# 2023 National Football League (Ireland)

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 qualified for 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:
* 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:
* Scoring Difference (subtracting the total scores against from total scores for);
* Highest Total Score For;
* 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:
* 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)
* Highest Total Score For, in which only the teams involved, have played each other, and have finished equal in (i)
* A Play-Off

## Division 1
### Table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Mayo | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 126 | 102 | +24 | 10 | Advance to National League Final |
| 2 | Galway | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 93 | 91 | +2 | 10 | Advance to National League Final |
| 3 | Roscommon | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 105 | 92 | +13 | 8 | |
| 4 | Tyrone | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 113 | 110 | +3 | 8 | |
| 5 | Kerry | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 106 | 104 | +2 | 6 | |
| 6 | Monaghan | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 109 | 119 | −10 | 6 | |
| 7 | Armagh | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 95 | 98 | −3 | 5 | Relegation to 2024 NFL Division 2 |
| 8 | Donegal | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 76 | 117 | −41 | 3 | Relegation to 2024 NFL Division 2 |

### Final

* TG4
* 2 April 2023 16:00 IST (UTC+1) NFL Final
* Report
| Mayo | 0-14 (14) – (11) 0-11 | Galway |
| (HT: 0-08 – 0-05) |||
| Pts: R O’Donoghue 7 (5fs, 2mks), C Reape 3 (2fs, 45), J Carr 1, P Durcan 1, J Flynn 1, J Coyne 1 | | Pts: S Walsh 5 (2fs, 1 45), R Finnerty 2 (1mk), S Kelly 1, J Maher 1, P Cooke 1, T Culhane 1 |
* Croke Park, Dublin Referee: Brendan Cawley (Kildare) Attendance: 45,041

### Top scorers
#### Overall

| Rank | Player | Team | 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 |
| 7 | Conor McManus | Monaghan | 1-13 | 16 | 5 | 3.20 |
| 7 | Micheál Bannigan | Monaghan | 0-16 | 16 | 7 | 2.28 |
| 10 | Seán O'Shea | Kerry | 1-12 | 15 | 5 | 3.00 |
| 10 | Darragh Canavan | Tyrone | 0-15 | 15 | 7 | 2.14 |

#### In a single game

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

## Division 2
### Table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Derry | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 120 | 69 | +51 | 13 | Advance to NFL Division 2 Final and promotion to 2024 NFL Division 1 |
| 2 | Dublin | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 125 | 95 | +30 | 12 | Advance to NFL Division 2 Final and promotion to 2024 NFL Division 1 |
| 3 | Louth | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 102 | 99 | +3 | 8 | |
| 4 | Cork | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 137 | 101 | +36 | 7 | |
| 5 | Kildare | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 87 | 98 | −11 | 6 | |
| 6 | Meath | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 107 | 129 | −22 | 5 | |
| 7 | Clare | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 98 | 106 | −8 | 4 | Relegation to 2024 NFL Division 3 |
| 8 | Limerick | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 85 | 153 | −68 | 1 | Relegation to 2024 NFL Division 3 |

### Final

* TG4
* 2 April 2023 13:45 IST (UTC+1)
* Report
| Derry | 0-11 (11) – (18) 4-06 | Dublin |
| (HT: 0-06 – 0-04) |||
| Pts: S McGuigan 6 (3f), P Cassidy 2, N Toner 1 (1f), C Glass 1, P McGrogan 1. | | Gls: K O'Gara 1, J Small 1, P Mannion 1 (pen), L O'Dell 1 Pts: K O'Gara 1, J Small 1, T Lahiff 1, C Kilkenny 1, B Fenton 1, L Gannon 1. |
* Croke Park, Dublin Referee: Liam Devenney (Mayo) Attendance: 45,041

### Top scorers
#### Overall

| Rank | Player | Team | 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 |
| 5 | 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 |
| 8 | Sam Mulroy | Louth | 0-19 | 19 | 5 | 3.80 |
| 10 | Donal Lenihan | Meath | 3-09 | 18 | 5 | 3.60 |
| 10 | Cormac Costello | Dublin | 1-15 | 18 | 6 | 3.00 |
| 10 | Eoin Cleary | Clare | 0-18 | 18 | 5 | 3.60 |

#### In a single game

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

## Division 3
### Table

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

### Matches
#### Round 6

This was Offaly's first game since manager Liam Kearns' death that week. He had also managed Tipp.

#### Round 7
### Final

* TG4
* 1 April 2023 19:15 IST (UTC+1)
* Report
| Fermanagh | 1-07 (10) – (16) 0-16 | Cavan |
| Gls: D McGurn 1. Pts: R Lyons 3 (2f), S McNally 1 (1f), A Breen 1, R Jones 1, S Quigley 1. | | Pts: R Galligan 4 (2f, 2 45), P Lynch 3 (2f), O Brady 2, G McKiernan 2 (1f), R O'Neill 1, J Smith 1, D McVeety 1, C Smith 1, C Madden 1. |
* Croke Park, Dublin Referee: A Nolan (Wicklow)

### Top scorers
#### Overall

| Rank | Player | Team | 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 |
| 3 | 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 |
| 8 | Bernard Allen | Offaly | 2-12 | 18 | 7 | 2.58 |
| 8 | Andrew Gilmore | Down | 1-15 | 18 | 5 | 3.60 |

#### In a single game

| Rank | Player | Team | 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 |
| 4 | John Heslin | Westmeath | 1-05 | 8 | Longford |
| 6 | Ruairí McCann (A) | Antrim | 2-01 | 7 | Down |
| 6 | Ruairí McCann (A) | Antrim | 1-04 | 7 | Longford |
| 6 | Pat Havern | Down | 1-04 | 7 | Tipperary |
| 6 | Andrew Gilmore | Down | 1-04 | 7 | Antrim |
| 6 | John Heslin | Westmeath | 1-04 | 7 | Offaly |
| 6 | Seán Quigley | Fermanagh | 0-07 | 7 | Longford |
| 6 | Jack Kennedy | Tipperary | 0-07 | 7 | Longford |
| 6 | 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 | Wicklow | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 113 | 101 | +12 | 10 | Advance to NFL Division 4 Final and promotion to 2024 NFL Division 3 |
| 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 | Carlow | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 94 | 118 | −24 | 5 | |
| 7 | Waterford | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 73 | 124 | −51 | 2 | |
| 8 | London | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 82 | 117 | −35 | 1 | |

### Final

* TG4
* 1 April 2023 17:00 IST (UTC+1)
* Report
| Sligo | 2-10 (16) – (14) 0-14 | Wicklow |
| (HT: 1-03 - 0-08) |||
| Gls: N Murphy 1, P Kilcoyne 1. Pts: N Murphy 4 (1f 1m), S Carrabine 2 (1f), C Lally 1, L Towey 1, P Spillane 1, N Mullen 1. | | Pts: K Quinn 5 (3f), M Jackson 3 (1f 2'45), E Dary 2 (2f), M Kenny 1, JP Hurley 1, D Healy 1, C O'Sullivan 1 (1f). |
* Croke Park, Dublin Referee: Paul Faloon (Down)

### Top scorers
#### Overall

| Rank | Player | Team | 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 |
| 7 | Niall Murphy | Sligo | 2-22 | 28 | 8 | 3.75 |
| 7 | 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 | Team | Tally | Total | Opposition |
| 1 | Keith Beirne | Leitrim | 1-10 | 13 | Waterford |
| 1 | Keith Beirne | Leitrim | 1-10 | 13 | Carlow |
| 1 | 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 |
| 6 | Keith Beirne | Leitrim | 1-07 | 10 | London |
| 6 | Mark Rossiter | Wexford | 0-10 | 10 | Laois |
| 6 | Darragh Foley | Carlow | 0-10 | 10 | Leitrim |
| 10 | Mark Barry | Laois | 2-03 | 9 | Wicklow |
| 10 | Chris Farley | London | 2-03 | 9 | Waterford |
| 10 | Dean Healy | Wicklow | 2-03 | 9 | Wexford |