2018 Ladies' National Football League

2018 Ladies' National Football League
League details
Dates	28 January – 7 May 2018
Teams	32
League champions
Winners	Dublin (1st win)
Captain	Sinéad Aherne
Manager	Mick Bohan
League runners-up
Runners-up	Mayo
Captain	Sarah Tierney
Manager	Peter Leahy
Other division winners
Division 2	Tipperary
Division 3	Wexford
Division 4	Wicklow
	← 2017 2019 →

The 2018 Ladies' National Football League, known for sponsorship reasons as the Lidl Ladies' National Football League,^[1] is a ladies' Gaelic football competition taking place in early 2018.^[2]^[3]

For the first time, LNFL games were broadcast live on Eir Sport.^[4]^[5]

Dublin were the winners, defeating Mayo in the final.^[6]^[7]

Format

League structure

The 2018 Ladies' National Football League consists of four divisions of eight teams. Each team plays every other team in its division once. 3 points are awarded for a win and 1 for a draw.

Teams by Province
Province	Division 1	Division 2	Division 3	Division 4
Connacht	2	1	2	0
Leinster	2	1	5	4
Munster	2	3	0	1
Ulster	2	3	1	3

If two teams are level on points, the tie-break is:

winners of the head-to-head game are ranked ahead
if the head-to-head match was a draw, then whichever team scored more points in the game is ranked ahead (e.g. 1-15 beats 2-12)
if the head-to-head match was an exact draw, ranking is determined by the points difference (i.e. total scored minus total conceded in all games)
if the points difference is equal, ranking is determined by the total scored

If three or more teams are level on league points, rankings are determined solely by points difference.

Finals, promotions and relegations

The top four teams in Division 1 contest the Ladies' National Football League semi-finals (first plays fourth and second plays third).

The top four teams in divisions 2, 3 and 4 contest the semi-finals of their respective divisions. The division champions are promoted.

The last-placed teams in divisions 1, 2 and 3 are relegated.

Division 1

Table

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts	Qualification or relegation
1	Dublin	7	6	0	1	126	92	+34	18	Advance to Semi-Finals
2	Cork	7	5	0	2	130	97	+33	15
3	Mayo	7	5	0	2	120	102	+18	15
4	Galway	7	4	1	2	111	97	+14	13
5	Donegal	7	4	1	2	153	89	+64	13
6	Monaghan	7	2	0	5	89	47	+42	6
7	Westmeath	7	1	0	6	18	27	−9	3
8	Kerry	7	0	0	7	75	130	−55	0	Relegation to Division 2

Updated to match(es) played on 8 April 2018. Source: ladiesgaelic.ie

Kerry defeated Mayo, but Mayo were awarded the points as Kerry had fielded an ineligible player.^[8]
Galway are ranked ahead of Donegal because, although the head-to-head game was a draw, Galway scored more points (0-16 to 1-13).^[9]

Finals

Semi-finals

22 April 2018
3 p.m.
Semi-Final 1

Report

Dublin	2-8 (14) – (13) 2-7	Galway
Pts: Niamh McEvoy 1-1 Sinéad Aherne 0-3 (all frees) Nicole Owens 1-0 Noëlle Healy 0-2 Sinéad Goldrick 0-1 Lauren Magee 0-1		Pts: Tracey Leonard 0-5 (four frees) Leanne Coen 1-1 Mairead Seoighe 1-0 Olivia Divilly 0-1

Coralstown/Kinnegad GAA, Kinnegad
Referee: Séamus Mulvihill (Kerry)

22 April 2018
3 p.m.
Semi-Final 2

Report

Cork	3-12 (21) – (23) 1-20	Mayo
Pts: O Finn 1-9 (5f) L Coppinger 2-0 C O’Sullivan 0-2 E Scally 0-1		Pts: Sarah Rowe 0-9 (4f) G Kelly 0-7 (3f) S Cafferky 1-1 N Kelly 0-1 A Gilroy 0-1 F McHale 0-1

St. Brendan's Park, Birr
Referee: Brendan Rice (Down)

Final

TG4

6 May 2018
16:00 IST (UTC+1)
Final

^[10]

Dublin	3-15 (24) – (13) 1-10	Mayo
(HT: 2-10 – 1-05)
Gls: Sinéad Aherne (pen), Noëlle Healy, Laura McGinley Pts: Sinéad Aherne (9, 5f), Nicole Owens (2), Noëlle Healy, Olwen Carey, Niamh McEvoy, Lyndsey Davey		Gls: Sarah Rowe (pen) Pts: Sarah Rowe (5, 2f), Grace Kelly (2, 2f), Fiona Doherty, Sinead Cafferky, Niamh Kelly

Parnell Park, Dublin
Referee: Brendan Rice (Down)