One day after the Gaelic Football All-Star nominees are released, we've got the hurling All-Star nominees in our hands. There's 45 interesting names on that list, including Dublin's Danny Sutcliffe. We're delighted for penalty-taking keeper Anthony Nash of Cork as well as Brick Walsh. I guess Limerick's Shane Dowling's 4-37 wasn't good enough.
The nominees in full:
Goalkeepers: Anthony Nash (Cork), Nickie Quaid (Limerick), James Skehill (Galway).
Full Backs: Paul Murphy (Kilkenny), JJ Delaney (Kilkenny), Johnny Coen (Galway), Fergal Moore (Galway), Jackie Tyrell (Kilkenny), Richie McCarthy (Limerick), Michael Cahill (Tipperary), Kevin Hynes (Galway), Shane O’Neill (Cork).
Half backs: Brian Hogan (Kilkenny), Brendan Bugler (Clare), Padraic Maher (Tipperary), David Collins (Galway), Michael Walsh (Waterford), Tony Óg Regan (Galway), Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny), Niall Donoghue (Galway), Kieran Joyce (Kilkenny).
Midfielders: Andy Smith (Galway), Kevin Moran (Waterford), Stephen Molumphy (Waterford), Pa Cronin (Cork), Iarla Tannian (Galway), Michael Fennelly (Kilkenny).
Half Forwards: Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny), Cyril Donnellan (Galway), Niall Burke (Galway), Patrick Bonnar Maher (Tipperary), TJ Reid (Kilkenny), Pa Burke (Tipperary), Damien Hayes (Galway), Danny Sutcliffe (Dublin), Richie Power (Kilkenny).
Full forwards: Eoin Larkin (Kilkenny), Joe Canning (Galway), Noel McGrath (Tipperary), Patrick Horgan (Cork), John Mullane (Waterford), Brian O’Meara (Tipperary), Richie Hogan (Kilkenny), John Conlon (Clare), David Burke (Galway).
Paul Murphy's outstanding season was rewarded with a Hurler of the Year nomination, but it seems impossible that anyone bar Henry Shefflin will bring home this award.
Nominations for Hurler of the Year
Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny)
Paul Murphy (Kilkenny)
Joe Canning (Galway)
As for the young hurler of the year, it seems inevitable that it will be a Galway man. Johnny Coen would get our vote.
Nominations for Young Hurler of the Year
Johnny Coen (Galway)
Niall Burke (Galway)
Danny Sutcliffe (Dublin)
