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2025 National Football League (Ireland)

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2025 National Football League
League details
Dates25 January – 30 March, 2025
Teams32
League champions
WinnersKerry (24th win)
CaptainGavin White
ManagerJack O'Connor
League runners-up
Runners-upMayo
CaptainStephen Coen
ManagerKevin McStay
Other division winners
Division 2Monaghan
Division 3Offaly
Division 4Limerick
← 2024
2026 →
The new scoring system in Gaelic football — when the ball is kicked over the crossbar from outside the 20 m (22 yd) line and outside a 40 m (44 yd) arc, 2 points are scored.

The 2025 National Football League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Allianz Football League, was the 94th staging of the National Football League (NFL), an annual Gaelic football tournament for county teams. Thirty-one county teams from Ireland, plus London, compete; New York do not participate in the National League, though they take part in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. Kilkenny do not compete in senior football.[1][2][3]

This was the first inter-county competition to feature the new Football Review Committee (FRC) rule changes adopted in 2024, including the two-point shot for scoring outside the 40-metre arc.[4]

Kerry were the winners, becoming the first team to win the Corn Mhichíl Uí Mhuircheartaigh, named for Mícheál Ó Muircheartaigh.[5]

Format

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Map showing the leagues in which each county participated

League structure

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Teams by province and division
Province Division 1 Division 2 Division 3 Division 4 Total
Connacht 2 1 2 0 5
Leinster 1 3 3 4 11
Munster 1 1 1 3 6
Ulster 4 3 2 0 9
England 0 0 0 1 1
Total 8 8 8 8 32

The 2025 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, one point is awarded for a draw and none are awarded for a loss.

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.

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 and play in the respective divisional finals, while the bottom two teams of divisions 1, 2 and 3 are relegated.

Tiebreakers for league ranking

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As per the Official GAA Guide - Part 1 - Section 6.21:[6]

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 walkover, 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

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Locations of the 2025 NFL Division 1 teams

Table

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Mayo 7 4 1 2 133 134 −1 9 Advance to NFL Final
2 Kerry[a] 7 4 0 3 170 151 +19 8
3 Galway[a] 7 3 2 2 143 134 +9 8
4 Donegal[a] 7 4 0 3 141 139 +2 8
5 Dublin[a] 7 4 0 3 143 142 +1 8
6 Armagh[b] 7 3 1 3 144 137 +7 7
7 Tyrone[b] 7 3 1 3 138 131 +7 7 Relegation to 2026 NFL Division 2
8 Derry 7 0 1 6 136 180 −44 1
Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. ^ a b c d Ranked by score difference
  2. ^ a b Armagh are ranked ahead of Tyrone as they won the head-to-head game between the teams.[7]


Final

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30 March 2025
16:00 IST (UTC+1)
NFL Final
Kerry 1-18 Mayo (21) – (15) 1-12 Mayo
Gls: P. Geaney 1
Pts: D. Clifford 8 (4fs), P. Clifford 3 (2 '45'), P. Geaney 2 (1f), J. O’Connor 2, B.D. O’Sullivan 1, T. Brosnan 1, C. Geaney 1		 Gls: E. McLaughlin 1
Pts: R. O’Donoghue 5 (1x2pt, 2fs), A. O’Shea 3, F. Irwin 1, J. Carney 1, J. Flynn 1, P. Towey 1

Division 2

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Table

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Monaghan 7 5 0 2 193 161 +32 10 Advance to NFL Division 2 Final and
promotion to 2026 NFL Division 1
2 Roscommon 7 4 1 2 161 142 +19 9
3 Meath 7 4 0 3 162 157 +5 8
4 Cavan 7 4 0 3 153 159 −6 8
5 Cork 7 4 0 3 151 158 −7 8
6 Louth[a] 7 3 0 4 143 157 −14 6
7 Down[a] 7 3 0 4 138 149 −11 6 Relegation to 2026 NFL Division 3
8 Westmeath 7 0 1 6 162 181 −19 1
Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. ^ a b Louth are ranked ahead of Down as they won the head-to-head game between the teams.[8]


Final

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29 March 2025
19:15 IWT (UTC±0)
Monaghan 1-26 (29) – (19) 0-19 Roscommon
(HT: 0-11 – 0-12)
Gls: Jack McCarron 1
Pts: Rory Beggan 7 (3x2pf, 1 45), Micheal Bannigan 5 (1tp), Andrew Woods 3 (1f), Jack McCarron 2, Dessie Ward 2(tp), Conor McCarthy 2(tp), Ryan McAnespie 1, Ryan Wylie 1, Stephen O'Hanlon 1, Ciaran McNulty 1, Gary Mohan 1
Pts: Diarmuid Murtagh 8 (4f, 1x2tp), Ciarain Murtagh 2fs, Cian McKeon 2, Enda Smith 2, Ben O'Carroll 1, Conor Carroll 1 (45), Eddie Nolan 1, Ruaidhrí Fallon 1, Donie Smith 1
Croke Park, Dublin
Referee: Barry Tiernan (Dublin)
Attendance: 11,450

Division 3

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Table

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Kildare[a] 7 5 0 2 162 103 +59 10 Advance to NFL Division 3 Final and
promotion to 2026 NFL Division 2
2 Offaly[a] 7 5 0 2 145 113 +32 10
3 Clare[a] 7 5 0 2 138 117 +21 10
4 Fermanagh 7 4 1 2 111 124 −13 9
5 Sligo 7 3 1 3 136 129 +7 7
6 Laois 7 3 0 4 146 137 +9 6
7 Antrim 7 2 0 5 132 148 −16 4 Relegation to 2026 NFL Division 4
8 Leitrim 7 0 0 7 59 158 −99 0
Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers
Notes:
  1. ^ a b c Ranked by score difference


Matches

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On 15 March, one day before it was scheduled to be played in Ballinamore, Leitrim forfeited its Round 6 fixture against Fermanagh due to not having a full team available.[9][10]

Final

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30 March 2025
13:45 IST (UTC+1)
Kildare 1-18 (21) – (23) 2-17 Offaly
(HT: 0-10 – 1-10)
Croke Park, Dublin
Referee: Kieran Eannetta

Division 4

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Table

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Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts Qualification
1 Wexford 7 7 0 0 148 85 +63 14 Advance to NFL Division 4 Final and
promotion to 2026 NFL Division 3
2 Limerick 7 4 2 1 157 120 +37 10
3 Wicklow 7 4 1 2 149 133 +16 9
4 Carlow 7 3 1 3 129 127 +2 7
5 Tipperary 7 2 1 4 119 132 −13 5
6 Longford 7 2 1 4 111 141 −30 5
7 London 7 2 0 5 117 146 −29 4
8 Waterford 7 1 0 6 111 157 −46 2
Source: GAA.ie
Rules for classification: Tiebreakers


Final

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29 March 2025
17:00 IWT (UTC±0)
Wexford 0-18 (18) – (20) 3-11 Limerick
(HT: 0-6 – 1-5)
Croke Park, Dublin
Referee: Seamus Mulhare
Attendance: 11,450

Incidents

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Live on television,[11] in the National League meeting of Armagh and Donegal at MacCumhaill Park, Armagh's 2024 All-Ireland SFC-winning captain Aidan Forker headbutted Michael Murphy in the 44th minute.[12] This was within moments of Murphy's reintroduction (as a substitute) to inter-county football, and referee Sean Hurson sent Forker off.[13][14][15] Forker's headbutt of Michael Murphy was widely compared to Zinedine Zidane's headbutt during the 2006 FIFA World Cup final, though — unlike Zidane's opponent — Murphy stood firm and did not even move.[16][17][18]

References

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  1. ^ "Allianz Football League round seven". The Irish News. 22 March 2024.
  2. ^ Rooney, Declan (3 March 2024). "Promoted Armagh continue remarkable start to life in the top flight with fifth win".
  3. ^ Nolan, Pat (25 March 2024). "Five talking points as Limerick fall, Tyrone implode and Wexford squeezed out". Irish Mirror.
  4. ^ Fogarty, John (25 November 2024). "Growing number of counties insist FRC rule changes be restricted to inter-county only in 2025". Irish Examiner.
  5. ^ "Kerry 1-18 Mayo 1-12 FT: The Kingdom win the NFL Division One final". The Irish Times.
  6. ^ "GAA Official Guide - Part 1" (PDF). gaa.ie. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Allianz FL D1: Armagh defeat Tyrone". www.gaa.ie. 1 February 2025.
  8. ^ "Allianz FL D2: Louth edge out Down". www.gaa.ie. 23 February 2025.
  9. ^ "Lack of available players sees Leitrim concede walkover to Fermanagh". Hogan Stand. 15 March 2025.
  10. ^ "PRESS RELEASE – Allianz League Roinn 3 Rd 6 – Leitrim v Fermanagh – FIXTURE UPDATE". 15 March 2025.
  11. ^ "Murphy díreach ar an bpáirc agus tionchar ollmhór déanta aige cheana féin: Aidan Forker is shown a red and Armagh are down to 14". TG4. 16 February 2025.
  12. ^ "Forker red card 'a moment of madness', says Staunton". Hogan Stand. 18 February 2025.
  13. ^ Bell Curran, Joshua (16 February 2025). "Forker Receives Ridiculous Red Card Moments Into Michael Murphy's Return". Balls.ie.
  14. ^ "We let our discipline go — McGeeney". Hogan Stand. 17 February 2025.
  15. ^ "Forker headbutt on Murphy 'didn't look good' — McConville". BBC. 17 February 2024.
  16. ^ "Indo Sport podcast: Bits & Bobs — Forker's Zidane moment, McIlroy's 'ice age' putter, Ulster's Italian collapse". Independent.ie. 17 February 2024.
  17. ^ Healy, Martin (17 February 2024). "Armagh star labelled 'stupid' by county legend for bizarre red card against Donegal".
  18. ^ "Murphy dominates script after Forker loses his head". The Herald. 17 February 2025.
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