2023 National Football League (Ireland)

National Football League

League details
Dates	28 January – 2 April 2023
Teams	32
League champions
Winners	Mayo (13th win)
Captain	Paddy Durcan
Manager	Kevin McStay
League runners-up
Runners-up	Galway
Captain	Seán Kelly
Manager	Pádraic Joyce
Other division winners
Division 2	Dublin
Division 3	Cavan
Division 4	Sligo
← 2022 2024 →

The 2023 National Football League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Allianz National Football League, was the 92nd staging of the National Football League (NFL), an annual Gaelic football tournament for county teams. Thirty-one county teams from the island of Ireland, plus London, competed; Kilkenny do not participate.

For the first time ever, there was no Leinster team in the top tier of the league after Dublin and Kildare were both relegated on the last day of the 2022 season.

For the 2023 season, league position was also important for the All-Ireland Championship; 7 of the teams that reach the All-Ireland round robin stage were selected based on league finish.

Mayo were the winners, defeating Galway in the final.

Format

League structure

Teams by Province and Division
Province	Division 1	Division 2	Division 3	Division 4	Total
Connacht	3	0	0	2	5
Leinster	0	4	3	4	11
Munster	1	3	1	1	6
Ulster	4	1	4	0	9
Britain	0	0	0	1	1
Total	8	8	8	8	32

In the top division, Division 1, teams compete to become the National Football League (NFL) champions. The top two teams qualify for the NFL Final, with the winners crowned NFL champions.

The 2023 National Football League consists of four divisions of eight teams. Each team plays every other team in its division once. Two points are awarded for a win, one point is awarded for a draw and none are awarded for a loss.

Teams compete for promotion and relegation to a higher or lower league. In Divisions 2, 3 and 4, the first and second-places teams are promoted, while the bottom two teams of divisions 1, 2 and 3 are relegated .

Tiebreakers for league ranking

As per the Official GAA Guide - Part 1 - Section 6.21 -

If two teams in the same group are equal on points on completion of the league phase, the following tie-breaking criteria are applied:

1. Where two teams only are involved - the outcome of the meeting of the two teams in the previous game in the Competition;

If three or more teams in the same group are equal on points on completion of the league phase, the following tie-breaking criteria are applied:

1. Scoring Difference (subtracting the total scores against from total scores for);
2. Highest Total Score For;
3. A Play-Off.

In the event that two teams or more finish with equal points, but have been affected by a disqualification, loss of game on a proven objection, retirement or walkover, the tie shall be decided by the following means:

1. Score Difference from the games in which only the teams involved, (teams tied on points), have played each other. (subtracting the total Scores Against from total Scores For)
2. Highest Total Score For, in which only the teams involved, have played each other, and have finished equal in (i)
3. A Play-Off

Division 1

Kerry

Mayo

Roscommon

Galway

Tyrone

Donegal

Monaghan

Armagh

Locations of the 2023 NFL Division 1 teams

Top scorers

Overall

Rank	Player	Club	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Ryan O'Donoghue	Mayo	2-30	36	8	4.50
2	Darren McCurry	Tyrone	0-33	33	7	4.71
3	Rían O'Neill	Armagh	0-25	25	6	4.16
4	Matthew Tierney	Galway	3-14	23	8	2.87
5	Diarmuid Murtagh	Roscommon	1-18	21	7	3.00
6	David Clifford	Kerry	1-14	17	5	3.40
7	James Carr	Mayo	3-07	16	7	2.28
	Conor McManus	Monaghan	1-13	16	5	3.20
	Micheál Bannigan	Monaghan	0-16	16	7	2.28
10	Seán O'Shea	Kerry	1-12	15	5	3.00
	Darragh Canavan	Tyrone	0-15	15	7	2.14

In a single game

Rank	Player	Club	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Conor McManus	Monaghan	1-07	10	Mayo
2	Darren McCurry	Tyrone	0-07	7	Armagh
	Darren McCurry	Tyrone	0-07	7	Donegal
	Jack McCarron	Monaghan	0-07	7	Donegal
	Cillian O'Connor	Mayo	0-07	7	Roscommon
	Ryan O'Donoghue	Mayo	0-07	7	Armagh
	Ryan O'Donoghue	Mayo	0-07	7	Galway
8	Donal O'Sullivan	Kerry	1-03	6	Monaghan
	Matthew Tierney	Galway	1-03	6	Donegal
	Ryan O'Donoghue	Mayo	1-03	6	Kerry
	Ryan O'Donoghue	Mayo	1-03	6	Donegal
	Matthew Tierney	Galway	0-06	6	Tyrone
	Ryan O'Donoghue	Mayo	0-06	6	Galway
	Rían O'Neill	Armagh	0-06	6	Mayo
	Conor Cox	Roscommon	0-06	6	Kerry
	Paul Towey	Mayo	0-06	6	Monaghan

Division 2

Top scorers

Overall

Rank	Player	Club	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Shane McGuigan	Derry	2-42	48	8	6.00
2	Steven Sherlock	Cork	0-32	32	6	5.33
3	James Naughton	Limerick	1-24	27	7	3.85
4	Dean Rock	Dublin	1-21	24	6	4.00
5	Darragh Kirwan	Kildare	1-18	21	6	3.50
	Emmet McMahon	Clare	0-21	21	7	3.00
7	Niall Toner	Derry	3-11	20	8	2.50
8	Brian Hurley	Cork	1-16	19	5	3.80
	Sam Mulroy	Louth	0-19	19	5	3.80
10	Donal Lenihan	Meath	3-09	18	5	3.60
	Cormac Costello	Dublin	1-15	18	6	3.00
	Eoin Cleary	Clare	0-18	18	5	3.60

In a single game

Rank	Player	Club	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Steven Sherlock	Cork	0-14	14	Meath
2	Shane Walsh	Meath	1-07	10	Cork
	Shane McGuigan	Derry	1-07	10	Kildare
4	Shane McGuigan	Derry	0-09	9	Limerick
5	Donal Lenihan	Meath	2-02	8	Clare
	Shane McGuigan	Derry	1-05	8	Louth
	Dean Rock	Dublin	1-05	8	Limerick
	Eoin Cleary	Clare	0-08	8	Kildare
	Brian Hurley	Cork	0-08	8	Dublin
	Dean Rock	Dublin	0-08	8	Clare

Division 3

Table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	20px Fermanagh	7	6	0	1	114	94	+20	12	Advance to NFL Division 3 Final and promotion to 2024 NFL Division 2
2	20px Cavan	7	5	0	2	130	94	+36	10
3	20px Down	7	5	0	2	129	114	+15	10
4	20px Westmeath	7	4	0	3	135	79	+56	8
5	Offaly	7	4	0	3	105	115	−10	8
6	20px Antrim	7	2	0	5	124	158	−34	4
7	20px Longford	7	1	1	5	104	142	−38	3	Relegation to 2024 NFL Division 4
8	20px Tipperary	7	0	1	6	83	128	−45	1

Top scorers

Overall

Rank	Player	Club	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	John Heslin	Westmeath	3-32	41	6	6.83
2	Paddy Lynch	Cavan	3-23	32	7	4.57
3	Pat Havern	Down	1-25	27	7	3.85
	Jack Kennedy	Tipperary	0-27	27	7	3.85
5	Dylan Hyland	Offaly	0-22	22	7	3.14
6	Oisín Brady	Cavan	1-18	21	5	4.20
7	Seán Quigley	Fermanagh	3-11	20	8	2.50
8	Ultan Kelm	Fermanagh	2-12	18	8	2.25
	Bernard Allen	Offaly	2-12	18	7	2.58
	Andrew Gilmore	Down	1-15	18	5	3.60

In a single game

Rank	Player	Club	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	John Heslin	Westmeath	1-12	15	Antrim
2	Paddy Lynch	Cavan	2-05	11	Down
3	Paddy Lynch	Cavan	0-10	10	Offaly
4	Keelin McGann	Longford	2-02	8	Antrim
	John Heslin	Westmeath	1-05	8	Longford
6	Ruairí McCann (A)	Antrim	2-01	7	Down
	Ruairí McCann (A)	Antrim	1-04	7	Longford
	Pat Havern	Down	1-04	7	Tipperary
	Andrew Gilmore	Down	1-04	7	Antrim
	John Heslin	Westmeath	1-04	7	Offaly
	Seán Quigley	Fermanagh	0-07	7	Longford
	Jack Kennedy	Tipperary	0-07	7	Longford
	Oisín Brady	Cavan	0-07	7	Tipperary

Division 4

Table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification
1	Sligo	7	6	0	1	120	93	+27	12	Advance to NFL Division 4 Final and promotion to 2024 NFL Division 3
2	20px Wicklow	7	4	2	1	113	101	+12	10
3	Laois	7	5	0	2	135	101	+34	10
4	Wexford	7	3	2	2	120	111	+9	8
5	Leitrim	7	4	0	3	140	112	+28	8
6	20px Carlow	7	2	1	4	94	118	−24	5
7	20px Waterford	7	1	0	6	73	124	−51	2
8	20px London	7	0	1	6	82	117	−35	1

Top scorers

Overall

Rank	Player	Club	Tally	Total	Matches	Average
1	Keith Beirne	Leitrim	5-52	67	7	9.57
2	Darragh Foley	Carlow	0-47	47	7	6.71
3	Paul Kingston	Laois	1-35	38	7	5.42
4	Mark Rossiter	Wexford	1-34	37	7	5.28
5	Seán Carrabine	Sligo	1-32	35	8	4.37
6	Mark Barry	Laois	3-24	33	7	4.71
7	Chris Farley	London	3-19	28	7	4.00
	Niall Murphy	Sligo	2-22	28	8	3.75
	Eoin Darcy	Wicklow	0-28	28	8	3.75
10	Eoin Lowry	Laois	3-13	22	7	3.14

In a single game

Rank	Player	Club	Tally	Total	Opposition
1	Keith Beirne	Leitrim	1-10	13	Waterford
	Keith Beirne	Leitrim	1-10	13	Carlow
	Paul Kingston	Laois	1-10	13	Carlow
4	Eoin Lowry	Laois	2-06	12	Waterford
5	Keith Beirne	Leitrim	0-11	11	Wexford
6	Keith Beirne	Leitrim	1-07	10	Laois
	Keith Beirne	Leitrim	1-07	10	London
	Mark Rossiter	Wexford	0-10	10	Laois
	Darragh Foley	Carlow	0-10	10	Leitrim
10	Mark Barry	Laois	2-03	9	Wicklow
	Chris Farley	London	2-03	9	Waterford
	Dean Healy	Wicklow	2-03	9	Wexford