- Division One: 16 teams. Split into two groups of 8.
- Division Two: 16 teams. Split into two groups of 8.
Each team played every other team in its division (or group where the division is split) once, either home or away.
2 points were awarded for a win and 1 for a draw.
Knockout stage structure
edit
In the Semi-Finals, the match-ups were as follows:
- Quarter-final 1: First-placed team in Division One (A) v Second-placed team in Division One (B)
- Quarter-final 2: Second-placed team in Division One (A) v First-placed team in Division One (B)
The final match-up is: Winner Semi-final 1 v Winner Semi-final 2.
Separation of teams on equal points
edit
In the event that teams finish on equal points, then teams were separated according to points average(goals scored divided by goals conceded).[6]
Team
|
Pld
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
F
|
A
|
Aver
|
Pts
|
Notes
|
Offaly
|
7 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
116 |
65 |
1.785 |
14 |
Qualify for Knockout Stage
|
Kerry
|
7 |
5 |
0 |
2 |
114 |
80 |
1.425 |
10
|
Dublin
|
7 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
82 |
73 |
1.123 |
8 |
|
Cork
|
7 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
73 |
74 |
0.986 |
7
|
Galway
|
7 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
91 |
80 |
1.138 |
6
|
Kildare
|
7 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
85 |
107 |
0.794 |
5
|
Waterford
|
7 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
51 |
95 |
0.537 |
4 |
Relegated to Division Two of the 1972–73 NFL
|
Tipperary
|
7 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
59 |
97 |
0.608 |
2
|
|
Team
|
Pld
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
F
|
A
|
Aver
|
Pts
|
Notes
|
Derry
|
7 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
108 |
53 |
2.038 |
14 |
Qualify for Knockout Stage
|
Mayo
|
7 |
5 |
0 |
2 |
87 |
83 |
1.048 |
10
|
Sligo
|
7 |
4 |
0 |
3 |
75 |
79 |
0.949 |
8 |
|
Laois
|
7 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
78 |
83 |
0.940 |
7
|
Meath
|
7 |
3 |
0 |
4 |
80 |
83 |
0.964 |
6
|
Fermanagh
|
7 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
88 |
96 |
0.917 |
5
|
Antrim
|
7 |
2 |
0 |
5 |
74 |
93 |
0.796 |
4 |
Relegated to Division Two of the 1972–73 NFL
|
Down
|
7 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
71 |
91 |
0.780 |
2
|
|
|
Team
|
Pld
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
F
|
A
|
Aver
|
Pts
|
Notes
|
Longford
|
7 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
106 |
58 |
1.828 |
14 |
Qualify for Knockout Stage; promoted to Division One of the 1972–73 NFL
|
Roscommon
|
7 |
6 |
0 |
1 |
123 |
52 |
2.365 |
12
|
Carlow
|
7 |
4 |
0 |
3 |
99 |
84 |
1.179 |
8 |
|
Clare
|
7 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
70 |
81 |
0.864 |
7
|
Limerick
|
7 |
3 |
0 |
4 |
84 |
96 |
0.875 |
6
|
Wexford
|
7 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
83 |
93 |
0.892 |
5
|
Wicklow
|
7 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
65 |
104 |
0.625 |
2
|
Kilkenny
|
7 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
68 |
130 |
0.523 |
2
|
Team
|
Pld
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
F
|
A
|
Aver
|
Pts
|
Notes
|
Cavan
|
7 |
6 |
0 |
1 |
97 |
47 |
2.064 |
12 |
Qualify for Knockout Stage; promoted to Division One of the 1972–73 NFL
|
Westmeath
|
7 |
5 |
0 |
2 |
109 |
81 |
1.346 |
10
|
Monaghan
|
7 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
76 |
60 |
1.267 |
10 |
|
Tyrone
|
7 |
4 |
0 |
3 |
60 |
61 |
0.984 |
8
|
Louth
|
7 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
76 |
75 |
1.013 |
7
|
Armagh
|
7 |
2 |
0 |
5 |
72 |
89 |
0.809 |
4
|
Donegal
|
7 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
64 |
99 |
0.646 |
3
|
Leitrim
|
7 |
1 |
0 |
6 |
73 |
115 |
0.635 |
2
|
- ^ GAA Final Teams
- ^ Mayo GAA Blog
- ^ "Terrace Talk".
- ^ 20.06.1971 NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE FINAL - Irish Photo Archive
- ^ Irish Photo Archive
- ^ "Monaghan pipped", Irish Independent, 28/02/1972, p. 13
- ^ "For The Record, A History of the National Football and Hurling League Finals", Tom Morrison, Collins Press, 2002, ISBN 9781903464151
- ^ "For The Record, A History of the National Football and Hurling League Finals", Tom Morrison, Collins Press, 2002, ISBN 9781903464151
- ^ "Second-half goals enough for Roscommon", Irish Independent, 10/04/1972, p. 10
- ^ "Score margin doesn't flatter Longford", Irish Independent, 17/04/1972, p. 12
- ^ "Longford's unique success", Irish Press, 01/05/1972, p. 22