Cats lead hurling All-Star nominations
Kilkenny’s all-conquering hurlers, as expected, dominate the list of nominees released today for Vodafone GAA All-Stars awards for 2006.
A total of 13 Kilkenny players who brought the county league, provincial and All-Ireland success this past season are nominated for awards.
The winners will be announced live on RTE at the All-Stars banquet in Dublin’s City West Hotel on November 24.
Nine counties are represented on the list with 11 players from beaten All-Ireland finalists Cork included. An eye-catching inclusion is that of the hugely talented Laois forward James Young who is named amongst the nine players nominated at half-forward.
Kilkenny's Henry Shefflin is again nominated and could pick up his sixth award this year.
The record number of All-Star awards is jointly held by Shefflin's former team-mate DJ Carey and former Kerry football star Pat Spillane. Tommy Walsh, who has won awards as a defender, midfielder and forward, is once again nominated in the defence.
Nine of the 2005 Hurling All-Stars – Davy Fitzgerald, Diarmuid O’Sullivan, John Gardiner, Jerry O'Connor, Ben O’Connor, Shefflin, Walsh, Eoin Kelly and Damien Hayes – are again nominated.
The county breakdown is: Kilkenny (13), Cork (11), Waterford (8), Clare (5), Tipperary (4), Laois (1), Galway (1), Offaly (1), Limerick (1).
The Vodafone GAA All-Star Hurling Nominees for 2006 are:
Goalkeepers:
Donal Og Cusack (Cork)
Davy Fitzgerald (Clare)
James McGarry (Kilkenny)
Full Backs:
Brian Murphy (Cork)
Diarmuid O’Sullivan (Cork)
JJ Delaney (Kilkenny)
Noel Hickey (Kilkenny)
Eoin Murphy (Waterford)
Tom Feeney (Waterford)
Paul Curran (Tipperary)
Frank Lohan (Clare)
Damien Reale (Limerick)
Half Backs:
Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny)
James Ryall (Kilkenny)
John Tennyson (Kilkenny)
Ken McGrath (Waterford)
Tony Browne (Waterford)
Ronan Curran (Cork)
John Gardiner (Cork)
Eamon Corcoran (Tipperary)
Sean McMahon (Clare)
Midfield:
Jerry O’Connor (Cork)
Tom Kenny (Cork)
Derek Lyng (Kilkenny)
James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick (Kilkenny)
Shane McGrath (Tipperary)
Dave Bennett (Waterford)
Half Forwards:
Eddie Brennan (Kilkenny)
Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny)
Eoin Larkin (Kilkenny)
Dan Shanahan (Waterford)
Michael Walsh (Waterford)
Niall McCarthy (Cork)
Ben O’Connor (Cork)
Tony Carmody (Clare)
James Young (Laois)
Full Forwards:
Joe Deane (Cork)
Brian Corcoran (Cork)
Martin Comerford (Kilkenny)
Aidan Fogarty (Kilkenny)
Tony Griffin (Clare)
Eoin Kelly (Tipperary)
Damien Hayes (Galway)
John Mullane (Waterford)
Joe Bergin (Offaly)
