DJ Carey last night became the most decorated hurler in the history of the All Stars. His eighth award (including one Players' All Star) takes him beyond his countyman Noel Skehan, with whom he shared the old record. Carey, who was also named Players' Hurler of the Year, now has footballer Pat Spillane's overall record of nine All Stars within his sights.

Kilkenny dominate this year's hurling All Stars who were named in Dublin last night. The All-Ireland champions have gained a representation of nine, a total which emulates the 17-year-old record held by the same county. Conversely, Offaly earn only one award, Johnny Dooley at centrefield, a record low for All-Ireland finalists.

The player awards were also announced and echoed the consensus. While Carey took the hurling award, Kerry captain Seamus Moynihan was chosen as Footballer of the Year. The Young Player of the Year awards in football and hurling, respectively, went to Joe Bergin (Galway) and Kilkenny's Noel Hickey.

Apart from Kilkenny, the hurling All Stars are shared between Munster champions Cork, Tipperary (two each), League winners Galway (one) and Offaly (one). Overall, the selection is slightly more controversial than the football team who also received their awards last night.

Such controversy may centre on two selections: full back and centre forward. At the back Cork's Diarmuid O'Sullivan did enough to run foul of the sportsmanship prohibition and on the 40, Galway's Joe Rabbitte got the verdict ahead of two more deserving candidates.

O'Sullivan's wild pull on Brian Begley in the Munster semi-final against Limerick caused much comment back in June. During an early exchange and tussle, he struck the opposing full forward with his hurl. Referee Aodan Mac Suibhne merely booked the Corkman and the Games Administration Committee, in its most abject performance since taking office, declined to review the video evidence.

Given that O'Sullivan has been the game's outstanding full back over the last two championships, his exclusion would have been a hard choice but such hard choices have been taken in recent years. Ironically, some years ago when O'Sullivan himself was the victim of a similar stroke, the offending player was not considered for an All Star nomination.

When the sportsmanship rule was redefined three years ago in order to separate it from the GAA's disciplinary structures, top GAA officials expressed doubts as to whether journalists would ever prevent an All Star from being awarded on the grounds of sportsmanship. The O'Sullivan decision gives credence to those reservations.

Despite his excellence, the young Cork defender is slightly prone to indiscipline and losing this year's All Star might well have taught him a valuable lesson. Elsewhere in defence there will be few arguments about the awards. Tipperary's John Carroll receives his first award at right wing back after a barnstorming debut season. His selection might have been threatened by team-mate Eamonn Corcoran, whose consistent excellence on the left wing was a feature of the county's campaign and whose loss to injury in the All-Ireland quarter-final against Galway was a critical blow to his team.

Yet it would have been hard on Carroll to lose his award to someone being moved out of position and his selection is on balance merited. Peter Barry's claims to the left wing spot were irrefutable.

The centrefield combination of Johnny Dooley and Andy Comerford was widely forecast and will cause little debate. Neither will the attack with the exception of Rabbitte's selection. The Galway captain had a poor All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny and only stamped himself on the quarter-final with Tipperary in the closing phases - a crucial contribution, but hardly enough to edge out both Tipperary's John Leahy and Kilkenny's John Power.

Leahy was in the running for Hurler of the Year by the end of June. He didn't have a great Munster final and was injured for the Galway match but against Waterford and Clare he was exceptional. On a countback of exceptional performances, Leahy beats Rabbitte. Maybe this penalises Galway's lack of championship matches but in those circumstances, the Galwayman couldn't afford to draw a blank in the All-Ireland semi-final.

It can be argued that Leahy did his best work at centrefield but he hardly lacks credibility as a half forward. Anyway if people want a specialist, Power surely fits the bill. For the second year he pays a high price for a mediocre All-Ireland final.

Yet for the rest of the season he was a vital presence for the sparkling Kilkenny attack who relied on his hard work and graft to keep them supplied. He had an exceptional Leinster final and eventually ground down Cathal Moore in the All-Ireland semi-final. In other words, again on a countback of top-class displays he has the edge on Rabbitte.

Maybe five Kilkenny forwards out of six would have been too much even after such a memorable season. Apart from Rabbitte, Cork's Joe Deane is the only non-Kilkenny attacker. Five of last year's team survive: the two Cork players plus Peter Barry, Comerford and Carey from the champions.