Clare get eight players in U-21 Hurling Team of the Year

Over half of the players selected on the Bord Gáis Energy Under-21 Hurling Team of the Year hail from champions Clare, including team captain Paul Flanagan.

Wed, 09 Oct, 2013 - 12:51

[comment]Paul Flanagan of Clare. Pic: Sportsfile[/comment]

Over half of the players selected on the Bord Gáis Energy Under-21 Hurling Team of the Year hail from champions Clare, including team captain Paul Flanagan.

The Banner youngsters, who beat Antrim in the recent final, lead the way with eight awards in a year that witnessed the county claim All-Ireland senior glory in addition to their third U-21 crown in five years.

The Clare Under-21s' defence laid the foundations in helping them retain the Cross of Cashel trophy in 2013 and this has been rewarded by the judging panel.

The Banner's net minder Ronan Taaffe has been selected as goalkeeper after a successful year that saw the Tubber clubman concede only two goals throughout the entire U-21 Championship.

Bord Gáis Energy ambassador and Clare captain Paul Flanagan is joined by team-mate David McInerney in the full-back line, while Seadna Morey has been selected at right half-back and St. Joseph's/Doora Barefield's Alan O'Neill awarded the centre back position. All four players featured in Davy Fitzgerald's senior panel that claimed the Liam McCarthy Cup last month.

Completing the positions in defence are Kilkenny's Brian Kennedy at left corner back and Waterford's Ray Barry, who has been awarded the left half-back position. Kennedy was a notable performer in Kilkenny's two matches against Offaly and Wexford, while Barry is Waterford's only inclusion, in a year that saw them give Clare a real scare in their first round clash in Walsh Park.

In midfield, Clare's Colm Galvin and Wexford skipper Lee Chin have been nominated at number eight and nine respectively. Chin had a fine year that saw him lead Wexford to their first Leinster U-21 hurling crown in eleven years.

The dual star's surging runs through the heart of the opposition's defence was a notable feature in this year's U-21 Championship.

Galvin, like so many of his Clare team-mates, will find it hard to top 2013. Lining out at midfield at both senior and U-21 level, the tenacious Clonlara man is one of the finest midfielders in the game at present.

Completing the All-Ireland U-21 champions' representation in the Team of the Year are Tony Kelly at right half-forward and Podge Collins at centre forward. These two are joined in the half-forward line by Antrim's Stephen McAfee.

Kelly and Collins were exceptional this year, with the latter being the focal point of the Clare attack. Antrim attacker McAfee has been rewarded for the Glensmen's fine year in which he scored 1-4 against Wexford in the All-Ireland semi-final.

McAfee's Antrim team-mate Ciaran Clarke, whose free-taking capabilities were pivotal in getting the Saffrons to their first ever U-21 All-Ireland hurling final, is included in the full-forward line.

Completing the U-21 Team of the Year is Tipperary's Jason Forde and Stephen Quirke from Offaly. Forde was superb in all of the games he featured in and finished the campaign with an impressive total of 5-23. Offaly's only nomination, Quirke, scored 1-10 as the Faithfuls nearly overcame the odds to beat Kilkenny.

The prestigious Player of the Year and Score of the Year awards will be presented at the inaugural Bord Gáis Energy Team of the Year Awards ceremony which will be televised live on TG4 at 8.30pm this Saturday.

Fans can have their say by voting for the Score of the Year - clips of the ten best scores from televised matches (including the U-21 All-Ireland hurling 'B' final) are available to view on the Breakingthrough Youtube channel.

Fans can vote for their favourite score via Facebook, Twitter or Instragram. Voting will close at midnight on Friday.

Ger Cunningham, Sports Ambassador with Bord Gáis Energy commented: "In what has been a fantastic year for hurling as a whole, we are delighted to be able to host these awards and recognise the individual talent that has been on show throughout 2013.

"Bord Gáis Energy would like to thank all the teams, players, managers and mentors involved in 2013 for their hard work and for making this a fantastic year in U-21 hurling."

The full judging panel for the awards includes Bord Gáis Energy sports ambassadors Ger Cunningham and Joe Canning, in addition to TG4's Mícheál Ó Domhnaill and former Waterford star Ken McGrath.

Bord Gáis Energy Under-21 Hurling Team of the Year:

Goalkeeper

1. Ronan Taaffe - Clare

Full-Backs

2. Paul Flanagan - Clare

3. David McInerney - Clare

4. Brian Kennedy - Kilkenny

Half-Backs

5. Seadna Morey - Clare

6. Alan O'Neill - Clare

7. Ray Barry - Waterford

Midfielders