Does fouling pay in hurling? That's what the stats suggest

Richie Leahy of Kilkenny in action against Brendan Maher of Tipperary during the 2019 All-Ireland SHC final. Picture: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Does fouling pay in hurling? Intuitively, you wouldn’t think so, given the accuracy of modern free-takers.

But there is an eye-catching statistic from the 2019 All-Ireland SHC: in 85% of the games that produced a winner (22 from 26), the team which prevailed conceded more frees.