1974–75 National Football League (Ireland)
{{short description|Gaelic football competition}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox GAA League
|league = 1974–75 National Football League
|image =
|dates = October 1974 – 18 May 1975
|teams =
|team1 = Meath
|captain1 = Ronan Giles
|manager1 = Micheál O'Brien
|titles =4th
|team2 = Dublin
|captain2 = Seán Doherty
|manager2 = Kevin Heffernan
|two =
|three =
|four =
|previous = 1973–74
|next = 1975–76
}}
The 1974–75 National Football League was the 44th staging of the National Football League (NFL), an annual Gaelic football tournament for the Gaelic Athletic Association county teams of Ireland.
Meath won a surprise victory over Dublin in the final.[http://www.gaa.ie/about-the-gaa/gaa-history/final-teams/0/6/0/0/9/ GAA Final Teams]{{Cite web|url=http://www.terracetalk.com/kerry-football/game/559/1974-Kerry-Vs-Roscommon|title=Terrace Talk :: Kerry Football :: :: 1974 League :: Final :: Kerry Vs Roscommon|website=www.terracetalk.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.hoganstand.com/county/meath/article/index/163771|title=The boylan leinster breakthrough - 25 years ago - HoganStand|website=www.hoganstand.com}}
Format
=Divisions=
- Division One: 12 teams. Split into two groups of 6.
- Division Two: 6 teams
- Division Three: 14 teams. Split into two groups of 7.
=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 (A): top 2 teams
- Division One (B): top 2 teams
- Division Two: group winners
- Division Three: Division winners. Determined by a play-off between the two group winners
=Knockout phase structure=
In the quarter-finals, the match-ups were as follows:
- Quarter-final 1: Second-placed team in Division One (A) v First-placed team in Division Two
- Quarter-final 2: Second-placed team in Division One (B) v First-placed team in Division Three
The semi-final match-ups are:
- Semi-final 1: First Placed team in Division One (A) v Winner Quarter-final 1
- Semi-final 2: First Placed team in Division One (B) v Winner Quarter-final 2
The final match-up is: Winner Semi-final 1 v Winner Semi-final 2.
=Promotion and relegation=
- Division One: 1 relegation place. Bottom teams in Division One (A) and Division One (B) play-off
- Division Two: group winners promoted to Division One. Bottom team demoted to Division Three.
- Division Three: 1 promotion place. Group winners of Division Three (A) and Division Three (B) play-off
=Separation of teams on equal points=
In the event that teams finish on equal points, then teams were separated according to points average(goals scored divided by goals conceded)."National Football League placings clarified", Irish Press, 03/03/1975, p. 14
Group stage
=Division One=
==Results==
===Division One relegation play-off===
{{football box collapsible
| date = 27 April 1975
| round =
| team1 = Kildare
| score = 3-5 — 2-6
| team2 = Wicklow
| goals1 =
| goals2 =
| report =
| stadium = Croke Park, Dublin"Vital goal by Carew", Irish Independent, 28/04/1975, p. 10
| attendance =
| referee =
}}
==Tables==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}
===Group A===
| style=border-collapse:collapse border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5 | |||||||||
| align=center bgcolor=#efefef
!Team !Pld !W !D !L !F !A !Aver !Pts !Notes | |||||||||
| align=center style="background:#bbccff;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Dublin | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 66 | 41 | 1.610 | 7 | rowspan=2|Advanced to Knockout stage |
| align=center style="background:#bbccff;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Kerry | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 59 | 40 | 1.475 | 7 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Cork | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 59 | 50 | 1.180 | 6 | rowspan=4| |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Roscommon | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 51 | 55 | 0.927 | 6 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Offaly | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 36 | 55 | 0.655 | 2 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Kildare | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 43 | 73 | 0.589 | 2 |
{{col-2}}
===Group B===
| style=border-collapse:collapse border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5 | |||||||||
| align=center bgcolor=#efefef
!Team !Pld !W !D !L !F !A !Aver !Pts !Notes | |||||||||
| align=center style="background:#bbccff;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Mayo | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 71 | 33 | 2.152 | 10 | rowspan=2|Advanced to Knockout stage |
| align=center style="background:#bbccff;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Tyrone | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 59 | 37 | 1.595 | 8 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Derry | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 76 | 38 | 2.000 | 6 | rowspan=3| |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Galway | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 53 | 58 | 0.914 | 4 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Sligo | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 47 | 76 | 0.618 | 2 | |
| align=center style="background:#F08080"
|style="text-align:left;"| Wicklow | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 29 | 93 | 0.312 | 0 | rowspan=1|Relegated to Division Two of the 1975–76 NFL |
{{col-2}}
{{col-end}}
=Division Two=
==Table==
| style=border-collapse:collapse border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5 | |||||||||
| align=center bgcolor=#efefef
!Team !Pld !W !D !L !F !A !Aver !Pts !Notes | |||||||||
| align=center style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Meath | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 61 | 44 | 1.386 | 8 | rowspan=1|Advanced to Knockout stage and promoted to Division One of the 1975–76 NFL |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Down | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 48 | 37 | 1.297 | 8 | rowspan=4| |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Cavan | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 45 | 42 | 1.071 | 5 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Antrim | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 53 | 49 | 1.082 | 4 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Fermanagh | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 41 | 55 | 0.745 | 3 | |
| align=center style="background:#F08080"
|style="text-align:left;"| Longford | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 43 | 64 | 0.672 | 2 | rowspan=1|Relegated to Division Three of the 1975–76 NFL |
=Division Three=
==Results==
===Division Three promotion play-off===
{{football box collapsible
| date = 16 March 1975
| round =
| team1 = Monaghan
| score = 1-5 — 0-5
| team2 = Clare
| goals1 =
| goals2 =
| report =
| stadium = O'Moore Park, Portlaoise"GAA in brief", Irish Independent, 17/03/1975, p. 8
| attendance =
| referee =
}}
==Tables==
===Group A===
| style=border-collapse:collapse border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5 | |||||||||
| align=center bgcolor=#efefef
!Team !Pld !W !D !L !F !A !Aver !Pts !Notes | |||||||||
| align=center style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Monaghan | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 78 | 40 | 1.950 | 10 | rowspan=1|Advanced to Knockout stage and promoted to Division Two of the 1975–76 NFL |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Louth | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 90 | 54 | 1.667 | 10 | rowspan=6| |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Armagh | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 75 | 55 | 1.364 | 8 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Donegal | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 67 | 62 | 1.081 | 5 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Westmeath | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 47 | 75 | 0.627 | 4 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Laois | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 56 | 71 | 0.789 | 3 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Leitrim | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 45 | 101 | 0.446 | 2 |
===Group B===
| style=border-collapse:collapse border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5 | |||||||||
| align=center bgcolor=#efefef
!Team !Pld !W !D !L !F !A !Aver !Pts !Notes | |||||||||
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Clare | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 73 | 29 | 2.517 | 12 | rowspan=7| |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Tipperary | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 102 | 62 | 1.645 | 10 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Wexford | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 82 | 67 | 1.224 | 6 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Limerick | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 78 | 74 | 1.054 | 6 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Waterford | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 64 | 64 | 1.000 | 6 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Carlow | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 58 | 81 | 0.716 | 2 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"| Kilkenny | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 44 | 124 | 0.355 | 0 |
Knockout stage
=Quarter-finals=
{{football box
|date =23 March 1975
|time =
|team1 = Meath
|score =0-11 –0-6
|team2 = Kerry
|goals1 =
|goals2=
|stadium = Croke Park, Dublin{{Cite web|url=http://www.terracetalk.com/kerry-football/year/1975/League|title=Terrace Talk :: Kerry Football :: 1975 League|website=www.terracetalk.com}}
| attendance =
| referee =
}}
----
{{football box
|date =23 March 1975
|time =
|team1 = Tyrone
|score =1-9 –1-7
|team2 = Monaghan
|goals1 =
|goals2=
|stadium = Croke Park, Dublin"Tyrone earn semi-final with Dublin", Irish Independent, 24/03/1975, p.8
| attendance =
| referee =
}}
----
=Semi-finals=
{{football box
|date =27 April 1975
|time =
|team1 = Meath
|score =4-6 –0-8
|team2 = Mayo
|goals1 =
|goals2=
|stadium = Croke Park, Dublin{{Cite web|url=https://www.mayogaablog.com/?page_id=1189|title=1975}}
| attendance =
| referee =
}}
----
{{football box
|date =4 May 1975
|time =
|team1 = Dublin
|score =3-12 –1-7
|team2 = Tyrone
|goals1 =
|goals2=
|stadium = Croke Park, Dublin"Dublin stroll to National Football League final", Irish Independent, 05/05/1975, p.8
| attendance =22,487
| referee =
}}
=Finals=
{{football box
|date =18 May 1975
Final
|time =
|team1 = Meath
|score =0-16 – 1-9
|team2 = Dublin
|goals1 =
|goals2=
|stadium = Croke Park, Dublin
| attendance = 40,853"For The Record, A History of the National Football and Hurling League Finals", Tom Morrison, Collins Press, 2002, {{ISBN|9781903464151}}
| referee = Harry O'Reilly (Louth)
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{National Football League (Ireland)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:1974-75 National Football League (Ireland)}}