1977–78 National Football League (Ireland)
{{short description|Gaelic football competition}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox GAA League
|league = 1977–78 National Football League
|image =
|dates = October 1977 – 23 April 1978
|teams =
|team1 = Dublin
|captain1 = Tony Hanahoe
|manager1 = Tony Hanahoe
|titles =5th
|team2 = Mayo
|captain2 = John P Keane"For The Record, A History of the National Football and Hurling League Finals", Tom Morrison, Collins Press, 2002, {{ISBN|9781903464151}}
|manager2 = Johnny Carey
|two =
|three =
|four =
|previous = 1976–77
|next = 1978–79
}}
The 1977–78 National Football League was the 47th staging of the National Football League (NFL), an annual Gaelic football tournament for the Gaelic Athletic Association county teams of Ireland.
Dublin beat Mayo in the final.[http://www.gaa.ie/about-the-gaa/gaa-history/final-teams/0/6/0/0/7/ GAA Final Teams][http://mayogaablog.com/?page_id=1175 Mayo Archive 1978]{{Cite web |url=http://dublincitypubliclibraries.com/image/059-dubs-1978 |title=059 Dubs 1978 | a whole new world |access-date=2015-07-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121219233743/http://dublincitypubliclibraries.com/image/059-dubs-1978 |archive-date=2012-12-19 |url-status=dead }}
Format
{{Empty section|date=July 2015}}
Group stage
=Division One (North)=
==Table==
| style=border-collapse:collapse border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5 | ||||||
| align=center bgcolor=#efefef
!Team !Pld !W !D !L !Pts !Notes | ||||||
| align=center style="background:#bbccff;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Mayo.svg {{GG|Mayo|football}} | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 9 | rowspan=2|Qualified for Knockout Stages |
| align=center style="background:#bbccff;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Cavan.svg {{GG|Cavan|football}} | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Roscommon.svg {{GG|Roscommon|football}} | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | rowspan=3| |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Tyrone.svg {{GG|Tyrone|football}} | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Antrim.svg {{GG|Antrim|football}} | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |
| align=center style="background:#F08080"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Derry.svg {{GG|Derry|football}} | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | rowspan=1|Relegated to Division Two of the 1978–79 NFL |
"GAA Results and Tables", Irish Independent, 5 December 1977, p. 11
=Division One (South)=
==Table==
| style=border-collapse:collapse border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5 | ||||||
| align=center bgcolor=#efefef
!Team !Pld !W !D !L !Pts !Notes | ||||||
| align=center style="background:#bbccff;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Dublin.svg {{GG|Dublin|football}} | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 | rowspan=2|Qualified for Knockout Stages |
| align=center style="background:#bbccff;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Kildare.svg {{GG|Kildare|football}} | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Cork.svg {{GG|Cork|football}} | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | rowspan=3| |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Galway.svg {{GG|Galway|football}} | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Kerry.svg {{GG|Kerry|football}} | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | |
| align=center style="background:#F08080"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Offaly.svg {{GG|Offaly|football}} | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | rowspan=1|Relegated to Division Two of the 1978–79 NFL |
=Division Two (North)=
==Group A play-offs==
{{football box collapsible
| date = 22 January 1978
| round = For 1st Place
| team1 = Armagh
| score = 2-9 — 2-7
| team2 = Down
| goals1 =
| goals2 =
| report =
| stadium = Castleblaney
| attendance =
| referee =
}}
{{football box collapsible
| date = 29 January 1978
| round = For 2nd Place
| team1 = Down
| score = 1-11 — 0-5
| team2 = Louth
| goals1 =
| goals2 =
| report =
| stadium = Castleblaney
| attendance =
| referee =
}}
==Group B play-offs==
{{football box collapsible
| date = 22 January 1978
| round = For 1st Place
| team1 = Donegal
| score = 0-13 — 0-10
| team2 = Fermanagh
| goals1 =
| goals2 =
| report =
| stadium = Ballybofey
| attendance =
| referee =
}}
==Inter-group play-offs==
{{football box collapsible
| date = 5 February 1978
| round = Semi-Final
| team1 = Armagh
| score = 2-7 — 0-7
| team2 = Fermanagh
| goals1 =
| goals2 =
| report =
| stadium = Omagh
| attendance =
| referee =
}}
{{football box collapsible
| date = 5 February 1978
| round = Semi-Final
| team1 = Down
| score = 3-9 — 1-6
| team2 = Donegal
| goals1 =
| goals2 =
| report =
| stadium = Dungannon
| attendance =
| referee =
}}
{{football box collapsible
| date = 19 February 1978
| round = Final
| team1 = Down
| score = 2-7 — 1-3
| team2 = Armagh
| goals1 =
| goals2 =
| report =
| stadium = Castleblaney
| attendance =
| referee =
}}
==Group A Table==
| style=border-collapse:collapse border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5 | ||||||
| align=center bgcolor=#efefef
!Team !Pld !W !D !L !Pts !Notes | ||||||
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Armagh.svg {{GG|Armagh|football}} | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | rowspan=1| |
| align=center style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Down.svg {{GG|Down|football}} | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | rowspan=1|Qualified for Knockout Stages; promoted to Division One of the 1978–79 NFL |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Louth.svg {{GG|Louth|football}} | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | rowspan=4| |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Westmeath.svg {{GG|Westmeath|football}} | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Monaghan.svg {{GG|Antrim|football}} | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
==Group B Table==
| style=border-collapse:collapse border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5 | ||||||
| align=center bgcolor=#efefef
!Team !Pld !W !D !L !Pts !Notes | ||||||
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Donegal.svg {{GG|Donegal|football}} | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | rowspan=5| |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Fermanagh.svg {{GG|Fermanagh|football}} | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Leitrim.svg {{GG|Leitrim|football}} | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Sligo.svg {{GG|Sligo|football}} | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Longford.svg {{GG|Longford|football}} | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
=Division Two (South)=
==Group A play-offs==
{{football box collapsible
| date = 22 January 1978
| round = For 1st Place
| team1 = Laois
| score = 4-8 — 1-12
| team2 = Meath
| goals1 = E Whelan 2-1, L Scully 1-2, W Brennan 1-1, B Bohane 0-3, Tom Prendergast 0-1
| goals2 = Mick Fay 0-6, Fergus Fagan 1-1, Cormac Roe 0-2, O O'Brien, P Cromwell, Gerry McEntee 0-1 each
| report =
| stadium = Tullamore
| attendance =
| referee = Johnny Geraghty (Galway)
}}
==Group B play-offs==
==Inter-group play-offs==
{{football box collapsible
| date = 5 February 1978
| round = Semi-Final
| team1 = Wexford
| score = 3-10 — 1-7
| team2 = Meath
| goals1 =
| goals2 =
| report =
| stadium = Newbridge
| attendance =
| referee =
}}
{{football box collapsible
| date = 5 February 1978
| round = Semi-Final
| team1 = Laois
| score = 4-16 — 1-7
| team2 = Wicklow
| goals1 = Tom Prendergast 3-5, W Brennan 1-4, S Allen 0-3, E Whelan 0-2, B Bohane, F Hennessy 0-1 each
| goals2 =
| report =
| stadium = Athy
| attendance =
| referee = Martin Meally (Kilkenny)
}}
{{football box collapsible
| date = 5 March 1978
| round = Final
| team1 = Laois
| score = 1-12 — 1-6
| team2 = Wexford
| goals1 = Tom Prendergast 1-2, Billy Bohane 0-5, Willie Brennan, Colm Browne 0-2 each, Liam Scully 0-1
| goals2 =
| report =
| stadium = Carlow
| attendance = 12,000
| referee = Denis Guerin (Dublin)
}}
==Group A Table==
| style=border-collapse:collapse border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5 | ||||||
| align=center bgcolor=#efefef
!Team !Pld !W !D !L !Pts !Notes | ||||||
| align=center style="background:#D0F0C0;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Laois.svg {{GG|Laois|football}} | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | rowspan=1|Qualified for Knockout Stages; promoted to Division One of the 1978–79 NFL |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Meath.svg {{GG|Meath|football}} | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | rowspan=4| |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Tipperary.svg {{GG|Tipperary|football}} | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Clare.svg {{GG|Clare|football}} | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Limerick.svg {{GG|Limerick|football}} | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
==Group B Table==
| style=border-collapse:collapse border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=5 | ||||||
| align=center bgcolor=#efefef
!Team !Pld !W !D !L !Pts !Notes | ||||||
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Wexford.svg {{GG|Wexford|football}} | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | rowspan=5| |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Carlow.svg {{GG|Carlow|football}} | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 6 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Wicklow.svg {{GG|Wicklow|football}} | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Waterford.svg {{GG|Waterford|football}} | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | |
| align=center style="background:#FFFFFF;"
|style="text-align:left;"|File:Colours of Kilkenny.svg {{GG|Kilkenny|football}} | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
Knockout stage
=Quarter-finals=
{{football box
|date =17 March 1978
|time =
|team1 = Laois
|score =4-9 – 2-10
|team2 =Cavan
|goals1 = Tom Prendergast 2-1 Willie Brennan 0-5, Mick Moore 1-1, Stevie Allen 1-0, John Costello. Eamonn Whelan 0-1 each
|goals2=
|stadium = Croke Park, Dublin
| attendance = 20,000
| referee = P Gorman (Sligo)
}}
----
{{football box
|date =17 March 1978
|time =
|team1 = Down
|score =D – D
|team2 =Kildare
|goals1 =
|goals2=
|stadium = Croke Park, Dublin
| attendance =
| referee =
}}
----
{{football box
|date =26 March 1978
Replay
|time =
|team1 = Down
|score =1-15 – 1-11
a.e.t.
|team2 =Kildare
|goals1 =
|goals2=
|stadium = Croke Park, Dublin
| attendance =
| referee =
}}
=Semi-finals=
{{football box
|date =2 April 1978
|time =
|team1 = Dublin
|score =0-12 – 0-7
|team2 =Laois
|goals1 = Bobby Doyle 0-3, Brian Mullins, Anton O'Toole 0-2 each, Tommy Drumm, Bernard Brogan, David Hickey, Fran Ryder, Pat O'Neill 0-1 each
|goals2= W Brennan 0-3, L Scully, S Allen, B Bohane, T Prendergast 0-1 each
|stadium = Croke Park, Dublin
| attendance = 20,000
| referee = Seamus Murray (Monaghan)
}}
----
{{football box
|date =9 April 1978
|time =
|team1 = Down
|score =0-8 – 0-10
|team2 =Mayo
|goals1 =
|goals2=
|stadium = Croke Park, Dublin
| attendance =
| referee =
}}
=Final=
{{football box
|date =23 April 1978
|time =
|team1 = Dublin
|score =2-18 – 2-13
|team2 =Mayo
|goals1 =
|goals2=
|stadium = Croke Park, Dublin
| attendance = 39,623"For The Record, A History of the National Football and Hurling League Finals", Tom Morrison, Collins Press, 2002, {{ISBN|9781903464151}}
| referee = Jimmy Dennigan (Cork)"For The Record, A History of the National Football and Hurling League Finals", Tom Morrison, Collins Press, 2002, {{ISBN|9781903464151}}
}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{National Football League (Ireland)}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:1977-78 National Football League (Ireland)}}