Touring party finalised for All Stars trip

THE touring party for the GAA Vodafone Hurling All Stars trip to Argentina was confirmed last night.

This year’s tour will leave Dublin on Wednesday for the week long trip with the sides going head to head on Saturday, (Dec 12) at the Hurling Club, Hurlingham, Buenos Aires. Four in a row All-Ireland winning Kilkenny manager Brian Cody will manage the 2008 selection while Tipperary boss Liam Sheedy oversees the 2009 team.

Thirty two players from eight counties are travelling. Of those, 12 players have been added as replacements, with four of those from Kilkenny, two from Waterford and one each from Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Offaly and Tipperary.

Four players are unable to travel due to family, work and exam commitments – Kilkenny’s Noel Hickey and Henry Shefflin and Tipperary’s Shane McGrath and Conor O’Mahony. Cork’s Diarmuid Kirwan, who took charge of this year’s All-Ireland SHC final, has been confirmed as referee. He will be joined on the tour by this year’s All-Ireland SFC final referee Marty Duffy.

DOUBLE ALL STARS (2008 and 2009): T Walsh (Kilkenny), E Larkin (Kilkenny), J Canning (Galway), J Tyrell (Kilkenny).

2008 ALL STARS: B Cummins (Tipperary), M Kavanagh (Kilkenny), JJ Delaney (Kilkenny), J ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick (Kilkenny), B O’Connor (Cork), E Brennan (Kilkenny), E Kelly (Waterford).

2009 ALL STARS: PJ Ryan (Kilkenny), O Canning (Galway), P Maher (Tipperary), M Walsh (Waterford), M Rice (Kilkenny), A McCrabbe (Dublin), L Corbett (Tipperary), N McGrath (Tipperary), J Mullane (Waterford).

Replacements: S Og O’hAilpin (Cork), S Hiney (Dublin), F Moore (Galway), T Browne (Waterford), M Foley (Limerick), R Power (Kilkenny), B Carroll (Offaly), E Kelly (Tipperary), E McGrath (Waterford), M Comerford (Kilkenny), B Hogan (Kilkenny), A Fogarty (Kilkenny).

ALL STARS MANAGERS: B Cody (Kilkenny), L Sheedy (Tipperary).

ALL STARS REFEREES: D Kirwan (Cork), M Duffy (Sligo).

Not travelling due to family, work and exam commitments: N Hickey (Kilkenny C O’Mahony (Tipperary), S McGrath (Tipperary), H Shefflin (Kilkenny).