No Other Player In Either Code Has Reached 100 Championship Appearances
Dublin Captain Stephen Cluxton is no stranger to breaking records and passing milestones and tomorrow he will set another historic record as the first player ever to reach 100 championship appearances.
Tomorrow against Kildare Cluxton will become the sole member of a unique centurion club, ironically in 2017 Leinster Final also against the same opposition the Parnells man equaled the then record of 88 appearances held by Tomás and Marc Ó Sé.
He hit the 90 appearances mark against Tyrone in the All Ireland semi final a couple of weeks later and this Sunday Cluxton will become the first player in the history of the game to make 100 championship appearances.
This is Cluxton 19th championship season with Dublin and in all that time he has missed just two games.
The first was the 2004 Leinster quarter final against Westmeath due to suspension and the second was last year’s Leinster Final against Laois due to injury after an dangerous tackle by Longford’s James McGivney.
That’s an incredible record and testament to Stephen’s high levels of consistency, hunger, professionalism, conditioning and ability to avoid injury.
Against Louth two weeks ago Cluxton secured his 57th championship ’clean sheet’ a measure of just how great a goalkeeper he is.
It’s widely acknowledged that Stephen Cluxton is the most influential Gaelic Footballer of his generation redefining the art of goalkeeping.
Cluxton’s ability to pick out team mates with pinpoint accuracy from kick outs and the speed of his restarts added another element opposition teams had to try and nullify, none succeeded.
The Dublin Captains scoring exploits led to a spate of copycats around the country, in 2013 Cluxton finished as Dublin’s joint second highest scorer in the championship with 0-16 which included three points against Meath in the Leinster Final, six points against Cork in the All Ireland quarter final, one point against Kerry in the semi final and two crucial points against Mayo in the All Ireland Final.
In total Stephen has scored 48 points in the championship including that never to be forgotten winning free in the 2011 All Ireland Final against Kerry that ended Dublin’s sixteen year wait to be crowned champions.
The word legend is thrown around nowadays like it’s going out of fashion but there is none more deserving of that accolade than Stephen Cluxton, one of the greatest if not the greatest Dublin player of all time, a phenomenal captain and leader and Dublin have been blessed to have him.
Below is the list of the top ten players with the most Championship Appearances
1. Stephen Cluxton: Dublin (2001-2019)
99 Appearances
2. Sean Cavanagh: Tyrone (2002-2017)
89 Appearances
3. Marc Ó Sé: Kerry (2002-2015)
88 Appearances
3. Tomás Ó Sé: Kerry (1998-2013)
88 Appearances
5. Colm Cooper: Kerry (2002-2016)
85 Appearances
6. Darragh Ó Sé: Kerry (1997-2010)
81 Appearances
7. Andy Moran: Mayo (2004-2019)
77 Appearances
8. Tom O’Sullivan: Kerry (2000-2011)
76 Appearances
9. Conor Gormley: Tyrone (2001-2014)
75 Appearances
10. Brian Dooher: Tyrone (1995-2011)
73 Appearances