Limerick capture a magnificent seven awards in PwC Hurling All-Star team

NOT surprisingly, Limerick’s four in a row success in the All-Ireland senior hurling championship sees them again dominate the PwC Hurling All-Star team with seven places on the coveted final 15 for 2023.

The Treaty County lead the way with All-Ireland finalists Kilkenny capturing five places, Munster finalists Clare having two and Galway forward Conor Whelan completing the representation.

Kilkenny’s Eoin Murphy is now a four-time All-Star goalkeeper after another season making wonder stops and is a feat helped in no small part by that incredible Cat-like reflex save against Clare’s Peter Duggan in the semi-final at Croke Park.

Mikey Butler and Huw Lawlor represent Kilkenny in the full back line with three-time winner Dan Morrissey joining them.

Clare’s John Conlon is named at centre back and enters a distinguished club of players who have been honoured as forwards and defenders in their career after he was named full forward in 2018.

Either side of him, Limerick duo Diarmaid Byrnes and Kyle Hayes win their fourth straight All-Star award.

It’s an all-Limerick midfield of Darragh O’Donovan and Will O’Donoghue.

The PwC All-Star teams will be presented with their awards at a gala black-tie event which will be staged for the first time in Dublin’s RDS and shown live on RTÉ tv this Friday, where the PwC Football All-Stars will be announced live, as will the GAA/GPA PwC Hurler of the Year, Footballer of the Year and Young Players of the Year awards. These overall awards are voted on from among the inter-county playing body themselves.

PwC Hurling All-Stars 2023 (Previous winning years in brackets)

Eoin Murphy (Kilkenny) (2016, 2018, 2021)

Mikey Butler (Kilkenny) (2022)

Huw Lawlor (Kilkenny) (2022)

Dan Morrissey (Limerick) (2018, 2020)

Diarmaid Byrnes (Limerick) (2020, 2021, 2022)

John Conlon (Clare) (2018)

Kyle Hayes (Limerick) (2020, 2021, 2022)

Darragh O’Donovan (Limerick) (2021)

Will O’Donoghue (Limerick) (2021)

Shane O’Donnell (Clare) (2022)

TJ Reid (Kilkenny) (2012, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2022)

Tom Morrissey (Limerick) (2020, 2021)

Conor Whelan (Galway) (2017)

Aaron Gillane (Limerick) (2019, 2020, 2022)

Eoin Cody (Kilkenny)