Seven All-Stars for All-Ireland champions Limerick

LEADING THE WAY: Limerick captain Declan Hannon lifts the Liam MacCarthy Cup after the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Final match between Kilkenny and Limerick at Croke Park in Dublin. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

All-Ireland champions Limerick lead the way with seven players selected in the 2022 PWC All-Stars hurling team. While Limerick wing back Diarmaid Byrnes has won the Hurler of the Year award.

It is a far cry from the 12 players they had selected last year, with the omission of Sean Finn making him the most notable absentee. Finn had won All-Stars for the previous four years in a row.

Runners-up Kilkenny have four players included having won the Leinster title and been just pipped by the three-in-a-row champions to Liam MacCarthy honours. Kilkenny corner back Mikie Butler has won the Young Hurler of the Year award.

Semi-finalists and Munster runners-up Clare have three players included while the sole remaining position goes to Galway who have Padraic Mannion selected at wing back.

Limerick's Nickie Quaid wins what looked a straight shootout with Kilkenny's Eoin Murphy for the goalkeeper's spot. Murphy was one of the three non-Limerick players selected in 2021.

Kilkenny's Butler takes the corner back slot at the expense of Finn. Butler was the Cat's go to man marker this year.

His teammate Huw Lawlor takes the full back slot with Hurler of the Year nominee Barry Nash's selection in the other corner no surprise.

The man who pipped Nash to that individual award, Diarmaid Byrnes, was a shoo-in at number five. While Limerick's inspirational captain, Declan Hannon, was rewarded for his excellent form at centre back.

Galway's Mannion completes the half back line.

The first of Clare's trio of players is at midfield. David Fitzgerald had a brilliant campaign for the Banner, with his physical presence and ball winning ability a key weapon in their armour.

Kilkenny and Ballyhale Shamrocks start Adrian Mullen takes the other midfield slot having excelled for the Cats in their run to the final.

Limerick's twin towers of Gearóid Hegarty and Kyle Hayes are selected in the half forward line.

Hegarty's ability to up his game on the biggest occasions saw him lift the Player of the Match award in the All-Ireland final, his haul of 1-5 included a memorable early goal.

Hayes started off the year with patchy form, but found it at the right time to finish the championship hitting his peak, as all great players do.

The third man on the half forward line is Clare's Shane O'Donnell. The Eire Og livewire returned to action after missing the majority of 2021 with concussion and was in blistering form.

Limerick's Aaron Gillane was always going to make the team such was his form all year. 

Kilkenny talisman TJ Reid is selected at full forward to win his sixth All-Star, having led his side to a Leinster title and an All-Ireland final.

Clare's Tony Kelly completes the side. The Ballyea man was kept relatively quiet by Butler in the All-Ireland semi-final but had a phenomenal Munster campaign and wins his fourth All-Star.

Meanwhile, Kerry's David Clifford has won the Footballer of the Year award and Galway's Jack Glynn has won the Young Footballer of the Year award.

2022 PwC All-Star hurling team

Nickie Quaid (Limerick); Mikey Butler (Kilkenny), Huw Lawlor (Kilkenny), Barry Nash (Limerick); Diarmaid Byrnes (Limerick), Declan Hannon (Limerick), Padraic Mannion (Galway); David Fitzgerald (Clare), Adrian Mullen (Kilkenny); Gearóid Hegarty (Limerick), Kyle Hayes (Limerick), Shane O'Donnell (Clare); Aaron Gillane (Limerick), TJ Reid (Kilkenny), Tony Kelly (Clare).