Cork were tipped to walk it.
The Rebels hurled Tipperary off Páirc Uí Chaoimh and all the way back to Thurles when the county’s collided in the Munster final but Tipperary showed up in Limerick when it mattered the most and they snatched it off Cork.
Sadly, this was the last ever year of under-21 hurling. What a competition it has been and the last few years have been the best few years. The James Nowlan Cup has chopped and changed hands between the hurling strongholds as young gems announced themselves to the hurling world all the way along.
Next year it will be under-20 and you have to feel the standard of hurling and the sense of occasion will take a hit unless it switches places with the minor final to take place before the senior one.
It will have some work to do before it reaches the levels of prestige under-21 has channelled over the years but we can only hope it does.
The nominees for the Bord Gais under-21 All-Stars were announced on Wednesday afternoon and from those nominations, we’ve made our selections for the team in bold.
Goalkeepers
Billy Nolan (Waterford), Barry Hogan (Tipperary), Ger Collins (Cork)
Collins couldn’t be faulted in the final, he couldn’t be faulted all year.
Right Corner Back
Paddy Smyth (Dublin), David Lowney (Cork), Damien Reck (Wexford)
Reck’s as hard as Wexford have to offer and they make them hard down in the sunny south east.
Full Back
Darren Byrne (Wexford), Jack Fitzpatrick (Galway), Brian McGrath (Tipperary)
John and Noel’s brother has big boots to fill but he gave a masterclass in the final, and indeed throughout Tipp’s campaign.
Left Corner Back
Killian O’Dwyer (Tipperary), Shane Bannon (Galway), Niall O’Leary (Cork)
Small, sticky and fiery, O’Dwyer is a textbook corner back.
Killian O’Dwyer and his brothers Ciaran and Padraig pic.twitter.com/jZomjvEjkg
— Philip O'Connell (@stonethrower72) August 26, 2018
Right Half Back
Fintan Burke (Galway), Conor Prunty (Waterford), Billy Hennessy (Cork)
St Thomas’ club man Burke was Galway’s most solid defender.
Centre Back
Kyle Hayes (Limerick), Mark Coleman (Cork), Robert Byrne (Tipperary)
Coleman gave exhibitions at this grade all year. Some will say Kyle Hayes was unlucky to miss out, but he wasn’t at his best in Limerick’s loss to Tipp in Munster.
Sublime stickwork from Mark Coleman for this sideline for @OfficialCorkGAA pic.twitter.com/h2aGvV0Cg6
— The GAA (@officialgaa) July 4, 2018
Left Half Back
Dylan Quirke (Tipperary), Jack Grealish (Galway), Ian Carty (Wexford)
That goal alone would be enough, his contribution to the Wexford cause much more than that.
Midfield
Darragh Fitzgibbon (Cork), Richie Leahy (Kilkenny), Tom Monaghan (Galway), Seán Loftus (Galway), Ger Browne (Tipperary), Conor Cahalane (Cork)
Didn’t go Darragh Fitzgibbon’s way in the final, but he had some campaign until then. Ger Browne will be heard tell of in the future.
GAANOW Rewind takes a look ahead to this Sunday's @BGEGAA U21 Hurling All-Ireland Final as Ger Browne and his @TipperaryGAA team mates prepare to go head-to-head with Tim O'Mahony’s @OfficialCorkGAA at Gaelic Grounds, Limerick! pic.twitter.com/QbAfQc0W2a
— The GAA (@officialgaa) August 23, 2018
Right Half Forward
Brian Ryan (Limerick), Robbie O’Flynn (Cork), Joe O’Connor (Wexford)
Scored points for fun, even when injured, in that crushing loss to Galway. O’Connor stood out all year.
Joe O’Connor lands a fantastic point from distance in Extra-Time for @OfficialWexGAA pic.twitter.com/9wgfNxYo0a
— The GAA (@officialgaa) July 4, 2018
Centre Forward
Jerome Cahill (Tipperary), Rory O’Connor (Wexford), Declan Dalton (Cork)
The Kilruane McDonagh’s club-man is as clever a hurler as you’ll come across. Picked off three fine points in the final.
Left Half Forward
Killian Doyle (Wesmeath), Cianan Fahy (Galway), Shane Kingston (Cork)
Big, burly and strong, Fahy’s a dangerous half forward.
Right Corner Forward
Jake Morris (Tipperary), Kevin Cooney (Galway), Colin Currie (Dublin)
Morris is being dubbed the new Lar Corbett in Tipperary. Some man to win ball and bring others into the play.
Full Forward
Tim O’Mahoney (Cork), John Donnelly (Kilkenny), Mark Kehoe (Tipperary)
Stylish as they come, Kehoe is tipped for big things in the Premier County.
Left Corner Forward
Simon Casey (Wexford), Evan Niland (Galway), Chris Nolan (Carlow)
Niland has dynamite pace and a keen eye for a goal.
Player of the year
Meanwhile there have been four players nominated for the player of the year award. It’s a close call between Morris and Coleman for us, but the Cork man just shades it.
