1987–88 National Football League (Ireland)

The 1987–88 National Football League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Royal Liver National Football League, was the 57th staging of the National Football League (NFL), an annual Gaelic football tournament for the Gaelic Athletic Association county teams of Ireland.

1987–88 National Football League
League details
DatesOctober 1987 – 22 May 1988
League champions
WinnersMeath (5th win)
CaptainMick Lyons
ManagerSeán Boylan
League runners-up
Runners-upDublin
CaptainBarney Rock
ManagerGerry McCaul

Meath won the league, beating Dublin in a replayed final.[1][2][3]

Format

Divisions
  • Division One: 8 teams
  • Division Two: 8 teams
  • Division Three: 16 teams. Split into two regional groups of 8 (North and South)

Round-Robin Format

Each team played every other team in its division (or group where the division is split) once, either home or away.

Points awarded

2 points were awarded for a win and 1 for a draw.

Titles

Teams in all three divisions competed for the National Football League title.

Knockout stage qualifiers
  • Division One: top 4 teams
  • Division Two: top 2 teams
  • Division Three (North): group winners
  • Division Three (South): group winners

Knockout phase structure

In the Quarter-Finals, the match-ups were as follows:

  • Quarter-final 1: First-placed team in Division One v First-placed team in Division Three (South)
  • Quarter-final 2: Second-placed team in Division One v First-placed team in Division Three (North)
  • Quarter-final 3: Third-placed team in Division One v Second-placed team in Division Two
  • Quarter-final 4: Fourth-placed team in Division One v First-placed team in Division Two

The semi-final match-ups are:

  • Semi-final 1: Winner Quarter-final 1 v Winner Quarter-final 4
  • Semi-final 2: Winner Quarter-final 2 v Winner Quarter-final 3

The final match-up is: Winner Semi-final 1 v Winner Semi-final 2.

Promotion and Relegation
  • Division One: bottom 2 teams demoted to Division Two
  • Division Two: top 2 teams promoted to Division One. Bottom 2 teams demoted to Division Three.
  • Division Three (North): group winners promoted to Division Two.
  • Division Three (South): group winners promoted to Division Two.

Separation of teams on equal points

In the event that teams finish on equal points, then a play-off will be used to determine group placings if necessary, i.e. where to decide relegation places or quarter-finalists.

League Phase Results and Tables

Division One (A) Play-Offs
13 March 1988 For 5th Place Armagh 2-8 — 0-6 Mayo Carrick-on-Shannon [4]
20 March 1988 For 6th Place Kerry 0-14 — 0-10 Mayo Cusack Park, Ennis[5]

Table
Team Pld W D L Pts Status
Dublin 752012Advance to quarter-finals
Meath 742110
Monaghan 74129
Derry 73046
Armagh 72145
Kerry 72145
Mayo 72145Relegated to Division Two of the 1988–89 NFL
Cork 71244

Division Two
Team Pld W D L Pts Status
Down 751111Advance to quarter-finals; promoted to Division One of the 1988–89 NFL
Donegal 751111
Galway 73319
Kildare 74129
Roscommon 73046
Cavan 72145
Clare 71244Relegated to Division Three of the 1988–89 NFL
Laois 70161

Promotion Play-Offs
13 March 1988 Semi-Final Longford 1-15 — 0-7 Wexford O'Moore Park, Portlaoise [6]
13 March 1988 Semi-Final Limerick 2-9 — 0-10 Tipperary Cusack Park, Ennis [7]
20 March 1988 Final Longford 0-8 — 0-7 Limerick O'Moore Park, Portlaoise [8]

Division Three (North) Table
Team Pld W D L Pts Status
Louth 761013Advance to quarter-finals; promoted to Division Two of the 1988–89 NFL
Antrim 742110
Tyrone 74129
Fermanagh 73046
Leitrim 73046
Offaly 72336
Westmeath 72054
Sligo 71062

Division Three (South) Table
Team Pld W D L Pts Status
Longford 750210Advance to quarter-finals; promoted to Division Two of the 1988–89 NFL
Limerick 750210
Tipperary 750210
Wexford 750210
Wicklow 73046
Carlow 72054
Waterford 72054
Kilkenny 71062

[9]

Knockout stage

Quarter-Final
Monaghan1-5 – 0-6Donegal
Meath1-9 – 0-8Louth
Down2-13 – 1-16Derry
Down2-6 – 0-10Derry
Dublin0-10 – 0-4Longford

Semi-Final
Dublin4-12 – 1-8Monaghan
Meath0-13 – 1-9Down

Final
Meath0-11 – 1-8Dublin
Meath2-13 – 0-11Dublin

References
  1. GAA Final Teams Archived 2015-07-17 at the Wayback Machine
  2. "No love lost in 1988" - The Irish Times
  3. NFL Final inpho photography
  4. "How they stand", Cork Examiner, 14 March 1988, p. 19
  5. http://www.terracetalk.com/kerry-football/year/1988/League
  6. "Backs shine as Longford press ahead", Irish Independent, 14 March 1988, p. 10
  7. "Limerick stay in the race", Cork Examiner, 14 March 1988, p.14
  8. "GAA Results", Irish Independent, 21 March 1988, p.13
  9. "GAA Scoreboard", Irish Independent 29/02/1988, p. 15
  10. "Battling Louth give Meath a real fright", Irish Independent, 14 March 1988, p. 10
  11. "GAA Results", Irish Independent, 21 March 1988, p. 13
  12. "GAA Results", Irish Press 4 April 1988, p. 11
  13. "GAA Results", Irish Press 4 April 1988, p. 11
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