ALL conquering Limerick have a full set of 15 players included in the 2021 Hurling Allstars nominations, which were released today, as the All-Ireland champions bask in the glory of their sustained success.
The Treaty county captured the Munster senior hurling title for the third year running in July, dismissing Tipperary at Páirc Uí Chaoimh, before retaining the Liam MacCarthy Cup with a crushing victory over Cork a month later – their third All-Ireland title in four years.
Testament to this domination is the fact that all three nominations for the Hurler of the Year award are from Limerick - Seán Finn, Kyle Hayes and Cian Lynch will be vying with each other for that particular gong. Gearóid Hegarty, 2020’s Hurler of the Year, although nominated for a second Allstar did not make it onto the shortlist for the individual award despite his 2-2 haul in the All-Ireland final and his solid performances throughout the rest of the year.
Lynch, who won Player of the Year previously in 2018, put in a mesmerizing display in that All-Ireland final win over the Rebels, while Hayes spent the summer showing off his supreme level of athleticism and constant attacking threat from the half-back line.
Included with John Kiely’s full set of All-Ireland champions are 30 nominees from eight other counties.
In defence, the 18 nominees are from Limerick, Cork, Waterford, Kilkenny, Tipperary and Clare, with Patrick Collins from Cork and Kilkenny’s Eoin Murphy up against the Treaty’s Nickie Quaid for the goalkeeping spot.
The six midfield nominees include the high scoring Laois player Paddy Purcell, while Will O’Donoghue and Darragh O’Donovan were imperious for Limerick. Dublin wing forward and captain Danny Sutcliffe and Wexford captain Lee Chin are their counties’ sole representatives in a star-studded list of 18 attackers who will be cut to six for the final 15.
The full county breakdown is Limerick 15, All-Ireland finalists Cork nine, Waterford seven, Leinster champions Kilkenny five, three each for Clare and Tipperary and one each for Dublin, Laois and Wexford.
The vote for the Young Hurler of the Year award is a Limerick free affair, however, with it boiling down to a choice between Kilkenny’s Eoin Cody, Cork’s Shane Barrett and Clare’s Aidan McCarthy. Barrett is one of a bunch of young Cork players who will surely appear on more All-Ireland final days despite August’s heavy defeat to the Treaty.
“To be recognised and shortlisted as being among the cream of the crop from what was yet another thrilling hurling summer is a significant achievement for all the players, and is shared by their families, clubs and the communities they represent,” said GAA president Larry McCarthy last night.
“Since 1971, the Allstars has been synonymous with excellence. Our thanks to PwC for their continuing support of this wonderful scheme.”
“To be on those shortlists given the many outstanding performances in 2021 is a great achievement in itself,” added Gaelic Players Association chief executive Tom Parsons.
“I also want to take the time to recognise all inter-county players, male and female, who provided us with much needed entertainment against the backdrop of the pandemic this year. What you have done for the morale of the country should not be underestimated. Thank you.”
The nominations were chosen by a panel of Gaelic games correspondents from across print, radio, television and digital media, which was chaired by McCarthy.
The football nominations will be released tomorrow, with the presentation of the Allstars to take place on December 10 in a televised ceremony.
PwC All-Stars Hurling nominations 2021
Goalkeepers: Patrick Collins (Cork), Eoin Murphy (Kilkenny), Nickie Quaid (Limerick); Defenders: Seán Finn, Dan Morrissey, Barry Nash, Diarmaid Byrnes, Kyle Hayes, Declan Hannon (all Limerick), Tim O’Mahony, Seán O’Donoghue, Mark Coleman, Robert Downey (all Cork), Calum Lyons, Kieran Bennett, Conor Prunty (all Waterford); Huw Lalor, Paddy Deegan (both Kilkenny), Cathal Barrett, Ronan Maher (both Tipperary), Rory Hayes (Clare); Midfielders: Will O’Donoghue, Darragh O’Donovan (both Limerick), Cathal Malone, Tony Kelly (both Clare), Jamie Barron (Waterford), Paddy Purcell (Laois); Forwards: Gearóid Hegarty, Cian Lynch, Tom Morrissey, Peter Casey, Séamus Flanagan, Aaron Gillane (all Limerick), Seamus Harnedy, Patrick Horgan, Shane Kingston, Jack O’Connor (all Cork), Stephen Bennett, Austin Gleeson, Dessie Hutchinson (all Waterford), Eoin Cody, TJ Reid (both Kilkenny), Danny Sutcliffe (Dublin), Jason Forde (Tipperary), Lee Chin (Wexford)
PwC GAA/GPA Hurler of the Year nominees
Seán Finn, Kyle Hayes, Cian Lynch (all Limerick)
PwC GAA/GPA Young Hurler of the Year nominees
Eoin Cody (Kilkenny), Shane Barrett (Cork), Aidan McCarthy (Clare)
