1986–87 National Football League (Ireland)

Gaelic football competition

1986–87 National Football League
League details
Dates	October 1986 – 26 April 1987
League champions
Winners	Dublin (6th win)
Captain	Barney Rock
Manager	Gerry McCaul
League runners-up
Runners-up	Kerry
Captain	Mikey Sheehy
Manager	Mick O'Dwyer
← 1985–86 1987–88 →

The 1986–87 National Football League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Ford National Football League, was the 56th staging of the National Football League (NFL), an annual Gaelic football tournament for the Gaelic Athletic Association county teams of Ireland.

The quarter-final rounds were notable for the Dublin–Cork tie. After the game ended in a draw, Cork refused to play extra time and Dublin took the field unopposed, Barney Rock scoring a goal into an empty net before the referee awarded them victory (later chosen as one of the Top 20 GAA Moments). The Dubs went on to defeat Kerry in the final.

Format

Divisions

Division One: 8 teams
Division Two: 8 teams
Division Three: 16 teams. Split into two regional groups of 8 (North and South)

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: top 4 teams
Division Two: top 2 teams
Division Three (North): group winners
Division Three (South): group winners

Knockout phase structure

In the quarter-finals, the match-ups were as follows:

Quarter-final 1: First-placed team in Division One v First-placed team in Division Three (South)
Quarter-final 2: Second-placed team in Division One v First-placed team in Division Three (North)
Quarter-final 3: Third-placed team in Division One v Second-placed team in Division Two
Quarter-final 4: Fourth-placed team in Division One v First-placed team in Division Two

The semi-final match-ups are:

Semi-final 1: Winner Quarter-final 1 v Winner Quarter-final 4
Semi-final 2: Winner Quarter-final 2 v Winner Quarter-final 3

The final match-up is: Winner Semi-final 1 v Winner Semi-final 2.

Promotion and relegation

Division One: bottom 2 teams demoted to Division Two
Division Two: top 2 teams promoted to Division One. Bottom 2 teams demoted to Division Three.
Division Three (North): group winners promoted to Division Two.
Division Three (South): group winners promoted to Division Two.

Separation of teams on equal points

In the event that teams finish on equal points, then a play-off will be used to determine group placings if necessary, i.e. where to decide relegation places or quarter-finalists.

League Phase Tables and Results

Division One

Play-Off

Armagh v Roscommon

5 April 1987 For 6th Place

Armagh

2-8 — 0-11

Roscommon

Breffni Park, Cavan

Table

Team	Pld	W	D	L	Pts	Status
Kerry	7	5	0	2	10	Advance to knockout stage
Meath	7	4	1	2	9
Monaghan	7	4	1	2	9
Dublin	7	4	0	3	8
Mayo	7	3	0	4	6
Armagh	7	2	1	4	5
Roscommon	7	2	1	4	5	Relegated to Division Two of the 1987–88 NFL
Down	7	2	0	5	4	Relegated to Division Two of the 1987–88 NFL

Division Two

Team	Pld	W	D	L	Pts	Status
Cork	7	6	0	1	12	Promoted to Division One of the 1987–88 NFL and advance to knockout stage
Derry	7	5	0	2	10
Donegal	7	3	2	2	8
Kildare	7	4	0	3	8
Laois	7	3	0	4	6
Cavan	7	2	1	4	5
Longford	7	2	0	5	4	Relegated to Division Three of the 1987–88 NFL
Tyrone	7	1	1	5	3	Relegated to Division Three of the 1987–88 NFL

Division Three

Division Three (North) table

Team	Pld	W	D	L	Pts	Status
Galway	7	7	0	0	14	Promoted to Division Two of the 1987–88 NFL and advance to knockout stage
Antrim	7	4	1	2	9
Offaly	7	3	1	3	7
Louth	7	3	1	3	7
Westmeath	7	2	2	3	6
Sligo	7	2	1	4	5
Leitrim	7	2	1	4	5
Fermanagh	7	1	1	5	3

Division Three (South) table

Team	Pld	W	D	L	Pts	Status
Clare	7	6	0	1	12	Promoted to Division Two of the 1987–88 NFL and advance to knockout stage
Tipperary	7	4	1	2	9
Limerick	7	4	1	2	9
Waterford	7	3	1	3	7
Wicklow	7	3	1	3	7
Wexford	7	3	1	3	7
Carlow	7	2	1	4	5
Kilkenny	7	0	0	7	0

Knockout stages

Quarter-finals

5 April 1987

Dublin	0-10 – 1-7	Cork
	Report

Croke Park, DublinReferee: Michael Greenan

Cork refused to play extra time and so Dublin were awarded the game.

5 April 1987

Monaghan	1-7 – 0-5	Derry

Omagh

5 April 1987

Kerry	1-10 – 0-10	Clare

Ennis

12 April 1987

Galway	1-8 – 0-9	Meath

Portlaoise

Semi-finals

12 April 1987

Kerry	2-11 – 2-9	Monaghan

Croke Park, DublinReferee:

19 April 1987

Dublin	1-8 – 0-8	Galway

PortlaoiseAttendance: 15,800Referee: J.J. Landers (Waterford)

Final

26 April 1987
Final

Dublin	1-11 – 0-11	Kerry

Croke Park, Dublin

References

GAA Final Teams Archived 2015-07-17 at the Wayback Machine
"Terrace Talk :: Kerry Football :: :: 1987 League :: Final :: Kerry Vs Dublin". www.terracetalk.com.
"GAA Archive 1987".
"National football League Final 26/4/1987 | Inpho Photography". inpho.ie.
"Early goals clinch it for Armagh", Irish Independent, 06/04/1987, p. 15
^ "Your Gaelic Games Scoreboard", Irish Independent, 09/03/1987, p. 10
"Your Gaelic Games Scoreboard", Irish Independent, 06/04/1987, p. 15
"Terrace Talk :: Kerry Football :: 1987 League". www.terracetalk.com.
"Unimpressive Dubs earn tilt at Kerry", Irish Independent, 20/04/1987, p. 10

External links

Cork Head For The Train: Dublin In semi final 1987 RTÉ archive footage of the "farcical end" to the Dublin–Cork semifinal

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