The 2022 PwC hurling All Stars are recognition of Limerick’s enduring excellence. Their seven awards equal that of Kerry in football but the total is significantly lower than last year’s record 12.
That partly reflects the injury-enforced absence of last year’s Hurler of the Year, Cian Lynch and underlines the strength of the team in being able to endure such a handicap and nonetheless win a third successive All-Ireland.
They also made history by becoming the first team to negotiate the provincial round robin and All-Ireland series unbeaten – both they and Tipperary, previous winners under the format, lost a match along the way in 2018 and 2019.
That distinction means that they will start next year’s championship unbeaten in four years over the course of 16 championship matches.
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Not surprisingly given this recent dominance, Limerick’s seven All Stars have all previously been honoured: goalkeeper Nickie Quaid, corner back Barry Nash, wing back Diarmaid Byrnes, centre back Declan Hannon, wing forward Gearóid Hegarty, centre forward Kyle Hayes and corner forward Aaron Gillane.
[ All-Ireland champions Kerry lead the way with seven All Star awardsOpens in new window ]
Hayes ultimately switched to cover for Lynch, moving back into the forwards where he had started his career and rising to superb performances in Croke Park in the All-Ireland semi-final and final. He become a member of the select group to have won All Stars in attack and defence.
Hegarty, the 2020 HOTY, had an exceptional All-Ireland final, landing 1-3 and covering acres of ground as Kilkenny were finally suppressed.
It was no surprise that Byrnes and Hannon were honoured, given the importance to the champions of their half-back line. Galway’s Pádraic Mannion shone in the team’s sternest challenges against Kilkenny and Limerick to join the Limerick pair for his third All Star.
Gillane, one of the unlucky three not to get an All Star last year made an indispensable contribution, scoring 3-53, 3-27 from play, for the highest championship average, nearly 0-9, of all the players who qualified for the All-Ireland series.
The champions’ tally wasn’t far off eight, as the right corner back position was a tight call between Seán Finn – who looked to have acquired a freehold interest on the number two All Star – and Kilkenny rookie Mikey Butler, who had a brilliant season as a man marker – man of the match in the Leinster final and keeping Tony Kelly scoreless from play – which just tipped to verdict his way.
Kilkenny are next in terms of recognition with four awards, a reflection of a strong season in what turned out to be Brian Cody’s last year in charge. Leinster champions, they crushed Clare in the All-Ireland semi-final and went on to give Limerick a searching test in the final.
As well as Butler, there was also a first for club-mate Huw Lawlor, imperious on the square, and also former Young Hurler of the Year Adrian Mullen. There was a sixth award for TJ Reid, who has continued to defy time and prove himself as the team’s outstanding attacker.
At 35, he is the oldest All Star since Tipperary goalkeeper Brendan Cummins in 2010 and in terms of outfield players since Offaly’s Joe Dooley, who was three days older than him when recognised in 1998.
Clare had been the surprise contenders of the Munster championship. Not initially fancied to make it out of the province they ended the round robin on top of the table and unbeaten.
Even in an epic Munster final, it took extra time before Limerick subdued them. Their All-Ireland series ended in severe disappointment with the semi-final thrashing by Kilkenny but three of their players make the selection.
Shane O’Donnell and David Fitzgerald are first-time winners but Tony Kelly has been an ever-present for the past three years. O’Donnell, the three-goal hero of the 2013 final, marked the year in a different role, as an industrious wing forward both winning and using possession to the point where he was named Hurler of the Month for his displays in Munster. He also scored 0-4 in the semi-final disaster.
Fitzgerald is named at centrefield but featured as a wing forward. His middle-third presence came with impressive scoring returns of nearly 0-4 per match.
Kelly was again in the conversation for HOTY but his eclipse in the team meltdown against Kilkenny undermined that. Nonetheless he enjoyed a superb championship up until then, highlighted by the sideline cut that took the Munster final to extra time.
Other awards were handed out on the night with Limerick wing back Diarmaid Byrnes crowned Player of the Year. The Young Player of the Year award was won by Mikey Butler of Kilkenny.
In the football, Kerry’s David Clifford won the Player of the Year award to go with his first All-Ireland medal, while Galway corner-back Jack Glynn was named as the Young Player of the Year to add to his All-Ireland u-20 medal.
2022 PwC Hurling All Stars
1 Nickie Quaid (Limerick and Effin) 2nd award
2 Mikey Butler (Kilkenny and O’Loughlin Gaels) 1st award
3 Huw Lawlor (Kilkenny and O’Loughlin Gaels) 1st award
4 Barry Nash (Limerick and South Liberties) 2nd award
5 Diarmaid Byrnes (Limerick and Patrickswell) 3rd award
6 Declan Hannon (Limerick and Adare) 3rd award
7 Pádraic Mannion (Galway and Ahascragh-Feoghan) 3rd award
8 David Fitzgerald (Clare and Inagh-Kilnamona) 1st award
9 Adrian Mullen (Kilkenny and Ballyhale Shamrocks) 1st award
10 Gearóid Hegarty (Limerick and St Patrick’s) 3rd award
11 Kyle Hayes (Limerick and Kildimo-Pallaskenry) 3rd award
12 Shane O’Donnell (Clare and Éire Óg) 1st award
13 Aaron Gillane (Limerick and Patrickswell) 3rd award
14 TJ Reid (Kilkenny and Ballyhale Shamrocks) 6th award
15 Tony Kelly (Clare and Ballyea) 4th award
