A more balanced view of the whole season, that’s for sure.
We’re all be guilty of letting the All-Ireland final cloud our judgement on the year as a whole and picking a skewed All-Star team as a result. It’s only natural, really.
It’s the last game, it’s the most important game and it’s no surprise that we all get a little bit carried away with All-Ireland final day.
The Sunday Game panel of experts picked their All-Star hurling team of the year on the back of Limerick’s victory over Galway in the decider.
The Sunday Game team
Few eyebrows were raised with this selection. It seemed like a balanced look at the whole thing, Limerick leading the way with seven representatives, Galway with three, Clare two, Cork two and Eoin Murphy keeping the Kilkenny flame burning in the goals.
Colm Parkinson hosted Seamus Cheddar Plunkett and Dublin hurler Liam Rushe on the final GAA Hour Hurling Show team of the year and the lads picked their All-Star selection.
The GAA Hour team
1 Eoin Murphy (Kilkenny)
Liam Rushe ensured the number one spot didn’t pass without giving Anthony Nash an honourable mention, but the three lads were in agreement that Kilkenny’s goalkeeper was out on his own this year.
2 Colm Spillane (Cork)
The Rebel number two did get a bit of a cleaning off Aaron Gillane in the semi-final but the three lads agreed that one bad outing shouldn’t overrule his whole year, in which he had five other solid performances.
3 Daithí Burke (Galway)
Liam Rushe felt David McInerney deserved to be squeezed in to the team of the year, but he was outvoted by Wooly and Cheddar.
4 Richie English (Limerick)
Safe as a house all year long. No arguments here.
5 Padraic Mannion (Galway)
Cheddar doesn’t feel the Ahascragh-Foghenagh club man’s name should be bandied about in Hurler of the Year arguments but he still warrants an All-Star spot.
6 Declan Hannon (Limerick)
Consistent all through the year for the All-Ireland winners. Held the centre securely all year.
7 Chris Crummy (Dublin)
Diarmuid Byrnes and Dan Morrissey both unlucky to miss out here but Cheddar was extremely impressed by the Lucan man.
“I thought he was extremely impressive all year, an air-game, a ground game, distribution, long range points” – I’d go for him, said the Laois man.
Rushey wasn’t about to argue with that.
8 Cian Lynch (Limerick)
Liam Rushe feels this man deserves a shout in the Hurler of the Year debate.
9 Darragh Fitzgibbon (Cork)
The lads’ tip for the Young Hurler of the Year. Scored points for fun all year, runs past opponents like they’re not even there.
Cork's Darragh Fitzgibbon bursts out of defence and scores a fantastic point! pic.twitter.com/p7b04f7g3o
— The GAA (@officialgaa) May 20, 2018
10 Peter Duggan (Clare)
Duggan enjoyed the year of his life in the Clare jersey. He came of age this year.
11 Joe Canning (Galway)
The lads’ vote for Hurler of the Year.
12 TJ Reid (Kilkenny)
Cheddar feels Reid warrants inclusion ahead of Tom Morrissey. Won a League final for Kilkenny on his own and carried them on his back through the championship.
“He did play wing forward a number of times for Kilkenny this year, so we’re not picking him out of position,” he said.
13 Graeme Mulcahy (Limerick)
Many are talking about this man for Hurler of the Year, yet if Cheddar had his way, Aaron Gillane would be in here ahead of him.
“I think Gillane has been more consistent for Limerick throughout the year than Graeme Mulcahy,” he said.
Rushe and Wooly opted for Mulcahy, however, with his tackle against Cork winning over the Dublin man.
“They were down by a couple of points in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, and he sprinted and got the hook on O’Donoghue, that epitomised him for the whole year,” he said.
14 John Conlon (Clare)
The championships’ top scorer from play all year. Had the year of his life in full forward, taking a number of full backs to town.
15 Patrick Horgan (Cork)
“I think that Pat Horgan, consistently throughout the year, has been better than Seamus Harnedy. Harnedy was excellent in a couple of championship matches, but not as consistent as Horgan,” said Cheddar.
So there you have it, four changes from The Sunday Game’s team. What are your thoughts?
