Seven from Tipp, four from Cork as rookies dominate hurling All-Star selection

Tipperary have claimed seven PwC Hurling All-Stars, with runners-up and Munster winners Cork picking up four.

Thu, 06 Nov, 2025 - 07:00

John Fogarty

All-Ireland senior hurling champions Tipperary have claimed seven PwC All-Stars, with runners-up and Munster winners Cork picking up four.

For the Premier County, these are their first awards in six seasons yet the fourth time in 11 years they have annexed seven. That was their representation in 2014 when they were beaten by Kilkenny in an All-Ireland replay as it was when they lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup in 2016 and ’19.

In total, 10 of the selected 15 are debutants, the largest number of rookies in the hurling 15 since 2013. Five of Tipperary’s collection are first-time recipients – goalkeeper Rhys Shelly, defenders Robert Doyle and Eoghan Connolly and forwards Jake Morris and Andrew Ormond. Ronan Maher wins his third accolade and John McGrath will receive his second, nine years following his first.

Cork’s haul is one less than last year when Clare beat them in the final but there are first awards for former captain Seán O’Donoghue and Ciarán Joyce and hurler of the year nominee Brian Hayes. Darragh Fitzgibbon will collect his third All-Star award on Friday night and is the only All-Star who was also honoured last year.

After winning no awards last year despite reaching the All-Ireland semi-finals, Kilkenny have two this time around in the form of full-back Huw Lawlor, whose total grows to three, and Martin Keoghan, who emulates his father Liam who was presented with a gong in 1997. They are hurling’s fifth father and son set following Fan and Philly Larkin, Richie Power senior and junior, Tommy and Nickie Quaid, and Ken and Brian Hogan.

By far and away his county’s best player this year, Galway’s Cathal Mannion is a second-time All-Star having previously received one in 2015. He is Galway’s first All-Star in two years after Conor Whelan.

Dublin’s free-scoring Cian O’Sullivan is his county’s first recipient since 2013 when Gary Maguire, Liam Rushe and Danny Sutcliffe were acknowledged and only Dublin's 11th ever All-Star.

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Maher’s recognition means he and his brother Pádraic now have nine All-Stars between then. They emulate Ollie (four) and Joe Canning (five) and are one behind Tommy (nine) and Pádraic Walsh (two), while McGrath’s accolade brings his and Noel’s largesse to five.

Tipperary had just one All-Star forward when they were awarded seven in 2019 (hurler of the year Seamus Callanan) but Morris’ high level of consistency, Ormond’s back-to-back man of the match displays in Munster, and McGrath’s electric finish to the championship meant they were certs.

Tipperary also did not have a midfield All-Star when they lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup nine years ago. Their seven awards brings to 115 the number of All-Stars they have won since the scheme began in 1971, 111 in hurling and four in football.

Doyle and Connolly are the first West Tipperary winners since Doyle’s Clonoulty-Rossmore club-mate Declan Ryan in 1997. It is the first occasion the division has produced two in the same 15 in 34 years when siblings Conal and Cormac Bonnar of O’Donoghue’s Cashel King Cormacs and Pat Fox of Éire Óg-Annacarty were selected.

For Inniscarra’s O’Donoghue, his award marks confirmation of a return to form following an occasionally difficult time as captain in 2024. Joyce was one of the best performers in Munster and carried his form to Croke Park. Fitzgibbon has established himself as the best midfielder in the country and Hayes was considered a hurler of the year candidate before and after the All-Ireland series.

While all 15 All-Stars last year hailed from Munster, this year’s group featured four from the Leinster SHC. It is the 10th consecutive season there has been more men from the southern province included.

Unfortunate to miss out were Tipperary’s Bryan O’Mara, Cork’s 2024 All-Star Shane Barrett, and Adam English, although the Limerick midfielder is in the shake-up to win young hurler of the year. He faces competition from Doyle and Darragh McCarthy, who scored 13 points in the All-Ireland final.

For the main hurler of the year award, All-Stars Hayes, Morris and McGrath are the nominations and the victor will be announced at the televised All Stars gala in the RDS in Dublin on Friday night.

The football equivalents along with the best 15 will also be revealed on RTÉ1 on the 7.30pm show.

2025 PwC Hurling All-Stars team

Rhys Shelly (Moycarkey-Borris, Tipperary, 1st)

Robert Doyle (Clonoulty-Rossmore, Tipperary, 1st)

Huw Lawlor (O'Loughlin Gaels, Kilkenny, 3rd – 2022, ‘23)

Seán O’Donoghue (Inniscarra, Cork, 1st)

Eoghan Connolly (Cashel King Cormacs, Tipperary, 1st)

Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields, Tipperary, 3rd – 2016, ’19)

Ciarán Joyce (Castlemartyr, Cork, 1st)

Cathal Mannion (Ahascragh-Fohenagh, Galway, 2nd – 2015)

Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville, Cork, 3rd – 2018, ’24)

Jake Morris (Nenagh Éire Óg, Tipperary, 1st)