# 1971–72 National Hurling League

The 1971–72 National Hurling League was the 41st season of the National Hurling League (NHL), an annual hurling competition for the GAA county teams.

## Overview
### Structure

The National Hurling League's top division featured sixteen teams divided into two groups - 1A and 1B. Each group consisted of eight teams. The top two teams in Division 1A advance to the semi-finals. The third- and fourth-placed teams in 1A, as well as the top two from 1B, play in the quarter-finals.

### Overview

Down at the other end of the tables, Dublin won just one of their group stage games and were relegated to Division 1B. They swapped places with Galway who, having enjoyed an unbeaten run in the group stage, topped Division 1B and gained promotion to the top eight in Division 1A for the following season. Westmeath lost all seven of their group stage games and finished bottom of Division 1B, however, they were not relegated to Division 2 as there was no promotion or relegation between these two separate divisions.

## League statistics
### Scoring

* Widest winning margin: 21 points
** Waterford 9-13 : 4-7 Laois
* Most goals in a match: 13
** Waterford 9-13 : 4-7 Laois
* Most points in a match: 28
** Cork 3-14 : 2-14 Limerick
* Most goals by one team in a match: 9
** Waterford 9-13 : 4-7 Laois
* Most goals scored by a losing team: 5
** Dublin 5-6 : 4-13 Wexford
* Most points scored by a losing team: 14
** Waterford 0-14 : 3-12 Kildare
** Limerick 2-14 : 3-14 Cork

## Top scorers
### Season

| Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total |
| 1 | Eddie Keher | Kilkenny | 5-56 | 71 |
| 2 | Charlie McCarthy | Cork | 10-35 | 65 |
| 3 | Johnny Walsh | Kildare | 2-51 | 57 |
| 4 | Richie Bennis | Limerick | 4-36 | 48 |
| 5 | Pat Enright | Waterford | 4-32 | 44 |
| 6 | Seánie O'Leary | Cork | 12-5 | 41 |

### Single game

| Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total | Opposition |
| 1 | Éamonn Flynn | Dublin | 3-5 | 14 | Wexford |
| 1 | Charlie McCarthy | Cork | 2-8 | 14 | Galway |
| 3 | Paddy Fahy | Galway | 2-7 | 13 | Kildare |
| 3 | T. Morrissey | Wicklow | 2-7 | 13 | Laois |
| 5 | Charlie McCarthy | Cork | 3-3 | 12 | Offaly |
| 5 | Michael Moroney | Clare | 2-6 | 12 | Dublin |
| 5 | Declan Lovett | Kerry | 1-9 | 12 | Galway |
| 5 | Charlie McCarthy | Cork | 1-9 | 12 | Tipperary |
| 9 | Ger Cuddy | Laois | 3-2 | 11 | Wicklow |
| 9 | Pat Enright | Waterford | 2-5 | 11 | Kerry |
| 9 | Pat Enright | Waterford | 1-8 | 11 | Laois |
| 9 | Johnny Walsh | Kildare | 0-11 | 11 | Waterford |
| 9 | Eddie Keher | Kilkenny | 0-11 | 11 | Wexford |
| 14 | Brendan Cummins | Cork | 3-1 | 10 | Wexford |
| 14 | P. J. Molloy | Galway | 3-1 | 10 | Kerry |
| 14 | Nick Behan | Kildare | 3-1 | 10 | Kerry |
| 14 | Seánie O'Leary | Cork | 3-1 | 10 | Limerick |
| 14 | Michael Keating | Tipperary | 2-4 | 10 | Wexford |
| 14 | Séamus Richmond | Antrim | 2-4 | 10 | Westmeath |
| 14 | Declan Lovett | Kerry | 2-4 | 10 | Waterford |
| 14 | Michael Keating | Tipperary | 2-4 | 10 | Dublin |
| 14 | Eddie Keher | Kilkenny | 2-4 | 10 | Dublin |
| 14 | Mick Dwan | Kildare | 2-4 | 10 | Antrim |
| 14 | Charlie McCarthy | Cork | 1-7 | 10 | Kilkenny |
| 14 | Paddy Fahy | Galway | 0-10 | 10 | Kerry |
| 14 | Johnny Walsh | Kildare | 0-10 | 10 | Westmeath |
| 27 | P Flynn | Wexford | 3-0 | 9 | Offaly |
| 27 | N Casey | Clare | 3-0 | 9 | Cork |
| 27 | Willie Moore | Limerick | 3-0 | 9 | Cork |
| 27 | Ger Cuddy | Laois | 3-0 | 9 | Westmeath |
| 27 | Tom Ryan | Galway | 3-0 | 9 | Laois |
| 27 | Seánie O'Leary | Cork | 3-0 | 9 | Offaly |
| 27 | P Flynn | Wexford | 2-3 | 9 | Cork |
| 27 | Eddie Keher | Kilkenny | 2-3 | 9 | Limerick |
| 27 | Johnny Walsh | Kildare | 1-6 | 9 | Galway |
| 27 | Francis Loughnane | Tipperary | 1-6 | 9 | Cork |
| 27 | Richie Bennis | Limerick | 1-6 | 9 | Cork |
| 27 | Pat Enright | Waterford | 0-9 | 9 | Kildare |
| 27 | Johnny Walsh | Kildare | 0-9 | 9 | Kerry |