Stats and the stories behind the numbers in the county 4-wall league

Written by AOB

One literal definition of the word statistics is – a branch of mathematics dealing with the collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of masses of numerical data.

Statistics can of course be used in many ways but our purpose in compiling those associated with the 2019 county 4-wall league is largely informational. Yes of course they will assist by providing more detail if and when a 2020 league is being considered but mainly their inclusion is intended to add an extra layer of interest to what has already been an intriguing new competition. So given that we have them at our disposal, let’s have a brief look behind the numbers to see what we can learn!

Only two players out of the 89 who entered, Tomas O’Shea, Davidstown and Liam Murphy, Castlebridge, managed to win all of their matches in straight games (2-0) and therefore record the maximum scoring average of 15 aces per game. The Davidstown club chairman is also busy overseeing plans for the building of a new GAA Complex, including a handball facility, following the tragedy of Storm Ophelia back in October 2017, when the existing building was flattened to the ground.

O’Shea will now enter the knockout stage of the competition as favourite to win out and after the setbacks suffered in recent years it would be a welcome change of fortune for this long serving official and winner of the Division 9 Leading Qualifier medal.

By contrast Liam Murphy is a relative newcomer to the sport of handball but he is certainly adapting to the requirements in double quick time! Competing in Division 10 the Castlebridge man swept through the group with considerable ease to match O’Shea’s max scoring average of 15 aces per game. Better still his average concession of only 4 aces per game puts him on top in that particular category, ahead of O’Shea who coughed up an average of 5.25 aces per game. He too will enter the semi final full of confidence.

The full scoring averages for the top 40 players in the competition, as well as other stats, can be seen by clicking on Statistics document 

Eight players showed their competitiveness by winning three of their matches in tie breaks; Liam Rossiter, Ballyhogue (D3), Ricky Barron, Barntown (D5), James Nolan, Kilmyshall (D5), Tommy Armstrong, Kilmyshall (D6), Brian Busher, Bridgetown (D6), Padraig Devereux, Castlebridge (D6), Shane Terry, St. Josephs (D6), Shay Byrne, Kilmyshall (D8) and Callum Smithies, Bridgetown (D9), but unfortunately for Barron and Armstrong it was not enough to make the semi finals.

Spare a thought too for Jimmy Dunne, Kilmyshall, who recorded the unique achievement of taking all four semi final qualifiers in D6 to a third game, only to lose on each occasion. Jimmy actually lost five times in this division, each time in a tiebreak, thus proving he could compete against everyone, but in a remarkable twist, his feat went unrewarded as he failed to make the semi finals.

These and other stats can be seen at the above Statistics Document link.