1996–97 National Football League (Ireland)

The 1996–97 National Football League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Church & General National Football League, was the 66th staging of the National Football League (NFL), an annual Gaelic football tournament for the Gaelic Athletic Association county teams of Ireland.

1996–97 National Football League
League details
Dates13 October 1996 – 4 May 1997
Teams33
League champions
WinnersKerry (16th win)
CaptainMike Hassett
ManagerPáidí Ó Sé
League runners-up
Runners-upCork
CaptainNiall Cahalane
ManagerLarry Tompkins
Other division winners
Division 2Louth
Division 3Down
Division 4Offaly

Format

The teams are in four divisions, three of 8 teams and one of 9. Each team plays all the other teams in its division once: either home or away. Teams earn 2 points for a winn and 1 for a draw. The top two teams in Divisions 2, 3 and 4 are promoted, while the bottom two teams in Divisions 1, 2 and 3 are relegated.[1]

Eight teams contest the NFL quarter-finals:

  • The top 4 teams in Division 1
  • The top 2 teams in Division 2
  • The first-placed teams in Divisions 3 and 4

Promotion and Relegation

At the point at which the league was played, promotion and relegation was to be as follows:

  • 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: top 2 teams promoted to Division Two. Bottom 2 teams demoted to Division Four.
  • Division Four: top 2 teams promoted to Division Three.

After the season had finished, it was decided to move to a 'mixed-ability' league for a one-season experiment in the 1997–98 NFL season, which meant that there was no relegation or promotion in 1996–97.[2]

Results and tables

Division 1
Team Pld W D L Pts Status
Kildare 750210Advance to Knockout stage
Kerry 750210
Derry 74129
Cork 73228
Tyrone 7 2 1 4 5
Meath 72145
Cavan 72145
Donegal 71244

    Play-Off
    31 March 1997 For 6th Place Mayo 0-7 — 0-4 Clare Tuam [3]

    Division 2
    Team Pld W D L Pts Status
    Louth 750210Advance to Knockout stage
    Laois 750210Laois advanced to Knock out stage as Division 2 Runner Up
    Dublin 73228
    Leitrim 73137
    Armagh 72327
    Mayo 72236
    Clare 73046
    Monaghan 71062

      Division 3
      Team Pld W D L Pts Status
      Down 752012Advance to knockout stage
      Roscommon 751111
      Wicklow 750210
      Westmeath 74038
      Galway 73137
      Antrim 72054
      Longford 71153
      Sligo 70161

      Division 4

      Offaly won, with Fermanagh finishing second.

      Knockout stage

      Quarter-finals
      Laois4-10 – 1-13Derry
      Hugh Emerson 3 goals
      Kerry1-18 – 0-10Down
      Kildare0-9 – 0-8Offaly
      Cork1-12 0-11Louth

      Portlaoise

      Semi-finals
      Kerry2-13 – 1-10Laois
      Cork2-10 – 1-9Kildare

      Final
      Kerry3-7 – 1-8Cork
      Attendance: 28,795 [4]
      Referee: Pat Casserly (Westmeath)[5]

      References
      1. Gaelic Games website
      2. O'Riordan, Tom, "New format turns league on its head", Irish Independent, 27 August 1997, p. 21
      3. http://mayogaablog.com/?page_id=490
      4. "For The Record, A History of the National Football and Hurling League Finals", Tom Morrison, Collins Press, 2002, ISBN 9781903464151
      5. "For The Record, A History of the National Football and Hurling League Finals", Tom Morrison, Collins Press, 2002, ISBN 9781903464151


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