Magnificent 7 for Tipperary on Hurling All Star team

By Shane Brophy

All-Ireland champions Tipperary have had seven players selected on the PWC GAA/GPA Hurling All-Star team announced this morning.

Heading the list is Tipperary captain Ronan Maher who has won his third All-Star bringing to eight won by the family with older brother Padraic selected on five occasions during his illustrious career.

John McGrath wins his second All-Star, nine years after his first while there are first time All-Stars for goalkeeper Rhys Shelly, defenders Robert Doyle and Eoghan Connolly, plus Jake Morris and Andrew Ormond in the forwards.

It matches the joint-highest number of All-Stars won in a single year by Tipperary along with 1991, 2016 and 2019.

Munster champions and All-Ireland finalists Cork have had four players selected in defenders Sean O’Donoghue and Ciaran Joyce, Darragh Fitzgibbon in midfield, and Brian Hayes in attack. Kilkenny are represented by Huw Lawlor at full-back and Mossie Keoghan at corner forward, while the final two All-Stars have done to Cathal Mannion of Galway in midfield and Dublin’s Cian O’Sullivan in the attack.

There are ten first time All-Stars among the fifteen players, the highest number since 2013.

The All-Stars will be presented at a gala ceremony at the RDS in Dublin on Friday, live on RTE2 from 7.30pm. On the night, the Hurler of the Year award winners will be announced with Jake Morris and John McGrath nominated for the Overall award along with Cork’s Brian Hayes while Robert Doyle and Darragh McCarthy are shortlisted for the young player of the year accolade, along with Limerick’s Adam English. These awards are voted on by GPA members on senior hurling panels around the country.