1975–76 National Hurling League


The 1975–76 National Hurling League was the 45th season of the National Hurling League.

Division 1

came into the season as defending champions of the 1974-75 season. Westmeath entered Division 1 as the promoted team.
On 20 June 1976, Kilkenny won the title after a 6-14 to 1-14 win over Clare in the final. It was their 4th league title overall and their first since 1965-66.
Westmeath were relegated from Division 1 after just one season in the top flight. They were defeated by Antrim in a relegation play-off.
Kilkenny's Eddie Keher was the Division 1 top scorer with 11-58.

Structure

The 14 teams in Division 1 were divided into two groups of seven 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 one for a draw. The first two teams in Division 1A advanced to the league semi-finals. The third and fourth-placed teams in Division 1A joined the first two teams in Division 1B in the quarter-finals. The bottom-placed team in Division 1A was relegated to Division 1B with the Division 1B champion gaining promotion. The bottom-placed team in Division 1B was relegated to Division 2.

Division 1A table

PosTeamPldWDLPtsNotes
1 Wexford 64028-
2 Cork 64028-
3 Clare 63127Division 1 runners-up
4 Kilkenny 62226Division 1 champions
5 Dublin 61325-
6 Tipperary 62135-
7 Galway 61142Relegated to Division 1B

Group stage

Division 1B table

PosTeamPldWDLPtsNotes
1 Limerick 660012Promoted to Division 1A
2 Waterford 650110-
3 Kildare 63036-
4 Offaly 63036-
5 Laois 62044-
6 Antrim 61052-
7 Westmeath 61052Relegated to Division 2

Group stage

Play-off

Knock-out stage

Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Finals

Scoring statistics

;Top scorers overall
RankPlayerTeamTallyTotalMatchesAverage
1Eddie KeherKilkenny11-5891118.27
2Colm HonanClare1-4548114.36
3Ned BuggyWexford2-3238
4Mick BrennanKilkenny4-2234
4Johnny WalshKildare3-2534
6Éamonn CreganLimerick9-0532
7Éamonn O'DonoghueCork7-0930
8Joe TowellDublin9-0027
8Eddie DonnellyAntrim3-1827
10Jim McNamaraClare0-2525

;Top scorers in a single game
RankPlayerTeamTallyTotalOpposition
1Ned BuggyWexford1-1114Clare
2Paddy BatesLaois3-0413Kildare
3Joe TowellDublin4-0012Wexford
3Eddie KeherKilkenny3-0312Cork
5Mick ButlerWexford3-0211Clare
5Eddie KeherKilkenny2-0511Limerick
5Paddy KellyLimerick1-0811Offaly
5John GalvinWaterford1-0811Laois
9Jim GreeneWaterford3-0110Laois
9Éamonn CreganLimerick3-0110Westmeath
9Johnny WalshKildare1-0710Westmeath
9Eddie KeherKilkenny1-0710Clare

Division 2

On 7 March 1976, Wicklow won the title after a 2-9 to 0-7 win over Down in a play-off.

Division 2 table

PosTeamPldWDLPtsNotes
1 Wicklow 54018Division 2 champions
2 Down 54018-
3 Meath 53026-
4 Kerry 53026-
5 Carlow 51042-
6 Roscommon 50050-

Group stage

Play-off