National Hurling League

The National Hurling League is an annual inter-county hurling competition featuring teams from Ireland and England. Founded in 1925 by the Gaelic Athletic Association, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation within the league system.

The league has 35 teams divided into six divisions, with either five or six teams in each division. Promotion and relegation between these divisions is a central feature of the league. Although primarily a competition for Irish teams, teams from England – currently Lancashire, London and Warwickshire – also take part, while in the past New York also fielded a team for the latter stages of the league. Teams representing subdivisions of counties, such as Fingal and South Down have also participated at various times.

The National Hurling League has been associated with a title sponsor since 1985. Ford, Royal Liver and Church & General have all served as sponsors of the league since then. The competition is currently sponsored by Allianz and is officially known as the Allianz Hurling League.

The league season runs from January to March with each team in the group playing each other once. Division 1 of the league features the top twelve hurling teams split into two divisions of six. A knock-out stage follows for the four top-placed teams in each division. The winners of the Division 1 title are awarded the Dr Croke Cup and are officially regarded as the National Hurling League champions.

The National Hurling League title has been won by 10 different teams, 9 of whom have won the title more than once. The all-time record-holders are Tipperary and Kilkenny, who have won the league on 19 occasions. Clare won the 2024 title.

Creation
Since 1887, the All-Ireland Championship had been steadily growing in interest and in participation. The championship, however, was largely confined to the summer months, resulting in a lack of top class inter-county action between September and April. Inter-county tournament games were popular as a way of filling the void, while some provinces organised their own pre-championship competitions, most notably the Thomond Feis in Munster. Several counties had also organised inter-club leagues as a means of supplementing the county championship by providing more games. While these had proved successful, it was decided to create a national senior inter-county league to provide games during the winter and spring months.

Beginnings
The inaugural National Hurling League began on 27 September 1925 and ended on 16 May 1926. Seven teams - Cork, Dublin, Galway. Kilkenny, Laois, Limerick and Tipperary - competed in a six-game single round-robin format. At the end of the group stage the top two teams contested the league final. Cork won the 1925–26 league following a 3–7 to 1–5 defeat of Dublin in the final.

Development
While no league took place during the 1926–27 season, the 1926–27 league featured nine teams. A single round-robin format was once again used, with each team playing eight games. The second league featured no final, with Tipperary being declared champions after securing 14 points from their group stage games.

The 1928-29 league featured twelve teams divided in two groups based on geographical position. The Eastern Division comprised five teams from the province of Leinster, while the Southwestern Division had seven teams from the province of Munster and Galway. The top teams in each division played off in the final to determine the champions. This format was used on a number of occasions until the 1934–35, when the league reverted to a straightforward one-group league with the top-placed team being declared the champions. This format was used again during the leagues in 1935–36 and 1936–37.

Ten teams entered the 1937–38 league, with two groups of five teams competing. A third group was added in 1938–39 as the number of teams increased to thirteen. These formats were regularly used over the following seasons, depending on the number of teams participating.

Between 1941 and 1945 the league was suspended due to the Emergency.

The 1955–56 league saw the introduction of a major change in format. As a result of a lack of interest from defeated first-round teams in recent years, Central Council introduced a two-division league featuring a new system of relegation and promotion. Division 1 was confined to ten teams in two groups of five. The bottom-placed team in each group would play off to decide which of the two teams would be relegated. Division 2 was made up of the 'second tier' hurling teams and featured eight teams divided into two groups. Limerick became the first team to be relegated, while Antrim became the first team to gain promotion under the new system.

Schedule
In the 20th century, National League fixtures were played during inter-county windows in the later and early months of the calendar year, while the SHC occupied the inter-county window during those months that made up the middle of the year, e.g. May, August. Club competitions of lesser importance occurred alongside the inter-county games so as to provide meaningful game time for players possessed of insufficient ability to compete at the higher (inter-county) level.

From 1997, National League fixtures were played during the early months of the calendar year, preceding the SHC, which remained in the traditional mid-year position. An April club window allowed inter-county players to return to their clubs to participate in some early rounds of the more important club competitions, i.e. championship fixtures.

This arrangement was disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the impact of the pandemic on Gaelic games, the 2020 National League was suspended in March and all Gaelic games ceased until the middle of the year, when club fixtures were first to resume. The National League was then completed in October, ahead of the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship (which was completed in December). This led to a motion (passed at the 2021 GAA Congress) to adopt a "split season" model, whereby club competitions would occupy one part of the calendar year and inter-county fixtures the other part.

Sponsorship
Since 1985, the National Hurling League has been sponsored. The sponsor has usually been able to determine the league's sponsorship name.

History
Division 1 has existed in its current form since the 2012 league. Prior to this, Division 1 had existed as a single division of eight teams. The new division, comprising two groups, was created using the final rankings from the 2011 league. The top six teams from that year's Division 1 were added to the new Division 1A. The bottom two teams from Division 1 and the top four teams from Division 2 were added to the new Division 1B.

In 2012 and 2013, the top two teams in Division 1B contested a final, with the winners joining the top three teams from Division 1A in the semi-finals of the league proper. This format was abandoned when the quarter-final stage was introduced during the 2014 league.

Format
There are currently seven teams in Division 1A.

During the course of a season (from February to March) each team plays the others once (a single round-robin system) for a total of 21 games. Teams receive two points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Where two teams are level on points, the team that wins the head-to-head match is ranked ahead. If this game is a draw, points difference (total scored minus total conceded in all games) is used to rank the teams. Where three or more teams are level on points, points difference is used to rank them.

The top two teams in Division 1A contest the National Hurling League final. The bottom two teams in Division 1A are relegated to Division 1B.

2025 Teams
The following seven teams are competing in Division 1A during the 2025 league.

Attendances
Stadium attendances are a significant source of regular income for Central Council and for the teams involved. For the knock-out stages of the 2017 league, average attendances were 12,474 with a total aggregate attendance figure of 87,321 for the seven games.

Group stage
The league is operated using a home and away basis every second year. Fixtures in the five group stage rounds of the league are played at the home ground of one of the two teams involved. Each team is guaranteed at least two home games.

Quarter-finals
The quarter-finals of the league are usually played at the home venue of one of the teams involved. The team which receives home advantage is decided by using the home and away agreement or by a coin toss.

Semi-finals
The semi-finals of the league are usually played on the same day at the same venue as part of a double-header of games. Semple Stadium, Nowlan Park and the Gaelic Grounds have all been used as the venues for the semi-finals.

Final
Since 2000, Semple Stadium has been used on ten occasions as the host venue for the league final. The Gaelic Grounds, Nowlan Park and Croke Park have also been used as the final venue during this time.

Managers


Managers in the National Hurling League are involved in the day-to-day running of the team, including the training, team selection, and sourcing of players from the club championships. Their influence varies from county-to-county and is related to the individual county boards. From 2018, all inter-county head coaches must be Award 2 qualified. The manager is assisted by a team of two or three selectors and an extensive backroom team consisting of various coaches. Prior to the development of the concept of a manager in the 1970s, teams were usually managed by a team of selectors with one member acting as chairman.


 * Notes

By decade
The most successful team of each decade, judged by number of National Hurling League titles, is as follows:


 * 1920s: 1 each for Cork (1926), Tipperary (1928) and Dublin (1929)
 * 1930s: 5 for Limerick (1934-35-36-37-38)
 * 1940s: 3 for Cork (1940-41-48)
 * 1950s: 6 for Tipperary (1950-52-54-55-57-59)
 * 1960s: 5 for Tipperary (1960-61-64-65-68)
 * 1970s: 3 for Cork (1970-72-74)
 * 1980s: 3 for Kilkenny (1982-83-86)
 * 1990s: 2 each for Kilkenny (1990–95), Limerick (1992–97), Cork (1993–98) and Tipperary (1994–99)
 * 2000s: 5 for Kilkenny (2002-03-05-06-09)
 * 2010s: 4 for Kilkenny (2012-13-14-18)
 * 2020s: 2 for Limerick (2020–23)

Gaps
Top ten longest gaps between successive league titles:
 * 72 years: Dublin (1939–2011)
 * 44 years: Waterford (1963–2007)
 * 38 years: Clare (1978–2016)
 * 31 years: Clare (1946–1977)
 * 29 years: Kilkenny (1933–1962)
 * 26 years: Cork (1998–present)
 * 24 years: Galway (1951–1975)
 * 24 years: Limerick (1947–1971)
 * 22 years: Limerick (1997–2019)
 * 21 years: Tipperary (1928–1949)

History
Division 1B has existed in its current form since the 2025 league. Prior to this, Division 1B teams competed in Division 1 and Division 2A. The new division was created using the final rankings from the 2024 league.

Format
There are currently seven teams in Division 1B.

During the course of a season (from February to March) each team plays the others once (a single round-robin system) for a total of 21 games. Teams receive two points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Where two teams are level on points, the team that wins the head-to-head match is ranked ahead. If this game is a draw, points difference (total scored minus total conceded in all games) is used to rank the teams. Where three or more teams are level on points, points difference is used to rank them.

The top two teams in Division 1B contest the final and are promoted to Division 1A. The bottom two teams in Division 1B are relegated to Division 2.

2025 Teams
The following seven teams are competing in Division 1B during the 2025 league.

History
Division 2 has existed in its current form since the 2025 league. Prior to this, Division 2 teams competed in Division 2A and Division 2B. The new division was created using the final rankings from the 2024 league.

Format
There are currently seven teams in Division 2.

During the course of a season (from February to March) each team plays the others once (a single round-robin system) for a total of 21 games. Teams receive two points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Where two teams are level on points, the team that wins the head-to-head match is ranked ahead. If this game is a draw, points difference (total scored minus total conceded in all games) is used to rank the teams. Where three or more teams are level on points, points difference is used to rank them.

The top two teams in Division 2 contest the final and are promoted to Division 1B. The bottom two teams in Division 2 are relegated to Division 3.

2025 Teams
The following seven teams are competing in Division 2 during the 2025 league.

History
Division 3 has existed in its current form since 2025. Prior to this, Division 3 had existed as 2 divisions of six teams each. The new division was created using the final rankings from the 2024 league.

Format
There are currently seven teams in Division 3.

During the course of a season (from January to March) each team plays the others once (a single round-robin system) for a total of 21 games. Teams receive two points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss. Where two teams are level on points, the team that wins the head-to-head match is ranked ahead. If this game is a draw, points difference (total scored minus total conceded in all games) is used to rank the teams. Where three or more teams are level on points, points difference is used to rank them.

The top two teams in Division 3 contest the final and are promoted to Division 2 the following season.

The bottom two teams in Division 3 are relegated to Division 4 the following season. Their place in the division is then taken by the Division 4 champions and runners-up, who gain automatic promotion.

2025 Teams
The following seven teams are competing in Division 3 during the 2025 league.

2025 Teams
The following seven teams are competing in Division 4 during the 2025 league.

Broadcasting rights
Setanta Sports broadcasts live matches in Australia. Setanta Sports also provides matches from the National Hurling League in Asia. In Ireland TG4 shows live matches each week on Sunday afternoon, with deferred coverage of a second match shown straight after. Setanta Sports broadcasts matches live on the Saturday evening slot. Highlights for all the games are shown at 7:00pm on League Sunday on RTÉ2.