Final heroes worthy of inclusion
Kilkenny eight, Tipperary four, Dublin two and Waterford one. That’s the final count in this year’s All Star hurling team. At the end of last August we did a little exercise here in the Irish Examiner where all the GAA guys were asked to choose their All Stars up to that point.
I went with a team that had four each from Kilkenny and Tipperary, one each from Waterford and Galway, and five from Dublin, the Allianz Hurling League champions. But that was then. One game was all that was left in the championship, just one game, but when the final tally was counted, that one game — the All-Ireland final — just has to carry so much extra weight.
Yes, it could be said that those players whose teams make it that far have an unfair advantage over those who have not but by the same token a big game by any individual in the biggest hurling game of the year has to mean something. And it does.
So it is that while Dublin still have Gary Maguire and Liam Rushe in there from my interim selection, I can’t really have any qualms about the absence of Niall Corcoran, Peter Kelly and Conal Keaney, whose places in the team announced yesterday are taken by Paul Murphy, Paul Curran and Henry Shefflin, respectively.
All three would have been very close anyway, in my original selection, and all three played well on the first Sunday in September. So, no qualms there.
It’s also worth noting that their absence made way for Shefflin — who, along with Eddie Brennan, joined Christy Ring and John Doyle at the top of the table on eight All-Ireland medals won on the field of play — to win a record 10th All Star.
Waterford’s John Mullane retains the position I gave him in August, and rightly so — this guy is the gift that just keeps on giving, not just to Waterford but to hurling generally.
Unlucky to lose out though was David Collins of Galway, who was absolutely magnificent all year, consistency personified in a team that defied the word. Still, Mickey Cahill too had a superb season, so won’t argue with his selection.
The half-back line picked itself. Brian Hogan capping an outstanding year with his first All Star award, Tommy Walsh setting his own record with his ninth consecutive award — what’s the betting on the mercurial Tullaroan dynamo setting a new individual record, eventually?
Midfield too, almost automatic. Michael Rice — a fine midfielder — is picked at right-half-forward, where he also played so well throughout the year. Noel McGrath loses out here and on the All-Ireland final display, I don’t think anyone can argue with that.
The two Kilkenny Richies, Power and Hogan, are winning their first awards and while had good years, the man most unlucky of any not to be winning an All Star this year is surely Eoin Larkin.This guy does so much unseen work for Kilkenny, covers so much ground, is always hungry for work and is superb creator and lethal finisher.
Another unlucky player is Conal Keaney of Dublin. Injury was the curse, suffered in a motor-bike accident preventing the former Dublin football star from taking part in his side’s last two championship games. Without question Conal was on his way to an All Star in this, his debut hurling season, and without question, his loss to Dublin was huge.
Along with those I’ve mentioned above, a strong argument can be made also for David Herity (Kilkenny) in goal, but Dublin did make a breakthrough this year with that Allianz Hurling League win, their first national senior title since the 1930s and also qualified for the All-Ireland semi-final. Gary Maguire was pivotal to that progression. With Stephen Cluxton a shoo-in for the football goalkeeping position, won’t that be a first, the two All-Star keepers from the same county?
Overall, I believe most people will agree with most of those selected. That’s about as much as you can hope for.
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