# 1997 National Hurling League

The 1997 National Hurling League (known as the Church & General National Hurling League for sponsorship reasons) was the 66th season of the National Hurling League.

## Structural changes

At a meeting of Central Council on 18 May 1996, the GAA decided to scrap winter league hurling for a two-year trial period. It was also decided, by a margin of 23 votes to 15, to complete the National Hurling League within the calendar year. After further negotiations the GAA decided to run the league on a March to October basis. Other provisions included the playing of three matches in March, two in April and one each in May and June. The league final was to be played in October. Play-offs to determine the standings of teams within the divisions were also abandoned in favour of using scoring averages.

## Division 1

Galway came into the season as defending champions of the 1995-96 season. Laois, Limerick and Wexford joined Division 1 as the promoted teams.
On 5 October 1997, Limerick won the title after a 1-12 to 1-9 win over Galway in the final. It was their 11th league title overall and their first since 1991-92.
Clare, Laois and Wexford were relegated.
Kilkenny's D. J. Carey was the Division 1 top scorer with 5-43.

### Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | Pts | Notes |
| 1 | Kilkenny | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 10 |
| 2 | Limerick | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 10 | Division 1 champions |
| 3 | Galway | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 10 | Division 1 runners-up |
| 4 | Tipperary | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 9 |
| 5 | Offaly | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| 6 | Clare | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | Relegated to Division 2 |
| 7 | Wexford | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | Relegated to Division 2 |
| 8 | Laois | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | Relegated to Division 2 |

### Knock-out stage

Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final

### Top scorers
#### Top scorers overall

| Rank | Player | Team | Tally | Total | Matches | Average |
| 1 | D. J. Carey | Kilkenny | 5-43 | 58 | 9 | 6.44 |
| 2 | Gary Kirby | Limerick | 4-31 | 43 | 7 | 6.14 |
| 3 | Johnny Dooley | Offaly | 0-34 | 34 | 7 | 4.85 |
| 4 | Aidan Flanagan | Tipperary | 1-30 | 33 | 8 | 4.12 |
| 5 | Darragh Coen | Galway | 1-29 | 32 | 5 | 6.40 |
| 6 | Tom Dempsey | Wexford | 1-25 | 28 | 6 | 4.16 |
| 7 | Éamonn Scallan | Wexford | 0-25 | 25 | 5 | 5.00 |
| 8 | David Cuddy | Laois | 1-21 | 24 | 7 | 3.42 |
| 8 | Jamesie O'Connor | Clare | 0-24 | 24 | 6 | 4.00 |
| 10 | Tommy Dunne | Tipperary | 1-18 | 21 | 8 | 2.62 |

#### Top scorers in a single game

| Rank | Player | Team | Tally | Total | Opposition |
| 1 | D. J. Carey | Kilkenny | 2-09 | 15 | Galway |
| 2 | Gary Kirby | Limerick | 2-07 | 13 | Laois |
| 3 | Rory Gantley | Galway | 2-05 | 11 | Laois |
| 3 | Aidan Flanagan | Tipperary | 1-08 | 11 | Wexford |
| 3 | Johnny Dooley | Offaly | 0-11 | 11 | Galway |
| 3 | Tom Dempsey | Wexford | 0-11 | 11 | Limerick |
| 7 | D. J. Carey | Kilkenny | 2-04 | 10 | Tipperary |
| 7 | Éamonn Scallan | Wexford | 0-10 | 10 | Laois |
| 9 | Michael Cleary | Tipperary | 3-00 | 9 | Kilkenny |
| 9 | Gary Kirby | Limerick | 0-09 | 9 | Wexford |

## Division 2
### Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | Pts | Notes |
| 1 | Dublin | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | Promoted to Division 1 |
| 2 | Cork | 7 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 12 | Promoted to Division 1 |
| 3 | Waterford | 7 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 10 | Promoted to Division 1 |
| 4 | Antrim | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| 5 | Meath | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| 6 | London | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 |
| 7 | Westmeath | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| 8 | Kerry | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 |

### Top scorers
#### Top scorers overall

| Rank | Player | Club | Tally | Total | Matches | Average |
| 1 | Paul Flynn | Waterford | 5-42 | 57 | 7 | 8.14 |
| 2 | Tom Moloney | London | 3-31 | 40 | 7 | 5.71 |
| 3 | Ger Manley | Cork | 3-27 | 36 | 6 | 6.00 |
| 4 | Joe Deane | Cork | 5-20 | 35 | 6 | 5.83 |
| 5 | Connor McCambridge | Antrim | 1-31 | 34 | 7 | 4.85 |
| 6 | Pat Potterton | Meath | 3-24 | 33 | 6 | 5.60 |
| 7 | Jamesie Brennan | Dublin | 0-32 | 32 | 7 | 4.57 |
| 8 | Billy O'Sullivan | Waterford | 5-09 | 24 | 6 | 4.00 |
| 8 | Seánie McGrath | Cork | 4-12 | 24 | 7 | 3.42 |
| 9 | Gregory O'Kane | Antrim | 3-12 | 21 | 7 | 3.00 |
| 9 | Eamon Morrissey | Dublin | 2-15 | 21 | 6 | 3.50 |

#### Top scorers in a single game

| Rank | Player | Club | Tally | Total | Opposition |
| 1 | Connor McCambridge | Antrim | 1-12 | 15 | London |
| 1 | Paul Flynn | Waterford | 1-12 | 15 | Westmeath |
| 2 | Alastair Elliot | Antrim | 3-03 | 12 | Westmeath |
| 2 | Joe Deane | Cork | 2-06 | 12 | Antrim |
| 2 | Tom Moloney | London | 2-06 | 12 | Antrim |
| 3 | Alan Browne | Cork | 3-02 | 11 | Westmeath |
| 3 | Brendan O'Sullivan | Kerry | 1-08 | 11 | Westmeath |
| 4 | Ger Manley | Cork | 2-04 | 10 | Antrim |
| 4 | Pat Potterton | Meath | 2-04 | 10 | Waterford |
| 4 | Seánie McGrath | Cork | 2-04 | 10 | Waterford |
| 4 | Pat Potterton | Meath | 1-07 | 10 | Antrim |