1965–66 National Football League (Ireland)

The 1965–66 National Football League was the 35th staging of the National Football League (NFL), an annual Gaelic football tournament for the Gaelic Athletic Association county teams of Ireland.

1964–65 National Football League
League details
DatesOctober 1965 – 16 October 1966
League champions
WinnersLongford (1st win)
CaptainBrendan Barden
ManagerMick Higgins
League runners-up
Runners-upNew York
CaptainPaddy Cummins

Longford won their first and (so far) only NFL title with wins over Galway in the "home" final and New York in the two-legged "World Championship." Longford had the first leg at Pearse Park and won easily. After the second leg, an angry crowd chased the New York team off the field due to their (perceived) rough play.[1][2][3][4][5]

Format

Divisions
  • Division I: 8 team. Split into two groups of four
  • Division II: 8 teams. Split into two groups of four
  • Division III: 8 teams. Split into two groups of four
  • Division IV: 8 teams. Split into two groups of four

Group stages

Group B play-off
28 November 1965 For 1st Place Donegal 2-9 — 1-8 Fermanagh Ballybofey[6]
Referee: D Donnelly (Tyrone)

Inter-group play-offs
20 February 1966 Semi-final Donegal 4-11 — 0-10 Antrim Ballybay[7]
Referee: J Martin (Tyrone)
6 March 1966 Semi-final Down 2-17 — 1-7 Fermanagh Ballybay[8]
Referee: F Tierney (Cavan)
13 March 1966 Final Donegal 1-10 — 1-3 Down Dungannon[9]

Inter-group play-offs
13 February 1966 Semi-final Cavan 1-11 — 1-6 Kerry Croke Park[11]
Referee: P Kelly (Dublin)
13 February 1966 Semi-final Longford 1-7 — 0-8 Meath Croke Park[12]
Referee: J Martin (Tyrone)
6 March 1966 Final Longford 0-11 — 0-7 Cavan Carrick-on-Shannon[13]
Referee: M Loftus (Mayo)

Inter-group play-offs
6 March 1966 Semi-final Dublin 1-16 — 1-2 Waterford Croke Park[15]
Referee: J Hatton (Wicklow)
6 March 1966 Semi-final Kildare 3-12 — 2-5 Carlow Croke Park[16]
Referee: J Shannon (Dublin)
13 March 1966 Final Kildare 0-10 — 0-7 Dublin Croke Park[17]
Referee: E Moules (Wicklow)

Tables

Group B play-off
23 January 1966 For 2nd Place Offaly 3-3 — 0-6 Tipperary Templemore[19]
Referee: Seamus Garvey (Kerry)
6 February 1966 For 1st Place Roscommon 1-9 — 1-7 Offaly Ballinasloe[20]
Referee: J Martin (Tyrone)

Inter-group play-offs
20 February 1966 Semi-final Mayo 3-11 — 2-10 Roscommon Tuam[21]
Referee: M Mahon (Fermanagh)
20 February 1966 Semi-final Galway 0-11 — 0-7 Offaly Tuam[22]
Referee: E Moules (Wicklow)
6 March 1966 Final Galway 2-6 — 0-7 Mayo Tuam[23]
Referee: J Martin (Tyrone)

Knockout stages

Semi-finals
Galway2-12 – 0-6Kildare
Attendance: 14,350[25]
Referee: Jimmy Martin (Tyrone)
Longford0-13 – 0-11Donegal
Bobby Burns 0-6; Jackie Devine 0-3; Mick Hopkins, Jimmy Hanniffy, Mick Burns, Seán Murray 0-1 each Mickey McLoone 0-8; P McShea 0-2; J Hannigan 0-1
Attendance: 22,845[26]
Referee: M Loftus (Mayo)

Home Final
Galway0-8 – 0-9Longford
Bobby Burns 0-8; Seán Murray 0-1
Attendance: 45,317[27]
Referee: Jimmy Martin (Tyrone)[28]

Final
Longford1-9 – 0-7New York
Attendance: 8,000[29]
Referee: J Nolan (New York and Offaly)
New York0-10 – 0-9Longford
Referee: J Nolan (New York and Offaly)

Longford win 21–17 on aggregate.

References
  1. GAA Final Teams
  2. GAA Archives
  3. IRISH FANS VENT IRE ON NEW YORK TEAM - New York Times
  4. Longford GAA history
  5. The GAA: An Oral History, chapter 4, John Scally.
  6. "Donegal lucky!", Irish Press, 29 November 1965, p. 17
  7. "Donegal advance", Irish Independent, 21 February 1966, p. 13
  8. "Down score big win at Ballybay ", Irish Independent, 7 March 1966, p. 16
  9. "Donegal win an unsavoury game", Irish Independent, 14 March 1966, p. 12
  10. "National League Positions" Irish Press, 16 November 1965, p. 10
  11. "Cavan, Longford qualify", Irish Independent, 14 February 1966, p. 15
  12. "Cavan, Longford qualify", Irish Independent, 14 February 1966, p. 15
  13. "Cavan, Longford qualify", Irish Independent, 7 March 1966, p. 15
  14. "National League Positions" Irish Press, 16 November 1965, p. 10
  15. "Dublin's victory proves nothing", Irish Independent, 7 March 1966, p. 15
  16. "Kildare fully extended by lively Carlow side", Irish Independent, 7 March 1966, p. 15
  17. "Kildare return to the front ranks", Irish Independent, 14 March 1966, p. 13
  18. "National League Positions" Irish Press, 16 November 1965, p. 10
  19. "Scenes mar Offaly win", Irish Press, 24 January 1966, p. 11
  20. "Roscommon pip Offaly", Irish Press, 7 February 1966, p. 13
  21. "Mayo's late burst was decisive", Irish Independent, 21 February 1966, p. 13
  22. "Champions triumph in 'needle' tie ", Irish Independent, 21 February 1966, p. 13
  23. "Mayo forget red is for danger", Irish Independent, 7 March 1966, p. 15
  24. "National League Positions" Irish Press, 16 November 1965, p. 10
  25. "Galway in top form", Irish Independent, 4 April 1966, p. 13
  26. "Longford March on", Irish Independent, 4 April 1966, p. 13
  27. "For The Record, A History of the National Football and Hurling League Finals", Tom Morrison, Collins Press, 2002, ISBN 9781903464151
  28. "For The Record, A History of the National Football and Hurling League Finals", Tom Morrison, Collins Press, 2002, ISBN 9781903464151
  29. "Longford 5 points up", Irish Independent, 3 October 1966, p. 10
  30. "Lost by a point - but won by four", Irish Press, 10 October 1966, p. 16
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