# 1984–85 National Hurling League

The 1984–85 National Hurling League was the 54th season of the National Hurling League (NHL), an annual hurling competition for the GAA county teams. It was won by Limerick for the second year in a row.

## Division 1

Limerick came into the season as defending champions of the 1983-84 season. Offaly and Tipperary entered Division 1 as the promoted teams.
On 14 April 1985, Limerick won the title following a 3-12 to 1-7 win over Clare in the final. It was their second league title in succession and their 9th National League title overall.
Tipperary and Wexford were relegated from Division 1.
Laois's Eugene Fennelly was the Division 1 top scorer with 2-44.

### Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | Pts | Notes |
| 1 | Galway | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 11 |
| 2 | Limerick | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 8 | National Hurling League champions |
| 3 | Offaly | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| 4 | Kilkenny | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| 5 | Cork | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| 6 | Laois | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| 7 | Wexford | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 6 | Relegated to Division 2 |
| 8 | Tipperary | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | Relegated to Division 2 |

### Knock-out stage

Quarter-finals
Semi-finals
Final

### Scoring statistics

| Rank | Player | Team | Tally | Total | Matches | Average |
| 1 | Eugene Fennelly | Laois | 2-44 | 50 | 9 | 5.55 |
| 2 | Paddy Corrigan | Offaly | 1-42 | 45 | 7 | 6.42 |
| 3 | Paddy Kelly | Limerick | 4-32 | 44 | 9 | 4.88 |
| 4 | John Holohan | Wexford | 3-32 | 41 | 8 | 5.12 |
| 5 | Séamus Power | Tipperary | 5-23 | 38 | 6 | 6.33 |
| 6 | Michael Haverty | Galway | 0-36 | 36 | 7 | 5.14 |
| 7 | Pat Cleary | Laois | 10-04 | 34 | 9 | 3.77 |
| 8 | Pat McCarthy | Limerick | 8-07 | 32 | 9 | 3.55 |
| 8 | Kieran Brennan | Kilkenny | 1-29 | 32 | 9 | 3.55 |
| 10 | Kevin Hennessy | Cork | 4-14 | 26 | 5 | 5.20 |

#### Top scorers in a single game

| Rank | Player | Team | Tally | Total | Opposition |
| 1 | John Holohan | Wexford | 1-08 | 11 | Cork |
| 1 | Paddy Corrigan | Offaly | 0-11 | 11 | Cork |
| 3 | Paddy Kelly | Limerick | 2-04 | 10 | Offaly |
| 3 | Pádraig Horan | Offaly | 1-07 | 10 | Wexford |
| 3 | Paddy Kelly | Limerick | 1-07 | 10 | Dublin |
| 3 | Peadar Carton | Dublin | 1-07 | 10 | Limerick |
| 3 | Martin O'Shea | Galway | 0-10 | 10 | Tipperary |
| 3 | Eugene Fennelly | Laois | 0-10 | 10 | Wexford |
| 9 | Pat McCarthy | Limerick | 3-00 | 10 | Kilkenny |
| 9 | Pat Cleary | Laois | 3-00 | 10 | Tipperary |
| 9 | Michael Haverty | Galway | 0-09 | 9 | Limerick |
| 9 | John Fenton | Cork | 0-09 | 9 | Offaly |
| 9 | Paddy Corrigan | Offaly | 0-09 | 9 | Galway |

## Division 2
### Table

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | Pts | Notes |
| 1 | Clare | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | Promoted to Division 1 |
| 2 | Dublin | 7 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 9 | Promoted to Division 1 |
| 3 | Westmeath | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| 4 | Roscommon | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 8 |
| 5 | Kerry | 7 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
| 6 | Antrim | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
| 7 | Waterford | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | Relegated to Division 3 |
| 8 | Kildare | 7 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 1 | Relegated to Division 3 |

## Division 3
### Table

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

## Division 4
### Knock-out stage

Final