Eight Kilkenny hurlers in the running for All-Stars

Eight Kilkenny hurlers have made the shortlist for this year’s All-Stars.

Eoin Murphy, Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Paddy Deegan, David Blanchfield, Adrian Mullen, TJ Reid and Eoin Cody were among the 45 hurlers who made the list for this year’s awards, which will be presented in November.

All-Ireland champions Limerick lead the way in nominations, the four-in-a-row winners taking 14 nominations. Clare have nine, with Galway (six), Cork (four), Tipperary (three) and Dublin (one) making up the shortlist.

The vote for this year’s PwC GAA/GPA Hurler of the Year award will be an all-

Limerick affair with Kyle Hayes, Aaron Gillane and Diarmaid Byrnes in the running. Unlike recent years the PwC GAA/GPA Young Hurler of the Year Award will not go to a Kilkenny hurler this year - Clare’s Adam Hogan and Mark Rodgers join Cork’s Ciaran Joyce on the shortlist.

The PwC All-Star teams will be presented with their awards at a gala black-tie event in Dublin’s RDS on Friday, November 17. It will be shown live on RTÉ TV.

All-Star nominees

Goalkeepers: Eoin Murphy (Kilkenny), Nickie Quaid (Limerick), Eibhear Quilligan (Clare).

Defenders: Barry Nash (Limerick), Mike Casey (Limerick), Dan Morrissey (Limerick), Kyle Hayes (Limerick), Diarmaid Byrnes (Limerick), Mikey Butler (Kilkenny), Huw Lawlor (Kilkenny), Paddy Deegan (Kilkenny), David Blanchfield (Kilkenny), John Conlon (Clare), Adam Hogan (Clare), Diarmuid Ryan (Clare), David McInerney (Clare), Ciarán Joyce (Cork), Damien Cahalane (Cork), Jack Grealish (Galway), Daithí Burke (Galway), Ronan Maher (Tipperary).

Midfielders: Darragh O’Donovan (Limerick), Will O’Donoghue (Limerick), Noel McGrath (Tipperary), Darragh Fitzgibbon (Cork), David Fitzgerald (Clare), Adrian Mullen (Kilkenny).

Forwards: Cian Lynch (Limerick), Peter Casey (Limerick), Tom Morrissey (Limerick), Aaron Gillane (Limerick), Seamus Flanagan (Limerick), David Reidy (Limerick), Cathal Mannion (Galway), Conor Whelan (Galway), Brian Concannon (Galway), Evan Niland (Galway), Tony Kelly (Clare), Shane O’Donnell (Clare), Mark Rodgers (Clare), TJ Reid (Kilkenny), Eoin Cody (Kilkenny), Jake Morris (Tipperary), Dónal Burke (Dublin), Patrick Horgan (Cork).

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).