TIPPERARY’S defensive solidity has seen them earn seven places on the PwC GAA/GPA Allstar hurling team, which includes two Wexford men that end the county’s 15-year run without an award.
Liam Sheedy’s All-Ireland champions, who beat Kilkenny by 14 points in the decider after Richie Hogan’s red card turned the game, take up five of the back seven spots.
Goalkeeper Brian Hogan, full-backs Ronan Maher and Cathal Barrett and wing-backs Brendan and Pádraic Maher are all included alongside Padraig Walsh (Kilkenny) and Limerick’s Sean Finn, who is one of only two men that also made last year’s team.
The other is Cork forward Patrick Horgan, who wins his third straight Allstar after another stunning season.
His fellow Hurler of the Year nominee Seamus Callanan is the only Tipperary forward to make it, with beaten All-Ireland finalists Kilkenny earning two of their three gongs in attack.
Colin Fennelly gets the nod alongside TJ Reid in the half-forward line, meaning no place for their team-mate Adrian Mullen or Wexford duo Conor McDonald and Rory O’Connor.
Matthew O’Hanlon is alongside Dublin’s Chris Crummey and Huw Lawlor in being unfortunate to miss out in defence.
The Leinster champions are represented by Diarmuid O’Keeffe - who joins Noel McGrath at midfield on the team – and Lee Chin, who had been nominated three times previously without picking up an award.
The Hurler and Young Hurler of the Year will be announced alongside the 2019 Football Allstars at a ceremony at the Convention Centre in Dublin on Friday night.
PwC GAA/GPA Hurling Allstars 2019: B Hogan (Tipperary); S Finn (Limerick), R Maher (Tipperary), C Barrett (Tipperary); B Maher (Tipperary), P Walsh (Kilkenny), Pádraic Maher (Tipperary); N McGrath (Tipperary), D O’Keeffe (Wexford); L Chin (Wexford), TJ Reid (Kilkenny), C Fennelly (Kilkenny); A Gillane (Limerick), S Callanan (Tipperary), P Horgan (Cork)
