Limerick dominate PwC All-Stars hurling nominations with 12 players on short-list

ALL but three of Limerick’s All-Ireland SHC winning team have been included among the 45 nominations for the 2022 PwC Hurling All-Stars.

The list of 12 is the smallest return for Limerick across their four All-Ireland SHC wins of the last five years -15 nominations in 2018 and 2021 and 14 in 2014.

Not included from the team on All-Ireland final day are Dan Morrissey, Darragh O’Donovan and Graeme Mulcahy - all three are previous All-Star winners.

The PwC All-Stars will be presented at a black-tie banquet in Dublin’s Convention Centre on Friday, October 28 with the hurling team announced live on the night and the football team released publicly 24 hours earlier.

Of the 12 Limerick nominees, all are previous All-Star winners except Mike Casey, who battled back from missing two championships through injury to regain his place at full back this season.

The Na Piarsaigh man was previously nominated for an All-Star in 2018 and ‘19.

Across the Limerick nominations, Sean Finn is seeking a fifth successive award, while Diarmaid Byrnes, Kyle Hayes, Gearoid Hegarty and Tom Morrissey are chasing a three-in-a-row of awards.

Limerick hurling defensive duo on short-list for PwC GAA/GPA Hurler of the Year

Goalkeeper Nickie Quaid is nominated for the fifth time - he was an All-Star winner in 2020.

In the full back line, all three of Sean Finn, Mike Casey and Barry Nash are nominated.

It’s a fifth time on the short-list for Finn, who can emulate Pat Hartigan with five awards in a row.

It’s a third nomination for Nash, who won his first award last year and is also chosen on the short-list for the 2022 PwC GAA/GPA Hurler of the Year.

Half back line colleagues Diarmaid Byrnes and Declan Hannon are selected.

It’s a fourth nominee for Byrnes, who has won awards in the last two seasons. The wing back is also on the short-list of three for the Hurler of the Year accolade.

Liam MacCarthy Cup winning captain Declan Hannon is on the list of nominations for the sixth time - he has two previous awards.

In midfield, William O’Donoghue won his first award last year and is nominated for a third time.

In attack there are five Limerick nominations.

Kyle Hayes is nominated for a fifth successive year and has two awards to-date.

Both Gearoid Hegarty and Tom Morrissey have two awards to-date and are nominated for the fourth time in five years.

In the full forward line are Aaron Gillane and Seamus Flanagan.

It’s a fifth nomination for Gillane, who has made the final selection twice. It’s a fourth nomination for Flanagan, who won a first award last year.

Limerick won a record 12 All–Stars last year - all are nominated again except for O’Donovan, injured duo Peter Casey and Cian Lynch.

Dating back to 1971, the All-Stars are selected by a team of GAA journalists from across print, radio, digital, tv and broadcast media.

A total of 10 counties are represented on the list of 45 – including Westmeath receiving their first nomination since 1986 with the selection of Killian Doyle.

Beaten All-Ireland finalists Kilkenny have eight players nominated while Galway (eight), Clare (eight), Cork (three), Wexford (two), Waterford, Dublin, Tipperary and Westmeath (one each) also have nominees.

PwC All-Stars Hurling Nominations 2022

Goalkeepers: Nickie Quaid (Limerick), Éanna Murphy (Galway), Eoin Murphy (Kilkenny).

Defenders: Seán Finn (Limerick), Barry Nash (Limerick), Mike Casey (Limerick), Diarmaid Byrnes (Limerick), Declan Hannon (Limerick), Mikey Butler (Kilkenny), Huw Lawlor (Kilkenny), Richie Reid (Kilkenny), Paddy Deegan (Kilkenny), Paul Flanagan (Clare), John Conlon (Clare), Diarmuid Ryan (Clare), David McInerney (Clare), Daithí Burke (Galway), Fintan Burke (Galway), Pádraic Mannion (Galway), Ciarán Joyce (Cork), Damien Reck (Wexford).

Midfielders: William O’Donoghue (Limerick), David Fitzgerald Clare), Ryan Taylor (Clare), Tom Monaghan (Galway), Darragh Fitzgibbon (Cork), Adrian Mullen (Kilkenny).

Forwards: Gearóid Hegarty (Limerick), Kyle Hayes (Limerick), Tom Morrissey (Limerick), Aaron Gillane (Limerick), Séamus Flanagan (Limerick), TJ Reid (Kilkenny), Eoin Cody (Kilkenny), Conor Whelan (Galway), Cathal Mannion (Galway), Joseph Cooney (Galway), Tony Kelly (Clare), Shane O’Donnell (Clare), Robbie O’Flynn (Cork), Dessie Hutchinson (Waterford), Noel McGrath (Tipperary), Lee Chin (Wexford), Dónal Burke (Dublin), Killian Doyle (Westmeath).