Freetakers called for duty more often but mechanics stay the same

Peter Duggan knocked 67 frees between the posts for Clare in last year’s hurling championship yet ask your average punter to recall an attempt he stood over and plenty would dig up one among the small handful that didn’t make it.

Such is life for the dead-ball specialist. Place kickers in rugby and penalty takers in football suffer the same warped perception. Think Roberto Baggio in the final of USA ‘94, or Jonathan Sexton with that wayward effort that could have clinched victory against the All Blacks in 2013.