Play 15 games and you’ve 95% chance of medal

OF the 132 men who have hurled 15 SHC matches or more with Tipperary, 125 have won an All-Ireland medal on the field of play.

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

(Bob subsequently won All-Ireland SHC medals with Dublin)

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

x

More in this section

Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Brand Safety FAQ Help Contact Us Terms and Conditions

© Examiner Echo Group Limited