On 6 May Kilkenny defeated Cork in the final to win their 15th NHL title, moving them to second place in the all-time roll of honour, behind Tipperary who have won 19 Leagues.[1][2][3]
Format
The 2012 format was originally to consist of five divisions: Divisions 1 and 2 having eight teams in each, Division 3A six, Division 3B seven, and six teams in Division 4.
However, this was controversially altered to a system of six divisions, with six teams in divisions 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B and 3A, and four in division 3B.[4] This meant that many counties were effectively relegated to a lower division.[5][6] It was agreed in October 2011 that there would no longer be an eight-team Division 1, with the top division hurling counties giving their approval to the new system.[7]
The league settings are as follows:
Division 1A: Top three teams qualify for NHL semi-finals. Bottom two teams play a relegation playoff, with the losing team relegated.
Division 1B: Top two teams play division final, with the winner being promoted and qualifying for NHL semi-final. Bottom two teams play a relegation playoff, with the losing team relegated.
Division 2A: Top two teams play division final, with the winner being promoted. Bottom two teams play a relegation playoff, with the losing team relegated.
Division 2B: Top two teams play division final, with the winner being promoted. No relegation.
Division 3A: Top two teams play division final, but the winner is not promoted. Bottom two teams play a relegation playoff, with the losing team relegated.
Division 3B: Top two teams play division final, with the winner being promoted.
N McGrath 0-7 (0-1f); P Bourke 0-7 (0-4f); B O’Meara 0-3; P Maher 0-2; B Maher 0-2; J Woodlock 0-2; J O’Neill 0-2; S Bourke 0-2; S McGrath 0-2; J Ryan, T Stapleton, 0-1 each.
P Horgan (0-8, 0-7f), P O’Sullivan (1-1), C Naughton (0-2), W Egan (0-2, 0-1 65, 0-1f), D Sweetnam (0-1); C Lehane (0-1), P Cronin (0-1), J Coughlan (0-1).
P Bourke (1-6, 1-2f), N McGrath (0-5), J O’Brien (0-3), S Bourke (0-3), G Ryan (0-2), J Woodlock (0-1), P Maher (0-1), T Stapleton (0-1), E Kelly (0-1).
P Ryan 0-9 (8f, 1 65); D Sutcliffe 0-3; N McMorrow 0-3 (1f, 1 65); C McCormack 1-0; R O’Carroll 1-0; J McCaffrey, A McCrabbe (65), S Lambert, D Plunkett, D Treacy, 0-1.
L O’Farrell 1-02, P Horgan 0-09 (6f), N McCarthy, W Egan (2f) 0-03 each, P Cronin, C Lehane 0-02 each, J Gardiner, P O’Sullivan, D Sweetnam, A Nash 0-01 each.
S Dooley (0-7, 0-3 frees), B Murphy (0-5), J Bergin (0-4), J Mulrooney (1-1), S Ryan (0-3), T Carroll (0-2), R Hanniffy, D Morkan, D Molloy, C Mahon, C Egan (0-1 each).
H Kehoe (0-7, five frees), G Moore (1-1), D O’Keeffe (1-1), J Guiney (1-0, a free) E Quigley (0-2), D Redmond (0-2), PJ Nolan (0-2), T O’Leary (0-1), R Kehoe (0-1), R Jacob (0-1).
S Dooley (0-9, eight frees), B Murphy (1-2), C Egan (1-1), D Molloy (0-2), J Bergin (0-2), D Morkham (0-1, free), S Ryan (0-1), D Mooney (0-1), T Carroll (0-1).
S Dowling (2-4, 2-0 frees, 0-1 pen), C Allis (0-9, 2f, 0-2 ‘65s’), S Tobin (1-2), J Ryan (0-2), D Breen (0-2), N Moran (0-1), S Walsh (0-1), T Quaid (0-1).
S Nolan 1-6, S Brick 1-5 (3f), A Boyle 2-0, W O’Dwyer, D O’Connell 0-4 each, D Walsh 0-3, D Dineen (1 sl) 0-2, C Harty, PJ Connolly, J Flaherty 0-1 each.
M. Clowry (1-0), P. Kehoe (0-3, 0-2 from frees), S. Kavanagh (0-3 from frees), M. Kavanagh (0-2 from frees), C. Doyle (0-2), A. Gaule (0-2), D. Roberts (0-1), J. Kavanagh (0-1).
E Brennan 2-1, P Sloane 0-5 (2f, 1 ’65), E Gleeson 0-3, E Cooney, S Ryan, T Dunne 0-2 each, G Fennelly, N Forde, M O’Meara, H Vaughan, N Rogers 0-1 each.
The Monaghan team gave a walkover after a dispute with the county board, who had refused to reschedule Gaelic football club games to allow their players to rest for the final.[9]