2006 National Hurling League

2006 National Hurling League

League details
Dates	19 February – 30 April 2006
Teams	32
League champions
Winners	Kilkenny (13th win)
Captain	Jackie Tyrell
Manager	Brian Cody
League runners-up
Runners-up	Limerick
Captain	T. J. Ryan
Manager	Joe McKenna
Other division winners
Division 2	Dublin
Division 3	Armagh
Division 3 Shield	Tyrone
← 2005 2007 →

The 2006 National Hurling League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Allianz National Hurling League, was the 75th edition of the National Hurling League (NHL), an annual hurling competition for the GAA county teams. Kilkenny won the league, beating Limerick 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.

• The first-placed teams in 1A and 1B advance to the NHL semi-finals.
• The second- and third-placed teams in 1A and 1B advance to the NHL quarter-finals.
• The fifth- and sixth-placed teams in 1A and 1B go into the relegation semi-finals and final.

Division 2

There are 11 teams in Division 2, divided into 2A and 2B.

• The first-placed teams in 2A and 2B advance to the Division 2 semi-finals.
• The second- and third-placed teams in 2A and 2B advance to the NHL quarter-finals.
• The Division 2 champions are promoted.
• The bottom two teams in 2A and 2B go into the relegation semi-finals and final.

Division 3

There are 9 teams in Division 3, divided into 3A and 3B.

• The top two teams in 3A and 3B advance to the Division 3 semi-finals.
• The Division 3 champions are promoted.
• The other teams in 3A and 3B go into the Division 3 Shield.

Overview

Division 1

Brian Cody won his fourth league title with Kilkenny, and the second in succession, as 'the Cats' remained the only undefeated team throughout the entire league. Limerick, who were league runners-up, also enjoyed an unbeaten run in the group stage courtesy of three wins and two drawn games with Kilkenny and Tipperary, however, they fell to Kilkenny in the final.

Down at the other end of the table, the four bottom-placed teams and relegation candidates were Antrim, Down, Laois and Wexford. Laois, after losing all of their group stage games, eventually lost a play-off to Down and faced relegation for the following season.

Division 2

Dublin won the Division 2 title after an unbeaten run throughout the group and knock-out stages, thus returning to the top flight having been relegated the previous year. Runners-up Kerry also remained undefeated until the last day of the league when they were defeated in the final by 'the Dubs'. Going down were Roscommon who recorded only one victory in the group stage before losing to London and Wicklow in the relegation play-offs.

Division 3

Armagh and Longford qualified for the league final in this division with Armagh winning promotion.

Division 1

Division 1A Pos Team Pld W D L Diff Pts Notes 1 Clare 5 4 0 1 +33 8 Knock-out stage semi-finalists 2 Offaly 5 3 1 1 +5 7 Knock-out stage quarter-finalists 3 Waterford 5 3 0 2 +16 6 Knock-out stage quarter-finalists 4 Cork 5 2 1 2 +31 5 5 Wexford 5 2 0 3 -3 4 6 Down 5 0 0 5 -82 0

Division 1B Pos Team Pld W D L Diff Pts Notes 1 Kilkenny 5 4 1 0 +33 9 Division 1 champions 2 Limerick 5 3 2 0 +24 8 Division 1 runners-up 3 Tipperary 5 2 1 2 +4 4 Knock-out stage semi-finalists 4 Galway 5 2 0 3 +10 4 5 Antrim 5 2 0 3 -16 4 6 Laois 5 0 0 5 -55 0 Relegated to Division 2

Results

Group stages

Cork v Clare

April 9 Round 5	Cork	0-16 : 0-18	Clare	Páirc Uí Rinn, Cork
	T. Kenny (0-7), C Naughton (0-3), J. Gardiner (0-2), C. O'Connor (0-1), C. McGann (0-1), C Cusack (0-1), J. O'Connor (0-1).	(report)	N. Gilligan (0-9), B. Nugent (0-2), C. Lynch (0-2), S. McMahon (0-2), G. Quinn (0-1), D. McMahon (0-1), J. McInerney (0-1).	Referee: M. Haverty (Galway)

Knock-out stages

Limerick v Waterford

April 16 Quarter-final	Limerick	0-21 : 0-14	Waterford	Semple Stadium, Thurles
	M. Keane (0-9), D. Ryan (0-5), D. Grady (0-2), C. Fitzgerald (0-2), M. Foley (0-1), A. O'Shaughnessy (0-1), S. Lucey (0-1).	(report)	J. Mullane (0-4), P. Flynn (0-3), D. Bennett (0-3), D. Shanahan (0-3), J. Kennedy (0-1).	Referee: D. Kirwan (Cork)

Tipperary v Offaly

April 16 Quarter-final	Tipperary	2-21 : 3-14	Offaly	Semple Stadium, Thurles
	E. Kelly (1-3), M. Webster (1-2), K. Dunne (0-5), P. Kelly (0-4), S. McGrath (0-3), C. Morrissey (0-2), H. Moloney (0-1), J O'Brien (0-1).	(report)	B. Carroll (2-5), A. Egan (1-1), M. Cordial (0-2), B. Murphy (0-2), J. Bergin (0-2), R. Hanniffy (0-1), D. Hayden (0-1).	Referee: M. Haverty (Galway)

Limerick v Clare

April 23 Semi-final	Limerick	3-23 : 2-22 (aet)	Clare	Semple Stadium, Thurles
	M. Keane (2-10), B. Begley (1-0), A. O'Shaughnessy (0-3), D. Moloney (0-2), C. Fitzgerald (0-2), D. Ryan (0-1), M. O'Brien (0-1), S. Lucey (0-1), B. Foley (0-1), N. Moran (0-1), P. Kirby (0-1).	(report)	N. Gilligan (1-4), D. McMahon (1-3), D Quinn (0-4), F. Lynch (0-3), B. Nugent (0-3), T. Griffin (0-2), S. McMahon (0-2), J. Clancy (0-1), D. O'Rourke (0-1).	Referee: B. Gavin (Offaly)

Tipperary v Kilkenny

April 23 Semi-final	Tipperary	2-11 : 3-20	Kilkenny	Semple Stadium, Thurles
	E. Kelly (2-6), P. Kelly (0-2), K. Dunne (0-1), D. Egan (0-1), J. O' Brien (0-1).	(report)	M. Comerford (1-5), H. Shefflin (1-3), J. Fitzpatrick (1-2), A. Fogarty (0-4), W O'Dwyer (0-2), E. Larkin (0-2), D Lyng (0-1), E Reid (0-1).	Referee: B. Kelly (Westmeath)

Kilkenny v Limerick

April 30 Final	Kilkenny	3-11 : 0-14	Limerick	Semple Stadium, Thurles
	H. Shefflin (2-6), E. Larkin (1-0), J. Fitzpatrick (0-2), A. Fogarty (0-1), W. O'Dwyer (0-1), M. Fennelly (0-1).	(report)	B. Foley (0-6), C. Fitzgerald (0-4), S. Lucey (0-2), B. Begley (0-1), N. Moran (0-1).	Referee: D. Kirwan (Cork)

Division 2

Dublin v Kerry

April 30 Division 2 Final	Dublin	0-16 – 1-6	Kerry	Semple Stadium, Thurles

Division 3

Armagh v Longford

April 30 Division 3 Final	Armagh	3-10 – 1-11	Longford	Breffni Park, Cavan

Tyrone v Sligo

April 30 Division 3 Shield Final	Tyrone	3-9 – 0-10	Sligo	Breffni Park, Cavan
		Report

Statistics

Scoring

• Widest winning margin: 27 points
  • Clare 5-21 - 0-9 Down (Round 1)
• Most goals in a match: 6
  • Waterford 6-21 - 0-8 Down (Round 4)
  • Limerick 4-24 - 2-11 Antrim (Round 5)

Most points in a match: 46

• • Limerick 3-23 - 2-23 Clare (Semi-final)
• Most goals by one team in a match: 6
  • Waterford 6-21 - 0-8 Down (Round 4)
• Most goals scored by a losing team: 3
  • Laois 3-14 - 2-31 Wexford (Relegation semi-final play-off)
  • Offaly 3-14 - 2-21 Tipperary (Quarter-final)
• Most points scored by a losing team: 23
  • Clare 2-23 - 3-23 Limerick (Semi-final)

References

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

External links

• All National Hurling League division results from 2006