1963–64 National Football League (Ireland)

The 1963–64 National Football League was the 33rd staging of the National Football League (NFL), an annual Gaelic football tournament for the Gaelic Athletic Association county teams of Ireland.

1963–64 National Football League

League details
Dates	October 1963 – 18 October 1964
League champions
Winners	New York (2nd win)
Captain	Tom Hennessy
League runners-up
Runners-up	Dublin
Captain	Mickey Whelan
← 1962–63 1963–64 →

New York again got a bye to the final. Dublin met them after a win over Down in the Home Final, and travelled to The Bronx for the final, also billed as the "World Championship". A Brendan O'Donnell goal after half-time allowed NY to build up a seven-point lead, which a Dublin rally reduced to one point. Late in the game, players brawled on the field and were joined by a spectator, who received a black eye. New York captain Tom Hennessy scored a late point to seal victory.^[1][2]

Format

Divisions

• Division I: 8 team. Split into two groups (one of five, one of four)
• Division II: 7 teams
• Division III: 7 teams.
• Division III: 9 teams. Split into two groups (one of five, one of four)

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.

Division I also doubled as the Dr Lagan Cup

Knockout stage qualifiers

• Division I: winners
• Division II: winners
• Division III: winners
• Division IV: winners

Knockout phase structure

4 Division winners play Semi-finals

Promotion and relegation

None

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 semi-finalists.

Group stage

Division I (Dr Lagan Cup)

Inter-group play-offs

Down v Derry

1 March 1964 Semi-final

Down

3-14 — 0-8

Derry

Casement Park, Belfast[3]

Antrim v Fermanagh

8 March 1964 Semi-final

Antrim

3-7 — 1-7

Fermanagh

Clones[4]

Down v Antrim

15 March 1964 Final

Down

0-12 — 1-7

Antrim

Dungannon[5]

Group A Team Pld W D L Pts Status Fermanagh 3 3 0 0 6 Derry 3 2 0 1 4 Armagh 3 0 1 2 1 Donegal 3 0 1 2 1

Group B Team Pld W D L Pts Status Down 3 3 0 0 6 Win Dr Lagan Cup; advance to Knockout Stage Antrim 3 2 0 1 4 Tyrone 3 1 0 2 2 Monaghan 3 0 0 3 0 [6]

Division II

Team	Pld	W	D	L	Pts	Status
Cavan	6	5	0	1	10	Qualified for knockout stage
Meath	6	4	0	2	8
Mayo	6	4	0	2	8
Sligo	6	3	0	3	6
Longford	6	3	0	3	6
Leitrim	6	1	0	5	2
Westmeath	6	1	0	5	2

^[7]

Division III

Team	Pld	W	D	L	Pts	Status
Dublin	6	5	0	1	10	Qualified for knockout stage
Galway	6	4	1	1	9
Roscommon	6	3	0	3	6
Offaly	6	3	0	3	6
Wicklow	6	2	1	3	5
Louth	6	2	1	3	5
Laois	6	0	1	5	1

^[8]

Division IV

Inter-group play-offs

Kerry v Waterford

8 March 1964 Final

Kerry

1-21 — 2-6

Waterford

Clonmel[9]

Group A Team Pld W D L Pts Status Kerry 4 4 0 0 8 Advance to Knockout stage Kildare 4 2 1 1 5 Cork 4 2 0 2 4 Wexford 4 1 0 3 2 Carlow 4 0 1 3 1 [10]

Group B Team Pld W D L Pts Status Waterford 3 3 0 0 6 Tipperary 3 1 1 1 3 Limerick 3 1 1 1 3 Clare 3 0 1 2 1

Knockout stages

Semi-finals

5 April 1964

Down	1-8 – 0-7	Cavan

Croke Park, Dublin^[11]

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12 April 1964

Dublin	0-10 – 0-9	Kerry

Croke Park, Dublin^[12]

Finals

1964
Home Final

Dublin	2-9 – 0-7	Down

Croke Park, Dublin

Attendance: 70,125

Referee: John Dowling (Offaly)^[13]

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18 October 1964
Final

New York	2-12 – 1-13	Dublin
J Foley 1-3; B. O’Donnell 1-1; J. Foley, P. Casey 0-3 each; P. Cummins, T. Hennessey 0-2 each; E. McGuinness 0-1	Report	Mickey Whelan 1-3; B McDonald 0-5; Ferguson, Davey, Fox, Timmons, Casey 0-1 each

Gaelic Park, New York City

Attendance: 12,000

Referee: Patsy Geraghty (Galway)^[14]