2004 National Hurling League
League details
Dates14 February – 9 May, 2004
Teams34
League champions
WinnersGalway (8th win)
CaptainOllie Canning
ManagerConor Hayes
League runners-up
Runners-upWaterford
CaptainKen McGrath
ManagerJustin McCarthy
Other division winners
Division 2Down
Division 3Sligo
Division 3 ShieldMayo
← 2003
2005 →

The 2004 National Hurling League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Allianz National Hurling League, was the 73rd edition of the National Hurling League (NHL), an annual hurling competition for the GAA county teams. Kilkenny won the league, beating Cork in the final.[1][2][3]

Structure

Division 1

There are 12 teams in Division 1, divided into 1A and 1B. Each team plays all the others in its group once, earning 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw.

Each team in the Championship Group plays the other three teams that it did not play in the first five games. The top two teams go into the NHL final – only points earned in these last three games count. Each team in the Relegation Group plays the other three teams that it did not play in the first five games. The bottom team is relegated – only points earned in these last three games count.

Division 2

There are 10 teams in Division 2, divided into 2A and 2B. Each team plays all the others in its group once, earning 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw.

Each team in the Promotion Group plays the other three teams that it did not play in the first four games. The top two teams go into the Division 2 final – only points earned in these last three games count. Final winners are promoted. Each team in the Relegation Group plays the other two teams that it did not play in the first four games. The bottom team is relegated – only points earned in these last two games count.

Division 3

There are 10 teams in Division 3, divided into 2A and 2B. Each team plays all the others in its group once, earning 2 points for a win and 1 for a draw.

Each team in the Promotion Group plays the other three teams that it did not play in the first four games. The top two teams go into the Division 2 final – only points earned in these last three games count. Final winners are promoted. Each team in the Shield Group plays the other two teams that it did not play in the first four games. The top two play the Division 3 Shield Final.

Overview

Division 1

Galway won their first league title in four seasons, as 'the Westerners' recorded two defeats throughout the entire league. Waterford, who were league runners-up, suffered three defeats in the group stages before falling to Galway in the final.

Down at the other end of the table, Dublin and Antrim went through the initial group stages without a single victory. However, a relegation group of six teams resulted in Offaly ending up at the bottom and facing relegation for the following season.

Results and tables

Division 1

Group 1

11 April 2004 Round 1 Clare 1-20 - 1-15 Tipperary Cusack Park, Ennis
11 April 2004 Round 1 Waterford 1-20 - 4-7 Limerick Walsh Park, Waterford
11 April 2004 Round 1 Galway 3-13 - 1-15 Cork Pearse Stadium, Galway
18 April 2004 Round 2 Limerick 2-11 - 1-12 Clare Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
N. Moran 1-3 (1-1 frees; 0-1 65); P. Tobin 1-0; E. O'Neill 0-3 (0-2 frees); M. McKenna, D. Ryan, J. O'Brien, S. O'Connor, J. Butler, 0-1 each. Report J. O'Connor 0-6 (all frees); A. Markham 1-1; S. McMahon 0-3 (0-2 frees, 0-1 65); B. O'Connor, G. Quinn, 0-1 each. Referee: S. Hogan (Tipperary)
18 April 2004 Round 2 Tipperary 2-15 - 2-13 Galway Semple Stadium, Thurles
E. Kelly 0-8 (0-6 frees); P. O'Brien, J. Butler 1-0 each; J. Carroll, E. Enright, B. Dunne 0-2 each; P. Kelly 0-1. Report K. Broderick 2-1; E. Cloonan 0-6 (0-5 frees); A. Kerins, D. Forde 0-2 each; F. Healy, M. Kerins 0-1 each. Referee: D. Kirwan (Cork)
18 April 2004 Round 2 Cork 0-13 - 0-14 Waterford Páirc Uí Rinn, Cork
J. O'Callaghan 0-5 (0-4 from frees); J. Gardiner 0-4 (0-1 from free); T. McCarthy, N. McCarthy, B. Lombard and M. O'Connell 0-1 each. Report P. Flynn 0-5 (0-3 from frees); J. Mullane 0-3; D. Bennett 0-3 (0-2 from frees); D. Shanahan, E. Kelly and P. O'Brien 0-1 each. Referee: A. Mac Suibhne (Dublin)
24 April 2004 Round 3 Cork 0-18 - 2-20 Clare Páirc Uí Rinn, Cork
B. O’Connor 0-6 (0-3 frees, 0-2 65s); N. McCarthy, P. Tierney, J. Anderson, J. Deane, K. Murphy (Sars) 0-2 each; T. McCarthy, G. Callanan 0-1 each. Report N. Gilligan 1-8 (0-6 frees); D. O’Connell 1-1; S. McMahon (0-2 frees, 0-1 65), T. Griffin 0-3 each; C. Lynch 0-2; J. O’Connor, F. Lohan, A. Markham 0-1 each. Referee: E. Morris (Dublin)
25 April 2004 Round 3 Galway 3-15 - 1-10 Limerick Pearse Stadium, Galway
E. Cloonan 1-8 (0-6 frees, 0-1 seventy); K. Broderick 1-2; D. Hayes 1-0; A. Kerins and A. Cullinane 0-2 each; T. Og Regan 0-1. Report N. Moran 1-2 frees; E. O'Neill 0-6 (0-4 frees); D. Sheehan 0-2. Referee: A. Mac Suibhne (Dublin)
25 April 2004 Round 3 Tipperary 3-16 - 1-22 Waterford Semple Stadium, Thurles
E. Kelly(1-7, 0-4 frees); J. Carroll(1-2); S., Butler(1-0); C. Morrissey(0-2); B. Dunne(0-2); P. Kelly(free), P. O’Brien, E. Enright(0-1) each. Report P.Flynn(1-11, frees); E. Kelly(0-3); J. Mullane(0-3); D. Bennett(0-3, 0-2 frees); S. Prendergast(0-1); D. Shanahan(0-1). Referee: T. McIntyre (Antrim)

Knock-out stage

9 May 2004 Final Galway 2-15 - 1-13 Waterford Gaelic Grounds, Limerick
E. Cloonan 2-4 (1-3 frees); A. Cullinane, D. Hayes, K. Broderick, A. Kerins and D. Forde 0-2 each; D. Hardiman 0-1. Report D. Shanahan 1-3; P. Flynn 0-5 (0-3 frees); E. Kelly 0-2; D. Bennett, J. Mullane and S. Prendergast 0-1 each. Attendance: 16,750
Referee: T. McIntyre (Antrim)

Division 2

9 May 2004 Final Down 5-15 – 3-7 Westmeath Gaelic Grounds, Limerick

Division 3

9 May 2004 Final Sligo 3-12 – 1-8 Tyrone Ballyshannon
9 May 2004 Shield Final Donegal 4-14 – 2-6 Cavan Brewster Park, Enniskillen
Report

External links

  1. ^ "National Hurling League Results 1925-2009". Hogan Stand. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
  2. ^ 2002 Hurling League fixtures
  3. ^ [1]
National Hurling League
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