Limerick’s four in a row success in the All-Ireland Hurling Championship sees them again dominate the PwC Hurling All-Star team with seven places on the coveted final 15 for 2023.
Limerick lead the way with All-Ireland finalists Kilkenny capturing five places, Munster finalists Clare having two and Galway forward Conor Whelan completing the representation.
Kilkenny’s Eoin Murphy is now a four-time All-Star goalkeeper after another season making wonder stops and is a feat helped in no small part by that incredible Cat-like reflex save against Clare’s Peter Duggan in the semi-final at Croke Park.
23 July 2023; Diarmaid Byrnes of Limerick before the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship final match between Kilkenny and Limerick at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Mikey Butler and Huw Lawlor represent Kilkenny in the full back line with three-time winner Dan Morrissey joining them.
Clare’s John Conlon is named at centre back and enters a distinguished club of players who have been honoured as forwards and defenders in their career after he was named full forward in 2018.
Either side of him, Limerick duo Diarmaid Byrnes and Kyle Hayes win their fourth straight All- Star award.
It’s an all-Limerick midfield of Darragh O’Donovan and Will O’Donoghue.
In attack, birthday boy TJ Reid moves into the top 10 most decorated All-Stars of all time. The Kilkenny man turns 36 today. In claiming a magnificent seventh All-Star in 12 years, he joins county men and icons Noel Skehan and JJ Delaney as well as Cork dual star Jimmy Barry Murphy and Kerry football hero Mikey Sheehy on seven awards. He is one
behind Kerry’s Colm Cooper, two behind DJ Carey, Tommy Walsh and Pat Spillane in a list still headed by his Ballyhale Shamrocks club colleague Henry Shefflin who amassed 11 in his career.
23 July 2023; TJ Reid of Kilkenny during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship final match between Kilkenny and Limerick at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
PwC Hurling All-Stars 2023
(Previous winning years in brackets)
1. Eoin Murphy (Kilkenny) (2016, 2018, 2021)
2. Mikey Butler (Kilkenny) (2022)
3. Huw Lawlor (Kilkenny) (2022)
4. Dan Morrissey (Limerick) (2018, 2020)
5. Diarmaid Byrnes (Limerick) (2020, 2021, 2022)
6. John Conlon (Clare) (2018)
7. Kyle Hayes (Limerick) (2020, 2021, 2022)
8. Darragh O’Donovan (Limerick) (2021)
9. Will O’Donoghue (Limerick) (2021)
8 July 2023; Conor Whelan of Galway in action against Tom Morrissey of Limerick during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final match between Limerick and Galway at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Stephen Marken/Sportsfile
10. Shane O’Donnell (Clare) (2022)
11. TJ Reid (Kilkenny) (2012, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2022)
12. Tom Morrissey (Limerick) (2020, 2021)
13. Conor Whelan (Galway) (2017)
14. Aaron Gillane (Limerick) (2019, 2020, 2022)
15. Eoin Cody (Kilkenny)
PwC GAA/GPA Hurler of the Year Nominees
Kyle Hayes, Aaron Gillane, Diarmaid Byrnes (all Limerick)
PwC GAA/GPA Young Hurler of the Year Nominees
Adam Hogan (Clare), Mark Rodgers (Clare), Ciaran Joyce (Cork)
The Player of the Year winners in hurling and football will both be named at a ceremony held on Friday at the RDS which will also be broadcast on RTÉ. The All-Star football team will also be announced on the night.
