# 2018 National Football League (Ireland)

The 2018 National Football League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Allianz National Football League, was the 87th staging of the National Football League (NFL), an annual Gaelic football tournament for Gaelic Athletic Association county teams. Thirty-one county teams from the island of Ireland, plus London, compete. Kilkenny do not participate.
The first six rounds in all four divisions were scheduled to have been played before 24 March 2018, allowing the final round seven matches to be played on that date. Due to poor winter weather, some fixtures in Division 2 (round 6) and Division 4 (rounds 5 and 6) had not been played by that date. The GAA decided to proceed with the final round seven matches in the four divisions before the completion of the earlier rounds. This decision proved controversial - for instance, in the rescheduled Division 2 match between Louth and Meath which was played on 31 March 2018, Meath needed to win to avoid relegation while Louth had nothing to play for as they were already relegated irrespective of the result. Meath beat Louth by 1-12 to 0-07, thereby ensuring that Down were relegated.
Eir Sport and TG4 provide live TV coverage of the league on Saturday nights and Sunday afternoons respectively. The highlights programmes are RTÉ2's League Sunday on Sunday evenings and TG4's GAA 2018 on Monday evenings.
The league concluded on 1 April 2018 with Dublin defeating Galway in the division 1 final. It was their fifth Division 1 title in six years.

## Format
### League structure

The 2018 National Football League consists of four divisions of eight teams. Each team plays every other team in its division once, usually four home and three away or three home and four away. Two points are awarded for a win and one point for a draw.
Teams by Province and Division :
| Province | Division 1 | Division 2 | Division 3 | Division 4 | Total |
| Connacht | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Leinster | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 11 |
| Munster | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| Ulster | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 |
| Britain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 32 |

### Tie-breaker

If only two teams are level on league points -
* The team that won the head-to-head match is ranked first
* If this game was a draw, score difference (total scored minus total conceded in all games) is used to rank the teams
* If score difference is identical, total scored is used to rank the teams
* If still identical, a play-off is required
If three or more teams are level on league points, score difference is used to rank the teams.

### Finals, promotions and relegations
#### Division 1

The top two teams in Division 1 contest the National Football League final. The bottom two teams are relegated to Division 2.

#### Division 2, Division 3 & Division 4

The top two teams in Divisions 2, 3 and 4 are promoted and contest the finals of their respective divisions. The bottom two teams in Divisions 2 and 3 are relegated.

## Division 1
### Division 1 table

Possible problem: 875 total for != 873 total against
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Galway | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 106 | 83 | +23 | 13 | Advance to Division 1 Final |
| 2 | Dublin | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 131 | 99 | +32 | 11 | Advance to Division 1 Final |
| 3 | Monaghan | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 106 | 100 | +6 | 10 | |
| 4 | Tyrone | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 114 | 98 | +16 | 8 | |
| 5 | Kerry | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 114 | 127 | −13 | 6 | |
| 6 | Mayo | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 94 | 110 | −16 | 5 | |
| 7 | Donegal | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 109 | 126 | −17 | 3 | Relegation to Division 2 |
| 8 | Kildare | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 101 | 130 | −29 | 0 | Relegation to Division 2 |

### Division 1 Final

| Sunday, April 1 4:00 pm Final | Dublin | 0-18 – 0-14 | Galway | Croke Park Attendance: 36,572 Referee: A Nolan (Wicklow) Man of the Match: Ciaran Kilkenny (Castleknock) |
| Sunday, April 1 4:00 pm Final | Dean Rock 0-7 (0-5f, 1 '45), Paul Mannion 0-3, Ciaran Kilkenny and Colm Basquel 0-2, Philly McMahon, John Small, Niall Scully, Eric Lowndes 0-1 each | Report | Barry McHugh 0-6 (0-5f), Damien Comer 0-3, Johnny Heaney and Shane Walsh (0-1f) 0-2 each, Paul Conroy 0-1 | Croke Park Attendance: 36,572 Referee: A Nolan (Wicklow) Man of the Match: Ciaran Kilkenny (Castleknock) |

## Division 2
### Division 2 table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Roscommon | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 126 | 105 | +21 | 11 | Advance to Division 2 Final |
| 2 | Cavan | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 122 | 99 | +23 | 11 | Advance to Division 2 Final |
| 3 | Clare | 7 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 101 | 111 | −10 | 8 | |
| 4 | Tipperary | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 128 | 106 | +22 | 7 | |
| 5 | Meath | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 126 | 112 | +14 | 7 | |
| 6 | Cork | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 111 | 108 | +3 | 6 | |
| 7 | Down | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 100 | 106 | −6 | 6 | Relegation to Division 3 |
| 8 | Louth | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 76 | 143 | −67 | 0 | Relegation to Division 3 |

### Division 2 Final

| Sunday, April 1 2:00 pm Final | Roscommon | 4-16 – 4-12 | Cavan | Croke Park Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone) Man of the Match: Conor Devaney (Kilbride) |
| Sunday, April 1 2:00 pm Final | Cathal Cregg 2-1, Niall Kilroy 1-1, Diarmiud Murtagh 0-4 (0-2f), David Murray 1-0, Conor Devaney and Donie Smith 0-3 each, Ciaran Murtagh (0-1f), Niall McInerney, Enda Smith, Ian Kilbride 0-1 each | Report | Dara McVeety 1-3, Seanie Johnston 0-4 (0-2f), Enda Flanagan, Martin Reilly (1-0 pen), Conor Bradley 1-0 each, Raymond Galligan (1 '45), Padraig Faulkner, Ciaran Brady, Gearoid McKiernan (0-1f), Caoimhin O’Reilly (0-1f) 0-1 each | Croke Park Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone) Man of the Match: Conor Devaney (Kilbride) |

## Division 3
### Division 3 table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Armagh | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 114 | 81 | +33 | 11 | Advance to Division 3 Final |
| 2 | Fermanagh | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 97 | 78 | +19 | 11 | Advance to Division 3 Final |
| 3 | Longford | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 120 | 94 | +26 | 9 | |
| 4 | Westmeath | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 119 | 124 | −5 | 8 | |
| 5 | Sligo | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 96 | 116 | −20 | 6 | |
| 6 | Offaly | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 97 | 118 | −21 | 5 | |
| 7 | Derry | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 122 | 126 | −4 | 4 | Relegation to Division 4 |
| 8 | Wexford | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 91 | 119 | −28 | 2 | Relegation to Division 4 |

### Division 3 Final

| Saturday, March 31 5.00 pm Final | Armagh | 1-16 – 0-17 | Fermanagh | Croke Park Referee: James Molloy (Galway) Man of the Match: Andrew Murnin (St Paul's Lurgan) |
| Saturday, March 31 5.00 pm Final | Andrew Murnin 1-3, Niall Grimley 0-4 (0-3f), Patrick Burns, Aidan Forker, Ryan McShane 0-2 each, Niall Rowland, Gregory McCabe, Ben Crealey 0-1 each | Report | Seamus Quigley 0-9f, Conall Jones 0-3, Ryan Jones 0-2, Barry Mulrone, Declan McCusker, Tomas Corrigan 0-1 each | Croke Park Referee: James Molloy (Galway) Man of the Match: Andrew Murnin (St Paul's Lurgan) |

## Division 4
### Division 4 table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Laois | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 106 | 75 | +31 | 12 | Advance to Division 4 Final |
| 2 | Carlow | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 115 | 81 | +34 | 12 | Advance to Division 4 Final |
| 3 | Antrim | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 90 | 67 | +23 | 9 | |
| 4 | London | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 93 | 97 | −4 | 5 | |
| 5 | Leitrim | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 74 | 79 | −5 | 4 | |
| 6 | Limerick | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 76 | 104 | −28 | 3 | |
| 7 | Waterford | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 85 | 99 | −14 | 3 | |
| 8 | Wicklow | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 66 | 103 | −37 | 2 | |
* Three games (Laois v Antrim, Waterford v Leitrim and Wicklow v Limerick) were postponed due to poor weather. The CCCC decided to cancel them as the results were irrelevant to determining the league finalists. Several managers and the Gaelic Players Association criticised the decision as undermining the integrity of the division, arguing that Division 1 games would not be cancelled in the same fashion.

### Division 4 Final

| Saturday, March 31 3:00 pm | Laois | 0-15 – 0-11 | Carlow | Croke Park Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan) Man of the Match: Graham Brody (Portlaoise) |
| Saturday, March 31 3:00 pm | Donie Kingston 0-5 (0-2f), Ross Munnelly 0-4 (0-2f), Eoin Lowry 0-3 (0-1f), John O'Louglin, Kieran Lillis, Alan Farrell 0-1 each | Report | Sean Gannon and Darragh Foley (0-1f) 0-3 each, Paul Broderick 0-2, Shane Redmond, Brendan Murphy, Sean Murphy 0-1 each | Croke Park Referee: Martin McNally (Monaghan) Man of the Match: Graham Brody (Portlaoise) |

## League statistics

* All scores correct as of 3 April 2018

### Top scorer: Overall

| Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total | Matches | Average |
| 1 | Gary Walsh | Laois | 4-41 | 53 | 6 | 8.8 |
| 2 | Paul Broderick | Carlow | 2-46 | 52 | 8 | 6.5 |
| 3 | Seamus Quigley | Fermanagh | 4-37 | 49 | 7 | 7 |
| 4 | Conor Sweeney | Tipperary | 3-31 | 40 | 6 | 6.7 |
| 5 | John Heslin | Westmeath | 1-36 | 39 | 6 | 6.5 |
| 6 | Keith Beirne | Leitrim | 3-28 | 37 | 5 | 7.4 |
| 7 | Lee Brennan | Tyrone | 2-30 | 36 | 7 | 5.1 |
| 7 | Diarmuid Murtagh | Roscommon | 3-27 | 36 | 8 | 4.5 |
| 9 | Dean Rock | Dublin | 1-32 | 35 | 8 | 4.4 |
| 10 | Patrick McBrearty | Donegal | 0-34 | 34 | 5 | 6.8 |
| 11 | Nigel Dunne | Offaly | 0-32 | 32 | 7 | 4.6 |
| 11 | Colm O'Neill | Cork | 2-26 | 32 | 7 | 4.6 |
| 13 | Mark Collins | Cork | 1-28 | 31 | 7 | 4.4 |
| 13 | Donie Smith | Roscommon | 1-28 | 31 | 8 | 3.9 |
| 13 | Robbie Smyth | Longford | 2-25 | 31 | 7 | 4.4 |
| 16 | Barry McHugh | Galway | 1-27 | 30 | 5 | 6 |

### Top Scorer: Single game

| Rank | Player | County | Tally | Total | Opposition |
| 1 | Keith Beirne | Leitrim | 2-08 | 14 | Limerick |
| 2 | Jason Curry | Waterford | 1-09 | 12 | London |
| 3 | Gary Walsh | Laois | 0-11 | 11 | London |
| 3 | Seamus Quigley | Fermanagh | 1-08 | 11 | Derry |
| 3 | Gary Walsh | Laois | 1-08 | 11 | Leitrim |
| 3 | Liam McGrath | Tipperary | 2-05 | 11 | Cork |
| 7 | Patrick McBrearty | Donegal | 0-10 | 10 | Kerry |
| 7 | Gary Walsh | Laois | 0-10 | 10 | Waterford |
| 7 | Paul Broderick | Carlow | 1-07 | 10 | Wicklow |
| 7 | Liam Gavaghan | London | 1-07 | 10 | Wicklow |
| 7 | John Heslin | Westmeath | 1-07 | 10 | Derry |
| 7 | Conor Sweeney | Tipperary | 2-04 | 10 | Roscommon |

### Scoring events

* Widest winning margin: 14
** Armagh 2-17 – 0-09 Sligo (Division 3)
** Meath 0-21 – 0-07 Clare (Division 2)
** Tipperary 2-17 – 0-09 Louth (Division 2)
* Most goals in a match: 8
** Cavan 4-12 – 4-16 Roscommon (Division 2 final)
* Most points in a match: 35
** Dublin 0-20 – 0-15 Donegal (Division 1)
* Most goals by one team in a match: 4
** Cavan 4-12 – 4-16 Roscommon (Division 2 final)
** Meath 4-14 – 1-14 Down (Division 2)
* Highest aggregate score: 52 points
** Cavan 4-12 – 4-16 Roscommon (Division 2 final)
* Lowest aggregate score: 14 points
** Fermanagh 0-07 – 0-07 Armagh (Division 3)