2019 National Hurling League
The 2019 National Hurling League is the 88th season of the National Hurling League for county hurling teams.
Kilkenny were the defending champions, having won the 2018 league.
The GAA announced a new broadcast agreement on 10 January 2019 that runs from 2019 until 2022. Eir Sport and RTÉ provide live TV coverage of the league on Saturday nights. TG4 broadcast Sunday afternoon games. The highlights programmes are RTÉ2's League Sunday on Sunday evenings, TG4's GAA 2019 on Monday evenings and Eir Sport's Allianz Leagues Reloaded on Wednesday evenings.
Limerick won their first league title since 1997 after a 1-24 to 0-19 win against Waterford in the final on 31 March.
Redistribution of the top 12 teams for 2020
In November 2018, the GAA's Central Council decided to reorganise Divisions 1A and 1B before the start of the 2020 National Hurling League. As a result there was no relegation from 1A to 1B in 2019.In 2019 the teams ranked 1 to 6 competed in Division 1A and the teams ranked 7 to 12 competed in Division 1B. Following the 2019 League the top twelve teams were redistributed into two groups of approximately equal strength. The two new groups were based on their finishing positions in 2019 and will be redrawn after two years.
On completion of the five rounds on 10 March 2019 and a playoff on 16 March 2019, the two groups in 2020's Division 1 were determined as –
2020 Division 1 Group A
Limerick
Tipperary
Cork
Waterford
Galway
Westmeath
2020 Division 1 Group B
Wexford
Clare
Kilkenny
Dublin
Laois
Carlow
GAA President John Horan was of the opinion that the new Division 1 group structure would give managers "an opportunity to actually play players in a developmental manner" as team selections and tactics are likely to be more experimental if the teams do not have to avoid relegation.
Competition format
League structureThirty-five teams compete in the 2019 NHL – six teams in the top five divisions and five teams in Division 3B. All thirty-two county teams from Ireland take part. London, Lancashire and Warwickshire complete the lineup.
Each team plays all the other teams in their division once, either home or away. Two points are awarded for a win, and one for a draw.
The Division 1 hurling quarter-finals and semi-finals will finish on the day the games are played. If a quarter-final or semi-final is level after the initial seventy minutes, still level after two ten minute periods of extra time played each way, and still level after two further five minute periods of extra time, the outcome will be decided by a free-taking competition. This means the winner of quarter-finals and semi-finals will determined without requiring a replay and allow the league finals to be held on the scheduled date.
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 is used to rank the teams.
- If three or more teams are level on league points, score difference is used to rank the teams.
Division 1A
- The top four teams qualify for the Division 1 quarter-finals
- No relegation
- The top four teams qualify for the Division 1 quarter-finals
- The bottom two teams meet in a relegation play-off, with the losers being relegated to Division 2A
- The top two teams meet in Division 2A final, with the winners being promoted to Division 1
- The bottom team is relegated to Division 2B
- The top two teams meet in Division 2B final, with the winners being promoted to Division 2A
- The bottom two teams meet in a relegation play-off, with the losers being relegated to Division 3A
- The top two teams meet in Division 3A final, with the winners being promoted to Division 2B
- The bottom team is relegated to Division 3B
- The top two teams meet in Division 3B final, with the winners being promoted to Division 3A
Division 1A
Division 1 Format
In 2019 the 12 teams in Division 1 were organised into two further divisions - teams ranked one to six in Division 1A and teams ranked seven to twelve in Division 1B. In 2020 the twelve top teams will be redistributed into two divisions of approximately equal strength which will be redrawn every two years.Each team played all the other teams in their group once. Two points were awarded for a win and one for a draw. The top four teams in both 1A and 1B advanced to the league quarter-finals with the top team in 1A playing the fourth team in 1B, the second team in 1A playing the third in 1B, etc. Two semi-finals and a final followed.
Division 1A
For official fixtures and results seeDivision 1A Table
- Tipperary, Kilkenny and Cork are ranked by score difference.
Division 1A Rounds 1 to 5
Division 1A Round 1
Division 1A Round 2
Division 1A Round 3
Division 1A Round 4
Division 1A Round 5
Division 1B
Division 1B Table
- Offaly are ranked ahead of Carlow because they won the head-to-head game between the teams. Offaly were relegated as they were beaten in the relegation playoff by Carlow.
Division 1B Rounds 1 to 5
Division 1B Round 1
Division 1B Round 2
Division 1B Round 3
Division 1B Round 4
Division 1B Round 5
Division 1 Knockout
For official fixtures and results seeDivision 1 Quarter-Finals
The hurling quarter-finals finish on the day the games are played, avoiding the need for replays. If the score is level after the initial seventy minutes, still level after two ten minute periods of extra time played each way, and still level after a further two five minute periods of extra time, a free-taking competition is held. Each team nominates five players to take frees from their chosen position on a sixty five metre line selected by the referee and without defenders. The nominated players from each team take alternate turns. If the teams score an equal number of the five frees, the outcome of the match is decided by sudden death frees using the same nominated players in the same order.The fixtures are 1st in Division 1A plays 4th in Division 1B, 2nd in Division 1A plays 3rd in Division 1B, etc. Home advantage is decided by whichever team has played fewer home games in their five league games, with a coin toss taking place if the number of home games played is the same for both teams.
Division 1 Semi-Finals
The hurling semi-finals finish on the day the games are played, avoiding the need for replays. If the score is level after the initial seventy minutes, still level after two ten minute periods of extra time played each way, and still level after a further two five minute periods of extra time, a free-taking competition is held. Each team nominates five players to take frees from their chosen position on a sixty five metre line selected by the referee and without defenders. The nominated players from each team take alternate turns. If the teams score an equal number of the five frees, the outcome of the match is decided by sudden death frees using the same nominated players in the same order.Division 1 Final
The final was postponed from 24 March to 31 March 2019 as three of the round five fixtures were called off due to bad weather on the weekend of 2-3 March.Division 1A Play-Off
This playoff between the teams ranked 5th and 6th in 2019's Division 1A was used to determine which of the two groups the teams were allocated to in 2020's restructured Division 1. Brian Cody, the Kilkenny manager, described it as "a futile match really".Division 1B Relegation Play-Off
Division 1 scoring statistics
;Top scorers overall| Rank | Player | Team | Tally | Total | Matches | Average |
| 1 | Stephen Bennett | Waterford | 4-85 | 97 | 8 | 12.12 |
| 2 | Joe Canning | Galway | 0-57 | 57 | 6 | 9.50 |
| 3 | Aaron Gillane | Limerick | 2-45 | 51 | 6 | 8.50 |
| 4 | Patrick Horgan | Cork | 1-46 | 49 | 5 | 9.80 |
| 4 | Martin Kavanagh | Carlow | 0-49 | 49 | 6 | 8.16 |
| 5 | Mark Kavanagh | Laois | 1-44 | 47 | 6 | 7.8 |
| 6 | Peter Duggan | Clare | 3-33 | 42 | 6 | 7.00 |
| 7 | Séamus Callanan | Tipperary | 3-29 | 38 | 6 | 6.33 |
| 8 | Joe Bergin | Offaly | 4-25 | 37 | 4 | 9.25 |
| 9 | Jason Forde | Tipperary | 1-26 | 29 | 5 | 5.80 |
;Top scorers in a single game
| Rank | Player | Club | Tally | Total | Opposition |
| 1 | Jason Forde | Tipperary | 1-13 | 16 | Cork |
| 1 | Stephen Bennett | Waterford | 0-16 | 16 | Waterford |
| 1 | Patrick Horgan | Cork | 0-16 | 16 | Clare |
| 1 | Stephen Bennett | Waterford | 0-16 | 16 | Offaly |
| 2 | Joe Canning | Galway | 0-15 | 15 | Wexford |
| 3 | Kevin Kelly | Kilkenny | 1-11 | 14 | Clare |
| 4 | Séamus Callanan | Tipperary | 2-07 | 13 | Clare |
| 4 | Stephen Bennett | Waterford | 2-07 | 13 | Dublin |
| 4 | Jason Flynn | Galway | 0-13 | 13 | Offaly |
| 5 | Aaron Gillane | Limerick | 1-09 | 12 | Waterford |
| 5 | Patrick Horgan | Cork | 1-09 | 12 | Limerick |
| 5 | Joe Bergin | Offaly | 1-09 | 12 | Laois |
| 5 | Martin Kavanagh | Carlow | 0-12 | 12 | Dublin |
| 5 | Stephen Bennett | Waterford | 0-12 | 12 | Laois |
Division 2A
Division 2A Table
Division 2A Rounds 1 to 5
For official fixtures and results seeDivision 2A Round 1
Division 2A Round 2
Division 2A Round 3
Division 2A Round 4
Division 2A Round 5
Division 2A Final
Division 2A Relegation Play-Off
Division 2A scoring statistics
;Top scorers overall| Rank | Player | Team | Tally | Total | Matches | Average |
| 1 | James McNaughton | Antrim | 2-45 | 51 | 5 | 10.20 |
| 2 | Shane Conway | Kerry | 2-45 | 40 | 4 | 10.00 |
| 3 | Aaron Sheehan | London | 0-35 | 35 | 5 | 7.00 |
| 4 | Pádraig Boyle | Kerry | 2-25 | 31 | 6 | 5.16 |
| 5 | Shane Boland | Mayo | 0-30 | 30 | 5 | 6.00 |
| 6 | Pádraic O'Hanrahan | Meath | 0-27 | 27 | 5 | 5.40 |
| 7 | Niall Mitchell | Westmeath | 1-23 | 26 | 6 | 4.33 |
| 8 | Jack Goulding | Kerry | 3-10 | 19 | 5 | 3.80 |
| 8 | Derek McNicholas | Westmeath | 2-13 | 19 | 6 | 3.16 |
| 9 | Killian Doyle | Westmeath | 0-17 | 17 | 6 | 2.83 |
;Top scorers in a single game
| Rank | Player | Club | Tally | Total | Opposition |
| 1 | Aaron Sheehan | London | 0-16 | 16 | Antrim |
| 2 | Shane Conway | Kerry | 1-10 | 13 | Westmeath |
| 2 | Shane Conway | Kerry | 0-13 | 13 | Antrim |
| 3 | James McNaughton | Antrim | 1-09 | 12 | Mayo |
| 3 | James McNaughton | Antrim | 0-12 | 12 | Kerry |
| 4 | James McNaughton | Antrim | 1-08 | 11 | Meath |
| 4 | James McNaughton | Antrim | 0-11 | 11 | Westmeath |
| 5 | Pádraig Boyle | Kerry | 1-07 | 10 | London |
| 5 | Shane Boland | Mayo | 0-10 | 10 | Meath |
| 6 | Niall Mitchell | Westmeath | 1-06 | 9 | London |
| 6 | Pádraig Boyle | Kerry | 0-09 | 9 | Mayo |
Division 2B
Division 2B Table
Division 2B Rounds 1 to 5
For official fixtures and results seeDivision 2B Round 1
Division 2B Round 2
Division 2B Round 3
Division 2B Round 4
Division 2B Round 5
Division 2B Final
Division 2B Relegation Play-Off
Division 2B scoring statistics
;Top scorers overall| Rank | Player | Team | Tally | Total | Matches | Average |
| 1 | Brian Byrne | Kildare | 5-44 | 59 | 5 | 11.80 |
| 2 | Cormac O'Doherty | Derry | 0-29 | 29 | 3 | 9.66 |
| 3 | Richie Mullan | Derry | 0-29 | 29 | 5 | 5.80 |
| 4 | Lee Henderson | Donegal | 1-25 | 28 | 5 | 5.60 |
| 5 | Paul Sheehan | Down | 0-27 | 27 | 5 | 5.40 |
| 6 | Enda Donohoe | Wicklow | 1-21 | 24 | 6 | 4.00 |
| 7 | Christy Moorehouse | Wicklow | 0-23 | 23 | 6 | 3.83 |
| 8 | Declan Coulter | Donegal | 0-19 | 19 | 3 | 6.33 |
| 9 | Oisín McManus | Down | 1-15 | 18 | 5 | 3.60 |
| 10 | Daithí Sands | Down | 3-08 | 17 | 3 | 5.66 |
;Top scorers in a single game
| Rank | Player | Club | Tally | Total | Opposition |
| 1 | Brian Byrne | Kildare | 3-14 | 23 | Warwickshire |
| 2 | Brian Byrne | Kildare | 1-09 | 12 | Wicklow |
| 2 | John Collins | Warwickshire | 0-12 | 12 | Donegal |
| 3 | Niall Kennedy | Warwickshire | 3-02 | 11 | Derry |
| 3 | Cormac O'Doherty | Derry | 0-11 | 11 | Kildare |
| 3 | Richie Mullan | Derry | 0-11 | 11 | Kildare |
| 4 | Cormac O'Doherty | Derry | 0-10 | 10 | Down |
| 4 | Paul Sheehan | Down | 0-10 | 10 | Wicklow |
| 4 | Lee Henderson | Donegal | 0-10 | 10 | Wicklow |
| 4 | Brian Byrne | Kildare | 0-10 | 10 | Derry |
Division 3A
Division 3A Table
- Armagh, Tyrone and Monaghan are ranked by score difference.
- Louth are ranked ahead of Lancashire because they won the head-to-head game between the teams.
Division 3A Rounds 1 to 5