The 2004 National Hurling League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Allianz National Hurling League, was the 73rd edition of the National Hurling League (NHL), an annual hurling competition for the GAA county teams. Galway won the league, beating Waterford in the final.[1][2][3]
Structure
Division 1
There are 12 teams in Division 1, divided into 1A and 1B. Each team plays all the others in its group once, earning 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw.
- The top three in 1A and 1B advance to the Division 1 Final Group.
- The bottom three in 1A and 1B go into the Division 1 Relegation Group.
Each team in the Final Group plays the other three teams that it did not play in the first five games. The top two teams go into the NHL final – only points earned in these last three games count. Each team in the Relegation Group plays the other three teams that it did not play in the first five games. The bottom team is relegated – only points earned in these last three games count.
Division 2
There are 10 teams in Division 2, divided into 2A and 2B. Each team plays all the others in its group once, earning 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw.
- The top three in 2A and 2B advance to the Division 2 Promotion Group.
- The bottom two in 2A and 2B go into the Division 2 Relegation Group.
Each team in the Promotion Group plays the other three teams that it did not play in the first four games. The top two teams go into the Division 2 final – only points earned in these last three games count. Final winners are promoted. Each team in the Relegation Group plays the other two teams that it did not play in the first four games. The bottom team is relegated – only points earned in these last two games count.
Division 3
There are 10 teams in Division 3, divided into 3A and 3B. Each team plays all the others in its group once, earning 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw.
- The top three in 3A and 3B advance to the Division 3 Promotion Group.
- The bottom two in 3A and 3B go into the Division 3 Shield Group.
Each team in the Promotion Group plays the other three teams that it did not play in the first four games. The top two teams go into the Division 3 final – only points earned in these last three games count. Final winners are promoted. Each team in the Shield Group plays the other two teams that it did not play in the first four games. The top two play the Division 3 Shield Final.
Overview
Division 1
Galway won their first league title in four seasons, as 'the Westerners' recorded two defeats throughout the entire league. Waterford, who were league runners-up, suffered three defeats in the group stages before falling to Galway in the final.
Down at the other end of the table, Dublin and Antrim went through the initial group stages without a single victory. However, a relegation group of six teams resulted in Offaly ending up at the bottom and facing relegation for the following season.
Results and tables
Division 1
Division 1A
| Pos |
Team |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
Diff |
Pts |
Notes |
| 1 |
Galway |
5 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
|
8 |
Advance to Final Group |
| 2 |
Clare |
5 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
|
8 |
Advance to Final Group |
| 3 |
Waterford |
5 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
|
6 |
Advance to Final Group |
| 4 |
Kilkenny |
5 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
|
6 |
Advance to Relegation Group |
| 5 |
Laois |
5 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
|
2 |
Advance to Relegation Group |
| 6 |
Dublin |
5 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
|
0 |
Advance to Relegation Group |
|
Division 1B
| Pos |
Team |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
Diff |
Pts |
Notes |
| 1 |
Cork |
5 |
4 |
1 |
0 |
+17 |
9 |
Advance to Final Group |
| 2 |
Tipperary |
5 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
+50 |
8 |
Advance to Final Group |
| 3 |
Limerick |
5 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
+6 |
6 |
Advance to Final Group |
| 4 |
Offaly |
5 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
-1 |
6 |
Advance to Relegation Group |
| 5 |
Wexford |
5 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
-19 |
2 |
Advance to Relegation Group |
| 6 |
Antrim |
5 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
-53 |
0 |
Advance to Relegation Group |
|
|
Division 1 Final Group
| Pos |
Team |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
Diff |
Pts |
Notes |
| 1 |
Waterford |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
+5 |
5 |
Division 1 runners-up |
| 2 |
Galway |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
+13 |
4 |
Division 1 champions |
| 3 |
Clare |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
+11 |
4 |
| 4 |
Tipperary |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
-3 |
3 |
| 5 |
Limerick |
3 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
-13 |
2 |
| 6 |
Cork |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
-13 |
0 |
|
Division 1 Relegation Group
| Pos |
Team |
Pld |
W |
D |
L |
Diff |
Pts |
Notes |
| 1 |
Kilkenny |
3 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
+43 |
6 |
| 2 |
Laois |
3 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
+11 |
5 |
| 3 |
Dublin |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
+14 |
3 |
| 4 |
Wexford |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
-4 |
3 |
| 5 |
Antrim |
3 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
-34 |
1 |
| 6 |
Offaly |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
-30 |
0 |
Relegated to Division 2 |
|
|
Group 1
Limerick v Clare
| 18 April 2004 Round 2 |
Limerick |
2-11 - 1-12 |
Clare |
Gaelic Grounds, Limerick |
|
N. Moran 1-3 (1-1 frees; 0-1 65); P. Tobin 1-0; E. O'Neill 0-3 (0-2 frees); M. McKenna, D. Ryan, J. O'Brien, S. O'Connor, J. Butler, 0-1 each. |
Report |
J. O'Connor 0-6 (all frees); A. Markham 1-1; S. McMahon 0-3 (0-2 frees, 0-1 65); B. O'Connor, G. Quinn, 0-1 each. |
Referee: S. Hogan (Tipperary)
|
Tipperary v Galway
| 18 April 2004 Round 2 |
Tipperary |
2-15 - 2-13 |
Galway |
Semple Stadium, Thurles |
|
E. Kelly 0-8 (0-6 frees); P. O'Brien, J. Butler 1-0 each; J. Carroll, E. Enright, B. Dunne 0-2 each; P. Kelly 0-1. |
Report |
K. Broderick 2-1; E. Cloonan 0-6 (0-5 frees); A. Kerins, D. Forde 0-2 each; F. Healy, M. Kerins 0-1 each. |
Referee: D. Kirwan (Cork)
|
Cork v Waterford
| 18 April 2004 Round 2 |
Cork |
0-13 - 0-14 |
Waterford |
Páirc Uí Rinn, Cork |
|
J. O'Callaghan 0-5 (0-4 from frees); J. Gardiner 0-4 (0-1 from free); T. McCarthy, N. McCarthy, B. Lombard and M. O'Connell 0-1 each. |
Report |
P. Flynn 0-5 (0-3 from frees); J. Mullane 0-3; D. Bennett 0-3 (0-2 from frees); D. Shanahan, E. Kelly and P. O'Brien 0-1 each. |
Referee: A. Mac Suibhne (Dublin)
|
Cork v Clare
| 24 April 2004 Round 3 |
Cork |
0-18 - 2-20 |
Clare |
Páirc Uí Rinn, Cork |
|
B. O’Connor 0-6 (0-3 frees, 0-2 65s); N. McCarthy, P. Tierney, J. Anderson, J. Deane, K. Murphy (Sars) 0-2 each; T. McCarthy, G. Callanan 0-1 each. |
Report |
N. Gilligan 1-8 (0-6 frees); D. O’Connell 1-1; S. McMahon (0-2 frees, 0-1 65), T. Griffin 0-3 each; C. Lynch 0-2; J. O’Connor, F. Lohan, A. Markham 0-1 each. |
Referee: E. Morris (Dublin)
|
Galway v Limerick
| 25 April 2004 Round 3 |
Galway |
3-15 - 1-10 |
Limerick |
Pearse Stadium, Galway |
|
E. Cloonan 1-8 (0-6 frees, 0-1 seventy); K. Broderick 1-2; D. Hayes 1-0; A. Kerins and A. Cullinane 0-2 each; T. Og Regan 0-1. |
Report |
N. Moran 1-2 frees; E. O'Neill 0-6 (0-4 frees); D. Sheehan 0-2. |
Referee: A. Mac Suibhne (Dublin)
|
Tipperary v Waterford
| 25 April 2004 Round 3 |
Tipperary |
3-16 - 1-22 |
Waterford |
Semple Stadium, Thurles |
|
E. Kelly(1-7, 0-4 frees); J. Carroll(1-2); S., Butler(1-0); C. Morrissey(0-2); B. Dunne(0-2); P. Kelly(free), P. O’Brien, E. Enright(0-1) each. |
Report |
P.Flynn(1-11, frees); E. Kelly(0-3); J. Mullane(0-3); D. Bennett(0-3, 0-2 frees); S. Prendergast(0-1); D. Shanahan(0-1). |
Referee: T. McIntyre (Antrim)
|
Knock-out stage
Galway v Waterford
| 9 May 2004 Final |
Galway |
2-15 - 1-13 |
Waterford |
Gaelic Grounds, Limerick |
|
E. Cloonan 2-4 (1-3 frees); A. Cullinane, D. Hayes, K. Broderick, A. Kerins and D. Forde 0-2 each; D. Hardiman 0-1. |
Report |
D. Shanahan 1-3; P. Flynn 0-5 (0-3 frees); E. Kelly 0-2; D. Bennett, J. Mullane and S. Prendergast 0-1 each. |
Attendance: 16,750
Referee: T. McIntyre (Antrim)
|
Division 2
Division 3
References
External links
