1972–73 National Hurling League

1972–73 National Hurling League

League details
Dates	8 October 1972 – 13 May 1973
League champions
Winners	Wexford (4th win)
Captain	John Quigley
League runners-up
Runners-up	Limerick
← 1971–72 1973–74 →

The 1972–73 National Hurling League was the 42nd season of the National Hurling League (NHL), an annual hurling competition for the GAA county teams.

Overview

Division 1

The National Hurling League's top division featured sixteen teams divided into two groups - 1A and 1B. Each group consisted of eight teams. After a relatively successful run through the group stages, having won five of their seven games, Wexford won their third league title ever, their first since 1958. Limerick, who were league runners-up, actually finished above Wexford in the group stage, however, they lost the final for the second year in succession.

Down at the other end of the tables, Offaly lost all seven of their group stage games and were relegated to Division 1B. They swapped places with Waterford who, having enjoyed an unbeaten run in the group stage, topped Division 1B and gained promotion to the top eight in Division 1A for the following season. Kerry lost six of their group stage games, recording just a single victory, and finished bottom of Division 1B, however, they were not relegated to Division 2 as there was no promotion or relegation between these two separate divisions.

Division 1

Table 1A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	Diff	Pts	Notes
1	Kilkenny	7	6	0	1	+26	12
2	Tipperary	7	4	2	1	+33	10
3	Limerick	7	4	2	1	+32	10	Division 1 runners-up
4	Wexford	7	5	0	2	+23	10	Division 1 champions
5	Clare	7	3	2	2	+39	8
6	Cork	7	2	0	5	-3	4
7	Galway	7	1	0	6	-70	2
8	Offaly	7	0	0	7	-30	0	Relegated to Division 1B

Table 1B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	Diff	Pts	Notes
1	Waterford	7	6	1	0	+54	13	Promoted to Division 1A
2	Kildare	7	4	1	2	+21	9
3	Dublin	7	4	1	2	+10	9
4	Antrim	7	4	0	3	-2	8
5	Laois	7	3	1	3	+43	7
6	Westmeath	7	2	0	5	-41	4
7	Wicklow	7	2	0	5	-33	4
8	Kerry	7	1	0	6	-44	2

Results

Knock-out stage

Wexford v Waterford

8 April 1973 Quarter-final	Wexford	1-9 - 1-9	Waterford	Nowlan Park, Kilkenny
	T Byrne (0-5), S Kinsella (1-0), J Berry (0-3), P Wilson (0-1).		A Heffernan (0-7), S Greene (1-0), T Doyle (0-1), M Hickey (0-1).	Referee: F Murphy (Cork)

Kildare v Tipperary

8 April 1973 Quarter-final	Kildare	2-9 - 5-18	Tipperary	St. Conleth's Park, Newbridge
	J Walsh (1-5), J O'Leary (1-1), M Geely (0-2), M Dwane (0-1).		R Ryan (4-0), F Loughnane (0-7), J Ryan (1-2), P Byrne (0-3), N O'Dwyer (0-3), J Flanagan (0-3).

Wexford v Waterford

15 April 1973 Quarter-final replay	Wexford	2-16 - 4-7	Waterford	Nowlan Park, Kilkenny
	T Byrne (0-9), T Doran (1-1), J Berry (1-0), W Murphy (0-2), J Quigley (0-1), C Kehoe (0-1), P Wilson (0-1), M Quigley (0-1).		S Greene (2-0), A Heffernan (0-5), T Doyle (1-0), M Hickey (1-0), M Whelan (0-1), S Hannon (0-1).	Referee: F Murphy (Cork)

Limerick v Tipperary

15 April 1973 Semi-final	Limerick	2-11 - 2-11	Tipperary	Nowlan Park, Kilkenny
	R Bennis (0-8), L O'Donoghue (2-1), F Nolan (0-1), É Cregan (0-1).		F Loughnane (0-8), J Flanagan (1-1), R Ryan (1-0), L Gaynor (0-2).	Attendance: 15,000 Referee: N Dalton (Waterford)

Limerick v Tipperary

29 April 1973 Semi-final replay	Limerick	5-10 - 3-14 (aet)	Tipperary	St. Brendan's Park, Birr
	F Nolan (3-1), R Bennet (0-8), L Donoghue (1-0), É Cregan (1-0), W Moore (0-1).		F Loughnane (2-8), J Ryan (1-2), J Flanagan (0-2), D Ryan (0-1), R Ryan (0-1).	Referee: M Spain (Offaly)

Wexford v Kilkenny

29 April 1973 Semi-final	Wexford	2-10 - 2-9	Kilkenny	Walsh Park, Waterford
	T Bynre (1-5), T Doran (1-1), M Quigley (0-2), D Bernie (0-1), P Wilson (0-1).		E Keher (1-6), M Brennan (1-0), K Purcell (0-2), S Cooke (0-1).	Referee: N Dalton (Waterford)

Wexford v Limerick

13 May 1973 Final	Wexford	4-13 - 3-7	Limerick	Croke Park, Dublin