With 14 nominations, All-Ireland and Division 1 senior hurling champions Clare have eclipsed their 2013 total of PwC GAA-GPA nominations of 13.
All but one of the team that began July’s extra-time All-Ireland final win over Cork, who themselves have collected 10, are included in the long list of 45.
Hurler of the year candidate Shane O’Donnell leads the Banner representation, which matches Limerick’s of 2023, while Cork’s crew is headed up by Darragh Fitzgibbon who will vie with the Clare star and Limerick’s multi-winning All-Star Kyle Hayes for the top individual award.
Cork’s haul is one more than 2021’s nine when they lost out to Limerick in the All-Ireland final, while Limerick’s nine this time around is the same as it was in 2019 when they also fell at the All-Ireland semi-final hurdle.
The November 1 All-Stars gala night is certain to be another occasion for Clare to savour as almost their entire team are acknowledged, 2020 and ’21 All-Star nominee Cathal Malone being the exception.
Defender Adam Hogan is also in the running for Young Hurler of the Year (U22) where he has been nominated alongside fellow defender Cork’s Eoin Downey and Limerick’s versatile Cathal O’Neill.
Of the Clare team that last won an All-Ireland crown 11 years ago, four are again nominated – O’Donnell, John Conlon, David McInerney and captain Tony Kelly. The quartet were also among the 45 last year as they were in 2022. It also the third consecutive year that Diarmuid Ryan and David Fitzgerald will be in the mix.
As well as goalkeeper Éibhear Qulligan, their entire outfield defensive and attacking sextets are honoured and at least half of their 14 will be strong considerations for accolades at the selection meeting at the end of October.
Cork are the only county of the eight represented in the nominations to have two noted in midfield – Fitzgibbon and Tim O’Mahony. Only half of their regular back-line is included, though, the Downey brothers and last year’s young hurler of the year candidate Ciarán Joyce.
Twenty-four years after his first nomination, veteran and current championship record top scorer Horgan has been acknowledged once more along with fellow Cork forwards Shane Barrett, Seamus Harnedy and Brian Hayes.
Munster champions Limerick, who like Clare and Cork lost twice in this year’s championship, have nine in the running for awards – Nickie Quaid, Dan Morrissey, Barry Nash, Hayes, O’Neill, Gearóid Hegarty, Tom Morrissey, Aaron Gillane and David Reidy.
Leinster winners Kilkenny have just four mentions – Huw Lawlor, David Blanchfield, Cian Kenny and John Donnelly – while Antrim (Paddy Burke and James McNaughton), Dublin (Chris Crummey and Conor Burke), Waterford (Tadhg de Búrca and Calum Lyons) and Wexford (Lee Chin and Rory O’Connor) each have a brace of nominations.
Combined, 21 of the 45 are nominees for the second year running – Quaid, Quilligan, Hayes, Dan Morrissey, Nash, Blanchfield, Lawlor, Conlon, Hogan, McInerney, Ryan, Joyce, Fitzgerald, Fitzgibbon, Gillane, Reidy (Limerick), Tom Morrissey, Kelly, O’Donnell, Mark Rodgers and Horgan.
The hurling team will be revealed live at the All-Stars gala night on RTÉ along with the hurling and football players and young players of the year.
On a proportional representation basis, the players’ body votes from the shortlists provided by the journalists’ selection committee for their best hurler and young hurler of the year.
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2024 PwC GAA-GPA Hurling All-Star nominations:
Goalkeepers: Éibhear Quilligan (Clare); Patrick Collins (Cork); Nickie Quaid (Limerick).
Defenders: Adam Hogan, Conor Cleary, Conor Leen, Diarmuid Ryan, John Conlon, David McInerney (all Clare); Eoin Downey, Robert Downey, Ciarán Joyce (all Cork); Dan Morrissey, Barry Nash, Kyle Hayes (all Limerick); David Blanchfield, Huw Lawlor (both Kilkenny); Tadhg de Búrca, Calum Lyons (both Waterford); Paddy Burke (Antrim); Chris Crummey (Dublin).
Midfielders: Tony Kelly (Clare); Darragh Fitzgibbon, Tim O’Mahony (Cork); Cathal O’Neill (Limerick); Cian Kenny (Kilkenny); Conor Burke (Dublin).
Forwards: David Fitzgerald, Mark Rodgers, Peter Duggan, Aidan McCarthy, Shane O’Donnell, David Reidy (all Clare); Shane Barrett, Seamus Harnedy, Patrick Horgan, Brian Hayes (all Cork); Gearóid Hegarty, Tom Morrissey, Aaron Gillane, David Reidy (all Limerick); John Donnelly (Kilkenny); Lee Chin, Rory O’Connor (both Wexford); James McNaughton (Antrim).
Breakdown: Clare 14; Cork 10; Limerick 9; Kilkenny 4; Antrim, Dublin, Waterford, Wexford all 2.
Hurler of the year: Shane O’Donnell (Clare); Darragh Fitzgibbon (Cork); Kyle Hayes (Limerick).
Young hurler of the year (U22): Adam Hogan (Clare); Eoin Downey (Cork); Cathal O’Neill (Limerick).
