2018 National Hurling League
| League details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | February – May 2018 |
| Teams | 33 |
| League champions | |
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← 2017
2019 →
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The 2018 National Hurling League will be the 87th season of the National Hurling League for senior county hurling teams.
Despite being reigning champions, Galway will play in Division 1B, because of an oddity in the league format: the top team in 1B is promoted, while the top four play in the NHL quarter-finals. Galway came second in 1B in 2017 and won the league, and so missed out on promotion.
League structure
Thirty three teams compete in the 2018 NHL – six teams in the top four divisions (Divisions 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B), four teams in Division 3A and five teams in Division 3B. Thirty-one county teams from Ireland take part (Cavan do not). London and Warwickshire complete the lineup.
Each team plays all the other teams in their division once, either home or away in all divisions except Division 3A where a double round of fixtures are played. Two points are awarded for a win, and one for a draw.
The hurling quarter-finals and semi-finals will finish on the day the games are played avoiding the need for replays. If a quarter-final or semi-final is level after the initial seventy minutes, still level after two ten minute periods of extra time played each way, and still level after two further five minute periods of extra time, the outcome will be decided by a free-taking competition. This will prevent games from going to a replay and allow the league finals to be held on the scheduled date.
Tie-breaker
Finals, promotions and relegations
Division 1A
Division 1B
Division 2A
Division 2B
Division 3A
Division 3B
The 12 teams in Division 1 are ranked into two groups - the top six teams in Division 1A and the bottom six in Division 1B. Each team play all the other teams in its group once. Two points are awarded for a win and one for a draw. The top four teams in 1A and 1B advance to the league quarter-finals with the top team in 1A playing the fourth team in 1B, the second team in 1A playing the third in 1B, etc. Two semi-finals and a final follow.
NHL quarter-finals Bottom play-off, loser relegated
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