TJ Reid in the lead but are Patrick Horgan's scoring feats more impressive? 

Breaking down the stats of hurling's biggest hitters

CLASH OF THE TITANS: Patrick Horgan v Tj Reid

TJ Reid extended his lead over Patrick Horgan at the top of the all-time championship top scorer by a point last weekend.

The Kilkenny star has now accumulated 31-556 (649 points) in 83 SHC appearances compared to the Cork veteran who has amassed 24-562 (634) in 76.

Horgan’s average score total per game reads better than Reid’s – 8.3 points per game versus 7.8 – but should the weight of their recent provincial hauls be considered too?

After all, the Leinster and Munster SHC round games can hardly be viewed as the same. In the full four seasons of 2018, ’19, ’22 and ’23, Reid posted a most handsome 11-158. Of that, 5-50 came against Antrim, Carlow, Offaly, Laois and Westmeath. At the same stage of the provincial championship over the same period (Reid had extra round games in 2022 and ’23), Horgan contributed 7-140.

From fourth place before last year’s championship, Reid’s 2-73 in the 2023 competition (2-19 of it coming against Westmeath and Antrim) saw him leapfrog Henry Shefflin, Joe Canning and Horgan, who added 2-39 in his four '23 Munster SHC outings.

At the same time, this year marks the 10-year anniversary of Reid taking over free-taking duties from Eoin Larkin. Horgan, who turns 36 on Sunday week, had three full championships standing over placed balls before Reid, from which he scored 93 points.

With that in mind, it’s surprising Reid’s percentage of scores from play (28.5%) is less than Horgan’s 33.75%. Based on the sterling work of hurling statistician Leo McGough, Reid has scored 23-116 from play, 8-440 from placed balls (eight goals from penalties, 397 points from frees, 40 from 65s and three from sidelines. Horgan’s breakdown is 17-163 from play and 7-399 from placed balls (5-1 penalties, 2-382 frees, and 16 points from 65s).

Both Horgan and Reid were in action on the same end of April afternoon last year when the latter was looking to cut the 11-point gap on the Glen Rovers man (he shaved a point).

Both of their games commence at the same time this Sunday where Horgan in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh could be within range of surpassing the 400-point mark from frees. Reid, meanwhile, needs only three converted points from frees to hit that figure in Pearse Stadium.

If Reid’s tidy tallies against teams who had one foot in the Joe McDonagh Cup in recent years is noted, Horgan’s pillaging in the All-Ireland series can’t go unmentioned either. For example, his 3-11 against Laois in the 2011 backdoor game or 10 points in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final turkey shoot of Westmeath five years ago.

Incidentally, when facing each other in championship, Horgan has scored more. In their five meetings (Reid was a used substitute in the Cork-Kilkenny 2013 All-Ireland quarter-final), Horgan has amassed 3-43 (0-26 frees, 1 penalty) and Reid 26 points (21 frees, 1 65).

For inter-county careers in their 17th seasons that has crossed third decades, it’s a shame they have only crossed paths a handful of times. That’s not to say they aren’t competing against each other. “Ah I see Hoggy is coming back next year,” smiled Reid after surpassing his rival's tally in last July’s All-Ireland semi-final. All-timers find it tough to quit.