Park saw TG4 become the most watched channel, with 650,000 viewers tuning in to watch some of the games. The Division 1 final had an average audience of 220,000 viewers.^[2]

The National Football League winners receive the Irish National Insurance Cup, first presented to Kerry in 1928–29. Kerry are the most successful team in the League, having played in the final on twenty-three occasions and won nineteen of these. Both of these (final appearances and wins) are records. Kerry also are the team to have most often achieved the "double", by winning both the League and All-Ireland Senior Football Championship.

List of finalists/champions

The Division 2 final sees Westmeath take on Derry

Final results

Main article: List of National Football League (Ireland) finals

Performances by county

County	Wins	Runners-up	Winning seasons
Kerry	19	4	1927–28, 1928–29, 1930–31, 1931–32, 1958–59, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74, 1976–77, 1981–82, 1983–84, 1996–97, 2004, 2006, 2009
Dublin	11	10	1952–53, 1954–55, 1957–58, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1986–87, 1990–91, 1992–93, 2013, 2014, 2015
Mayo	11	6	1933–34, 1934–35, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1937–38, 1938–39, 1940–41, 1948–49, 1953–54, 1969–70, 2000–01
Cork	8	6	1951–52, 1955–56, 1979–80, 1988–89, 1998–99, 2010, 2011, 2012
Meath	7	6	1932–33, 1945–46, 1950–51, 1974–75, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1993–94
Derry	6	6	1946–47, 1991–92, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1999–2000, 2008
Down	4	2	1959–60, 1961–62, 1967–68, 1982–83
New York^[a]	3	7	1949–50, 1963–64, 1966–67
Galway	4	5	1939-40, 1956-57, 1964-65, 1980-81
Tyrone	2	2	2002, 2003
Laois	2	1	1925–26, 1985–86
Cavan	1	6	1947–48
Donegal	1	3	2007
Armagh	1	3	2005
Roscommon	1	2	1978–79
Offaly	1	1	1997–98
Monaghan	1	1	1984–85
Longford	1	0	1965–66
Kildare	0	5	Last final appearance: 1990–91
Wexford	0	3	Last final appearance: 2008
Carlow	0	1	Finalists in 1953–54
Louth	0	1	Finalists in 1948–49
Clare	0	1	Finalists in 1946–47
Fermanagh	0	1	Finalists in 1934–35

a. ^{^} New York received a bye to the final in 10 NFL seasons between 1949–50 and 1988–89.

The top provinces by number of wins are as follows:

	Province	Wins	Top county	Last win
1	Munster	27	Kerry (19)	Cork (2012)
2	Leinster	23	Dublin (12)	Dublin (2015)
3	Ulster	16	Derry (6)	Derry (2008)
4	Connacht	14	Mayo (11)	Mayo (2000–01)
5	Overseas	3	New York (3)	New York (1966–67)

References

↑ Scott, Ronan (30 January 2009). "Only the league...". Gaelic Life. p. 10.
↑ "VIEWING FIGURES FOR GAA BEO - ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE FINALS 2010". TG4. 27 April 2010. Retrieved 3 May 2010.

External links

National Football Leagues

Seasons	1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Finals Records and statistics Winning players

National Leagues of the Gaelic Athletic Association

National Football League (2015)

Division 1	Cork Derry Donegal Dublin Kerry Mayo Monaghan Tyrone

Division 2	Cavan Down Galway Kildare Laois Meath Roscommon Westmeath

Division 3	Armagh Clare Fermanagh Limerick Louth Sligo Tipperary Wexford

Division 4	Antrim Carlow Kilkenny Leitrim London Longford Offaly Waterford Wicklow

Italics indicates a team which did not contest this division.

National Hurling League (2015)

Division 1A	Clare Cork Dublin Galway Kilkenny Tipperary

Division 1B	Antrim Laois Limerick Offaly Waterford Wexford

Division 2A	Carlow Derry Kerry London Westmeath Wicklow

Division 2B	Armagh Donegal Down Kildare Mayo Meath

Division 3A	Fermanagh Fingal Louth Monaghan Roscommon Tyrone

Division 3B	Cavan Leitrim Longford Sligo South Down Warwickshire

Italics indicates a team which did not contest this division.

Gaelic football

Positions

Sam Maguire Cup Senior Championship (2014) Tommy Murphy Cup Under 21 Championship (2014) Minor Championship (2014) Junior Championship National Football League (2014) Club Football Championship Kick Fada Sevens All Stars Awards Olympics

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