Play 15 games and you’ve 95% chance of medal
That translates as a 95% chance of claiming a coveted Celtic Cross should you be handed as many blue and gold jerseys as there are players on a team.
Even if you lower the break-off point to the more natural ‘double figures’ the success percentage is still high — 197 men have hurled 10 S HC games or more with Tipperary, 176 have won All-Ireland medals on the field of play, a strike rate of 89%
Spare a thought, then, for the hurlers in our accompanying chart, the seven ‘most capped’ Tipp hurlers of all time without an All-Ireland medal — with Brian O’Meara of Mullinahone the unluckiest Tipp of all, 31 appearances, no Celtic Cross, missing out on the 2001 All-Ireland final success due to a semi-final replay red card.
UNLUCKY TIPPS: Seven most capped Tipperary hurlers who never won an All-Ireland SHC medal on the field of play:
*31 Brian O’Meara 1994-2004
*27 Liam Cahill 1996-2007
*17 Paul Shelly 1996-2000
*17 Diarmuid Fitzgerald 2004-2007
*17 Hugh Moloney 2005-2009
*16 Conor O’Donovan 1987-1991
*15 Bob Mockler 1907-1913
INTERESTINGLY it’s the same case for Kilkenny. Of the 158 men who have hurled 15 SHC matches or more with Kilkenny, 150 of them have won an All-Ireland medal on the field of play!
Another 95% chance of claiming a coveted Celtic Cross once you’ve played 15 games. Not much changes when you lower break-off point — 203 men have hurled 10 SHC games or more with Kilkenny, 184 have won All-Ireland medals on the field of play, a strike rate of 91%.
Dick Carroll of Bennetsbridge is the unluckiest Cat of all with 21 appearances and no Celtic Cross.
UNLUCKY CATS: Eight most capped Kilkenny hurlers who never won an All-Ireland SHC medal on the field of play:
*21 Dick Carroll 1953-1962
*19 Jim Hogan 1950-1957
*17 Sean Fennelly 1983-1990
*Ned Hennessy 1896-1902
*16 Mick Dalton 1895-1903
*Jamie Dowling 1943-1952
*15 PJ Garvan 1950-195
*Lester Ryan 1985-1990
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