# 1988–89 National Hurling League

The 1988–89 National Hurling League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Royal Liver National Hurling League, was the 58th season of the National Hurling League (NHL), an annual hurling competition for the GAA county teams. It was won by Galway. This season was notable as the first to hold both semi-finals and the final at Croke Park, giving the League additional prestige.

## Division 1

Tipperary came into the season as defending champions of the 1987-88 season. Antrim and Offaly entered Division 1 as the two promoted teams.
On 30 April 1989, Galway won the title after a 2-16 to 4-8 win over Tipperary. It was their first league title since 1987 and their fifth National League title overall.
Waterford were the first team to be relegated after losing all of but one of their group stage games, while Offaly suffered the same fate after losing a series of play-off games with Antrim and Wexford.

### Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | Pts | Notes |
| 1 | Galway (C) | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | National Hurling League champions |
| 2 | Tipperary | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 11 | National Hurling League runners-up |
| 3 | Kilkenny | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 9 | |
| 4 | Limerick | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 8 | |
| 5 | Wexford | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | |
| 6 | Antrim | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | |
| 7 | Offaly (R) | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | Relegated to Division 2 |
| 8 | Waterford (R) | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | Relegated to Division 2 |

### Knock-out stage

Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final

### Scoring statistics
#### Top scorers overall

| Rank | Player | Team | Tally | Total |
| 1 | Adrian Ronan | Kilkenny | 2-47 | 53 |
| 2 | Mark Corrigan | Offaly | 0-50 | 50 |
| 3 | Joe Cooney | Galway | 4-37 | 49 |
| 4 | Pat McGrath | Tipperary | 3-39 | 48 |
| 5 | Gary Kirby | Limerick | 2-35 | 41 |
| 6 | Gerry Burke | Galway | 7-14 | 35 |
| 7 | Olcan McFetridge | Antrim | 1-27 | 30 |
| 8 | Éanna Ryan | Galway | 4-16 | 28 |
| 8 | Danny McNaughton | Antrim | 2-22 | 28 |
| 10 | Kieran Delahunty | Waterford | 0-23 | 23 |

#### Top scorers in a single game

| Rank | Player | Team | Tally | Total | Opposition |
| 1 | Gary Kirby | Limerick | 2-06 | 12 | Kilkenny |
| 1 | Jimmy Holohan | Wexford | 1-09 | 12 | Waterford |
| 3 | Paddy Corrigan | Offaly | 2-04 | 10 | Limerick |
| 3 | Danny McNaughton | Antrim | 1-07 | 10 | Wexford |
| 3 | Pat McGrath | Tipperary | 1-07 | 10 | Limerick |
| 3 | Joe Cooney | Galway | 1-07 | 10 | Tipperary |
| 3 | Pat McGrath | Tipperary | 0-10 | 10 | Wexford |
| 3 | Tom Dempsey | Wexford | 0-10 | 10 | Antrim |
| 3 | Mark Corrigan | Offaly | 0-10 | 10 | Antrim |
| 10 | Shane Fitzgibbon | Limerick | 3-00 | 9 | Wexford |
| 10 | Gerry Burke | Galway | 2-03 | 9 | Offaly |
| 10 | Adrian Ronan | Kilkenny | 1-06 | 9 | Waterford |
| 10 | Gary Kirby | Limerick | 0-09 | 9 | Antrim |
| 10 | Adrian Ronan | Kilkenny | 0-09 | 9 | Offaly |

## Division 2

Clare, Cork, Derry and Meath entered Division 2 as the promoted and relegated teams from the previous season.
On 12 March 1989, Dublin secured the title following a 3-7 to 1-3 win over Cork in the final round of the group stage. Cork secured promotion to Division 1 as the second-placed team.
Kerry and Derry were relegated from Division 2.

### Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | Pts | Notes |
| 1 | Dublin (C) | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 12 | Promoted to Division 1 |
| 2 | Cork | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 12 | Promoted to Division 1 |
| 3 | Clare | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 10 | |
| 4 | Laois | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 9 | |
| 5 | Westmeath | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | |
| 6 | Meath | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | |
| 7 | Derry | 7 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | Relegated to Division 3 |
| 7 | Kerry | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | Relegated to Division 3 |

### Group stage
## Division 3

Down, Longford and Roscommon entered Division 3 as the promoted and relegated teams from the previous season.
On 12 March 1989, Down secured the title following a 7-5 to 1-9 win over Kildare in the final round of the group stage. Carlow secured promotion to Division 1 as the second-placed team.
Longford and Mayo were relegated from Division 3.

### Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | Pts | Notes |
| 1 | Down (C) | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | Promoted to Division 2 |
| 2 | Carlow | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 12 | Promoted to Division 2 |
| 3 | Roscommon | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 8 | |
| 4 | Kildare | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 8 | |
| 5 | Armagh | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 | |
| 6 | Wicklow | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | |
| 7 | Longford | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | Relegated to Division 4 |
| 7 | Mayo | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | Relegated to Division 4 |

## Division 4

Tyrone entered Division 4 as the relegated team from the previous season.
On 7 May 1989, Monaghan secured the title following a 4-7 to 1-9 win over Louth in the league final.

### Knock-out stage

Semi-finals
Final