Final chance to impress for Star players

SELECTING the outstanding individuals in their positions before the final is very difficult — and highly subjective at any time of the year, come to that.

Kilkenny and Tipperary, the two top teams in the country, deservedly get most of the slots. Rookie keeper David Herity (Kilkenny) gets the nod in goal. He has made some smart saves and looked very tidy around the goalmouth. Long-serving Brendan Cummins (Tipperary) didn’t get enough to do all year but Sunday’s final might determine who is the best.

Paul Curran (Tipp) is my full-back — he hasn’t put a foot wrong defensively so far. Paul Murphy (KK) has been the stand-out right corner-back, while on the other side I nominate Niall Corcoran (Dublin). He normally plays at two but has been consistent all year and was outstanding on the left against Tipp in the semi-final. Arguments could be made for Tom Condon of Limerick or Waterford’s Noel Connors here, while Peter Kelly of Dublin would have supporters for the full-back position.

The half-back line picks itself. Tommy Walsh (KK) and Padraic Maher (Tipp) are on the wings, with Brian Hogan, the Kilkenny captain, in the centre.

At midfield I go for Michael Fennelly (KK) and Liam Rushe of Dublin, who would have been picked in other places also. Waterford’s Kevin Moran is unlucky to lose out, while Shane McGrath (Tipp) and Donal O’Grady (Limerick) would also be worthy of nominations.

Declan Hannon of Limerick was to the fore in the scoring stakes in his three games, doing particularly well against Dublin. I put him in at right half-forward.

Henry Shefflin is my pick at 12 — he still pulls the strings in the Kilkenny forward line and has been excellent up to now. No candidate has really nailed down the centre-forward spot but I’ve gone for Dublin’s Ryan O’Dwyer. He didn’t play here in every game but played there often enough and his overall workrate gains him selection in this spot.

The full-forward line is another that picks itself: Offaly’s Shane Dooley and Cork’s Patrick Horgan would have some support, but I’ve gone for Eoin Kelly of Tipperary at right corner-forward. He was excellent in the Munster championship, particularly in the games that mattered, while nailing three crucial 65s against Dublin.

John Mullane, a certainty for GPA and other awards later in the year, is left corner-forward, while Lar Corbett, another certainty, slots in at the edge of the square.

Dublin’s Conal Keaney was ruled out by injury. Mickey Cahill, Conor O’Mahony (both Tipp) as well as Jackie Tyrrell (Kilkenny) could come with late runs for the actual selections based on their displays this weekend.