It just needs one team to properly undermine this All-Ireland football format

Any county that loses three times and makes the knock-outs presents a problem that will likely need solving at Special Congress in December.

Dublin’s James McCarthy lifts the Sam Maguire Cup. Pic Credit: Laszlo Geczo, Inpho.

In his last and 20th pre All-Ireland final press conference, Brian Cody was asked about the prospect of achieving a first.

Had Kilkenny beaten Limerick two years ago, they would have become the first county to lift the Liam MacCarthy Cup having lost more than once along the way.