GAA to honour ‘best of the rest’

The GAA are to honour the 15 outstanding hurlers from the 1980s who were unsuccessful in annexing an All-Ireland winner’s medal.

The selection, released yesterday, will be honoured at half-time during next month’s All-Ireland senior hurling final between Clare and Cork.

The opportunity arose for the GAA to break with tradition after Galway’s back-to-back winners from 1987-88 were acknowledged at last year’s decider.

Limerick, who secured successive Munster titles at the beginning of that decade, topped the bill in nabbing four of the positions, one more than either Clare or Waterford.

“Legions of top quality players grace Croke Park with their skills, but not all are rewarded for their efforts with All-Ireland medals,” said GAA president Liam O’Neill.

“This should in no way diminish their contribution to the game of hurling.”

The selection is as follows: Tommy Quaid (Limerick/Feoghenagh, RIP); John Gavin (Waterford/Portlaw), Leonard Enright (Limerick/Patrickswell), Dessie Donnelly, (Antrim/Ballycastle); Ger Loughnane (Clare/Feakle), Sean Stack (Clare/Sixmilebridge), Terence McNaughton (Antrim/Cushendall); Mossy Walsh (Waterford/Ballyduff), Pat Critchley (Laois/Portlaoise); John Callinan (Clare/Clarecastle), Martin Quigley (Wexford/Rathnure), Paddy Kelly (Limerick/Kilmallock); David Kilcoyne (Westmeath/Ringtown), PJ Cuddy (Laois/Camross), Jim Greene (Waterford/Mount Sion).