Tipp v Kilkenny: Brian Cody, by the numbers

251 - League and championship games as Kilkenny manager. His first one was a league match in Páirc Uí Rinn against Cork in February 1999. Kilkenny lost by 0-14 to 1-9.

21 - Seasons as Kilkenny manager. On the night he was appointed in November 1998, US President Bill Clinton declared victory over Saddam Hussein in a face-off over weapons inspectors. As pointed out in the Examiner during the week, Cody is on his third pope, fourth Taoiseach and fourth US president. Saddam didn't make it past Cody's fourth All-Ireland.

17 - All-Ireland finals, including replays in 2012 and 2014. Cody's record reads Played 17 Won 11 Lost 4 Drew 2.

23 - Kilkenny's largest winning margin in a final under Cody. They beat Waterford by 3-30 to 1-16 in the 2008 final. That night, The Sunday Game panel awarded Cody man of the match - much to his chagrin - something that has never happened before or since.

St Kieran’s still the breeding ground for Kilkenny greats

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Shock and awe as Dublin lay waste to Mayo

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John Leahy: ‘I never felt as free in life as I did on a hurling field’

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Nicky English’s guide to the Tipperary team

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9 - Kilkenny's largest losing margin in a final under Cody. Tipperary beat them by 2-29 to 2-20 in the 2016 final. That 2-20 is the second highest losing total in a 70-minute final and the third highest overall.

65 - Players used by Cody in All-Ireland finals between 1999 and 2016. They span the decades from John Power (born 1966) to Liam Blanchfield (born 1996). Presuming no late injury, Adrian Mullen (born 1999) will extend it further in this final.

15 - Final appearances, including replays, for Henry Shefflin under Cody. It's the most by anyone, two more than JJ Delaney. Eoin Larkin played in 12 finals, Richie Power 11. A handful of players have turned out in 10, including Eddie Brennan, Tommy Walsh, Jackie Tyrrell, Noel Hickey and TJ Reid. Reid has the most of the current crop, one ahead of Richie Hogan.

13 - Players who have played some part in just one All-Ireland final under Cody. They are: Pat O'Neill, Ken O'Shea, PJ Delaney, Niall Moloney (all 1999), Eamonn Kennedy (2000), Paddy Mullally (2003), Ken Coogan (2004), John Dalton (2010), Matthew Ruth (2012), Ger Aylward (2015), Kevin Kelly, Liam Blanchfield and Rob Lennon (all 2016).

2 - Different John Powers, both of whom played in three All-Ireland finals under Cody. The John Lockes John Power was selected by Cody in the 1999, 2000 and 2002 finals (as well as on the Kilkenny team of the century). The Carrickshock John Power played in the draw and replay in 2014 and came off the bench in 2015. They are not related.

12 - Different managers faced by Cody in All-Ireland finals. They are, in order of first meeting: Jimmy Barry-Murphy, Pat Fleury, Cyril Lyons, Donal O'Grady (twice), John Allen, Richie Bennis, Davy Fitzgerald, Liam Sheedy (twice), Declan Ryan, Anthony Cunningham (twice), Eamon O'Shea and Michael Ryan.

8 - Different referees who have overseen finals involving Cody's Kilkenny. Barry Kelly has the most with four, followed by Brian Gavin with three, Pat O'Connor, Diarmuid Kirwan and Aodán MacSuibhne (two each) and Willie Barrett, James McGrath, Michael Wadding and James Owens (one each). This will be Owens's third final and second involving Kilkenny.

9 - Finals under Cody in which Kilkenny have scored the first goal. Their record when scoring the first goal is eight wins, one defeat. Kilkenny's only loss in a final under Cody after scoring the first goal came in 2016 against Tipperary.

8 - Finals under Cody in which Kilkenny have either not scored a goal or not scored the first goal. Their record in those games: three wins, three defeats, two draws. Galway actually scored the first two goals in the 2012 replay and Kilkenny still came back to win.