This chart displays the difference in winning percentage in away games and overall winning percentage, again for the five teams with the greatest difference, and compared to the average difference. In this case, the average is a decrease in winning percentage by almost 7 percentage points, demonstrating just how good these teams are playing away. Alternatively, you could also assume that these teams are all just terrible when playing at home. However, none of these teams have a below average winning percentage, so the likelihood is that they just play solid hurling (for their level of competition) regardless of where they are.

The biggest away improvement comes from Fingal, who in fact opted out of competition in 2017, and so we will not get to see how this trend progresses for them.

Runner up is Limerick. However, Limerick may actually be an indicator of one of the flaws in this analysis: Limerick have been stuck in a kind of limbo in the league over the years analysed, constantly finishing in second place in division 1B (or, in 2013, having the most points but, due to a different format, losing to Dublin for the promotion spot). Unable to progress to 1A, Limerick have been stuck playing a large portion of their away games against inferior competition, and so their disproportionate away winning percentage has emerged.

Waterford are the only other top-tier team in the top five; it’s possible that their home record is tarnished due to splitting their matches between Waterford city and Dungarvan, or it could simply be that there’s truth to the commonly espoused notion that they regularly have some of the better turnout for their away games. Similarly, if a large part of the home advantage effect is the psychological edge of having your supporters on your side, it would make sense that Tyrone and Kildare should appear, as these teams are somewhat lacking in hurling support no matter where they go.

Big match teams (?)