2020 National Football League (Ireland)

The 2020 National Football League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Allianz National Football League, is the 89th staging of the National Football League (NFL), an annual Gaelic football tournament for Gaelic Athletic Association county teams. Thirty-one county teams from the island of Ireland, plus London, compete. Kilkenny do not participate.

2020 National Football League
League details
Dates25 January – 25 October, 2020
Teams32
League champions
WinnersKerry (21st win)
CaptainDavid Clifford
ManagerPeter Keane
League runners-up
Runners-upDublin
CaptainStephen Cluxton
ManagerDessie Farrell
Other division winners
Division 2Roscommon
Division 3Cork
Division 4Limerick
← 2019
2021 →

The league was originally scheduled to end in March 2020, but the public health measures introduced to combat the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the final two league rounds being delayed to October.[1][2][3] In June 2020 the GAA announced that the league finals would not be played with the division winners being determined by table position at the end of the league rounds. This was only the second NFL season to be decided without a final (the first was in 1935–36).[4]

The GAA announced a new broadcast agreement on 10 January 2019 that runs from 2019 until 2022. Eir Sport and RTÉ provide live TV coverage of the league on Saturday nights. TG4 broadcast Sunday afternoon games. The highlights programmes are RTÉ2's League Sunday on Sunday evenings, TG4's GAA 2019 on Monday evenings and Eir Sport's Allianz Leagues Reloaded on Wednesday evenings.[5][6]

On 24 October, Kerry were the Division 1 champions, with 11 points from their seven games.[7]

Format

League structure

In the top division, Division 1, teams compete to become the National Football League (NFL) champions. The top two teams qualify for the NFL Final, with the winners crowned NFL champions. The 2020 National Football League consists of four divisions of eight teams. Each team plays every other team in its division once. Two points are awarded for a win and one point for a draw.

Teams compete for promotion and relegation to a higher or lower league. In Divisions 2, 3 and 4, the first and second-places teams are promoted, while the bottom two teams of divisions 1, 2 and 3 are relegated. There is no relegation from Division 4.

Tiebreakers for league ranking

As per the Official GAA Guide - Part 1 - Section 6.21[8] -

If two teams in the same group are equal on points on completion of the league phase, the following tie-breaking criteria are applied:

  1. Where two teams only are involved - the outcome of the meeting of the two teams in the previous game in the Competition;

If three or more teams in the same group are equal on points on completion of the league phase, the following tie-breaking criteria are applied:

  1. Scoring Difference (subtracting the total scores against from total scores for);
  2. Highest Total Score For;
  3. A Play-Off.

In the event that two teams or more finish with equal points, but have been affected by a disqualification, loss of game on a proven objection, retirement or walk over, the tie shall be decided by the following means:

  1. Score Difference from the games in which only the teams involved, (teams tied on points), have played each other. (subtracting the total Scores Against from total Scores For)
  2. Highest Total Score For, in which only the teams involved, have played each other, and have finished equal in (i)
  3. A Play-Off

Division 1
Locations of the 2020 NFL Division 1 teams

Table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Kerry (C) 7 5 1 1 133 112 +21 11 National Football League champions
2 Dublin 7 4 2 1 126 112 +14 10 Runners–up
3 Galway 7 4 0 3 128 127 +1 8[lower-alpha 1]
4 Tyrone 7 4 0 3 109 126 −17 8[lower-alpha 1]
5 Donegal 7 3 1 3 117 109 +8 7
6 Monaghan 7 2 2 3 113 114 −1 6
7 Mayo (R) 7 2 1 4 122 123 −1 5 Relegation to 2021 NFL Division 2
8 Meath (R) 7 0 1 6 103 128 −25 1
Updated to match(es) played on 24 October 2020. Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: 1) League points 2) Where only two teams are involved, the outcome of the meeting of the two teams in the competition 3) Scoring Difference 4) Highest Total Score For 5) A Play-Off.
(C) League champions; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. Head-to-head result: Galway 2-25 – 0-12 Tyrone.

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Division 2

Table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Roscommon (P) 7 5 1 1 113 90 +23 11 NFL Division 2 champions and
promotion to 2021 NFL Division 1
2 Armagh (P) 7 4 1 2 130 103 +27 9 Promotion to 2021 NFL Division 1
3 Kildare 7 4 0 3 106 99 +7 8
4 Westmeath 7 3 1 3 106 111 −5 7[lower-alpha 1]
5 Laois 7 3 1 3 104 113 −9 7[lower-alpha 1]
6 Clare 7 3 0 4 90 99 −9 6[lower-alpha 2]
7 Cavan (R) 7 3 0 4 115 119 −4 6[lower-alpha 2] Relegation to 2021 NFL Division 3
8 Fermanagh (R) 7 1 0 6 85 115 −30 2
Updated to match(es) played on 24 October 2020. Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: 1) League points 2) Where only two teams are involved, the outcome of the meeting of the two teams in the competition 3) Scoring Difference 4) Highest Total Score For 5) A Play-Off.
(P) Promoted; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. Head-to-head result: Westmeath 1-18 – 0-13 Laois.
  2. Head-to-head result: Clare 1-14 – 0-15 Cavan.

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Division 3

Table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Cork (P) 7 7 0 0 132 90 +42 14 NFL Division 3 champions and
promotion to 2021 NFL Division 2
2 Down (P) 7 4 1 2 87 87 0 9[lower-alpha 1] Promotion to 2021 NFL Division 2
3 Derry 7 4 1 2 110 95 +15 9[lower-alpha 1]
4 Longford 7 3 1 3 96 90 +6 7[lower-alpha 2]
5 Tipperary 7 3 1 3 99 104 −5 7[lower-alpha 2]
6 Offaly 7 2 1 4 102 111 −9 5
7 Leitrim (R) 7 1 1 5 90 109 −19 3 Relegation to 2021 NFL Division 4
8 Louth (R) 7 1 0 6 105 135 −30 2
Updated to match(es) played on 25 October 2020. Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: 1) League points 2) Where only two teams are involved, the outcome of the meeting of the two teams in the competition 3) Scoring Difference 4) Highest Total Score For 5) A Play-Off.
(P) Promoted; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. Head-to-head result: Down 0-14 – 0-12 Derry.
  2. Head-to-head result: Longford 3-12 – 3-7 Tipperary.

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

Division 4

Table
Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Limerick (P) 7 5 0 2 103 103 0 10[lower-alpha 1] Promotion to Division 3
2 Wicklow (P) 7 5 0 2 130 91 +39 10[lower-alpha 1]
3 Antrim 7 4 1 2 112 109 +3 9
4 Wexford 7 4 0 3 103 87 +16 8[lower-alpha 2]
5 Carlow 7 3 2 2 83 87 −4 8[lower-alpha 2]
6 Sligo 7 3 0 4 119 115 +4 6
7 Waterford 7 2 1 4 79 95 −16 5
8 London 7 0 0 7 56 98 −42 0
Updated to match(es) played on 18 October 2020. Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: 1) League points 2) Where only two teams are involved, the outcome of the meeting of the two teams in the competition 3) Scoring Difference 4) Highest Total Score For 5) A Play-Off.
(P) Promoted.
Notes:
  1. Head-to-head result: Limerick 5-10 – 1-14 Wicklow.
  2. Head-to-head result: Wexford 2-10 – 1-6 Carlow.

Round 1

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

Round 6

Round 7

League statistics

Top Scorer: Overall
Rank Player County Tally Total
1 Shane Walsh Galway 2-29 35
2 Shane McGuigan Derry 2-28 34
3 Keith Beirne Leitrim 1-29 32
4 Ben Brosnan Wexford 3-22 31
5 Dean Rock Dublin 2-23 29
6 David Clifford Kerry 2-21 27
7 Darren McCurry Tyrone 1-23 26
8 Paddy Cunningham Antrim 0-25 25
8 John Heslin Westmeath 1-22 25
10 Sean O'Shea Kerry 1-21 24
10 Michael Murphy Donegal 2-18 24
10 Evan O'Carroll Laois 1-21 24

References
  1. "U21 championship delayed with Clare Cup start deferred". March 12, 2020.
  2. GBFM, Sport (March 12, 2020). "Sporting Events Postponed Due to Coronavirus Scare".
  3. "Coronavirus: A comprehensive guide as Irish and global sport shuts down in effort to contain spread of Covid-19". independent.
  4. O'Toole, Fintan. "December All-Ireland final dates confirmed as GAA unveil 2020 championship plan". The42.
  5. "GAA, RTE and eir sport announce new broadcast agreement". www.hoganstand.com. Hogan Stand. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
  6. "How the 2019 National Football League divisions will look". SportsJOE.ie.
  7. "Kerry crowned Division 1 champions after heavy win over understrength Donegal". The 42. 24 October 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
  8. "GAA Official Guide - Part 1" (PDF). gaa.ie. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  9. "Allianz FL D1: Kerry impress in win over Monaghan". www.gaa.ie. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  10. Graham, Brendan (17 October 2020). "Dublin stay rock solid in overcoming gutsy Meath". RTÉ Sport.
  11. "Allianz FL D1: Mayo cruise to victory against Galway". www.gaa.ie. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  12. "Allianz FL D1: Donegal defeat Tyrone". www.gaa.ie. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  13. "Derry 2-14 0-12 Longford". GAA.ie. 2020-10-17.
  14. "U-20 and Minor inter-county competitions paused until further notice from tomorrow". www.gaa.ie. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  15. Murphy, Kieran (17 October 2020). "Carlow pounce late to end Sligo promotion hopes" – via RTÉ Sport.
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