The prize was won last year by Kerry footballer Kieran Donaghy for his autobiography "What Do You Think of That?"

"Once again, the eir Sport Book of the Year has delivered a remarkably high standard of books competing for this year's award," Glen Killane, managing director of eir TV and Sport, said.

"This year sees the highest number of autobiographies we have had over the three years of the award, offering sports fans tremendous insight into some of our most revered Irish sporting heroes.

"Overall, the range of entries features a host of fascinating topics and subject matter with an outstanding level of writing evident across the board which make it a difficult task for our judging panel to select their shortlist and winner."

The winning author will receive a €1,500 cash prize, a specially commissioned trophy and €10,000 worth of TV advertising on eir Sport.

"Publishing Ireland is delighted to partner with eir Sport once again this year and together we're looking for the best sports book to win this award, which will hopefully go on to be one of the bestselling books of 2017," the President of Publishing Ireland Ronan Colgan said.

"We would like to wish all involved the very best of luck!"

The final shortlist will be announced at the end of November, with the awards event taking place in Dublin in early December.

Mark Duncan will head the eight-person judging panel, made up of sports' editors and senior journalists.

Nominees:

A bit of Shemozzle: GAA Quips and Quotes by Martin O' Duffy [The O'Brien Press]

Great Moments in Hurling by Sportsfile [The O'Brien Press]

Festival Fever: The Irish at Cheltenham by Anne Holland [The O'Brien Press]

Soccer Migrants: A Social and Cultural History by Conor Curran [Cork University Press]

Any Given Saturday by Shay Given [Trinity Mirror Sports Media]

The Warriors Code by Jackie Tyrell with Christy O'Connor [Trinity Mirror Sports Media]

The GAA Immortals by John Scally [Black-and-White Publishing]

Jayo: My autobiography by Jason Sherlock with Damien Lawlor [Simon & Schuster]

Form: My autobiography by Kieran Fallon with Oliver Holt [Simon & Schuster]

First Hand: My Life and Irish Football by Eoin Hand with Jared Browne [Collins Press]

The Pursuit of Perfection: The Life, Death and Legacy of Cormac McAnallen by Dónal McAnallen [Penguin Ireland]

Gooch: The Autobiography by Vincent Hogan [Transworld Ireland]

When Lions Roared: The Lions, the All Blacks and the Legendary Tour of 1971 by Tom English and Peter Burns [Polaris Publishing]

The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish cycling's golden generation by Barry Ryan [Gill Books]

Boy Wonder: Tales from the Sidelines of an Irish Childhood by Dave Hannigan [Gill Books]

The Choice by Philly McMahon with Niall Kelly [Gill Books]

The Rory's Stories Guide to the GAA by Rory O'Connor [Gill Books]

Behind the Lines: Great Irish Sport Stories by The42.ie [Journal Media]

The Art of Hurling: Insights into Success from the Managers by Daire Whelan [Mercier Press]

Where Have All the Irish Gone?: The Sad Demise of Irelands Once Relevant Footballers by Kevin O'Neill [Pitch Publishing]

New York Fight Nights: Stateside scraps, scrapes and scuffles by Thomas Myler [Pitch Publishing]

At the End of the Day by Paul Byrnes [Lettertec]