Gaelic Games

Shane O’Donnell omitted from under-21 hurling team of the year

Eight Clare All-Ireland winners on underage side but senior final hat-trick hero not among them

Padráic Collins (left) was included on the under-21 team of the year but Shane O’Donnell of Clare (right) missed out. Photograph: Donall Farmer/Inpho
Padráic Collins (left) was included on the under-21 team of the year but Shane O’Donnell of Clare (right) missed out. Photograph: Donall Farmer/Inpho
Wed Oct 09 2013 - 12:15

There are eight Clare hurlers on the GAA under-21 team of the year but All-Ireland final hero Shane O’Donnell is not one of them.

The Banner County did the double this year and O’Donnell bagged a hat-trick of goals inside 20 minutes of the senior final replay win over Cork last month. He went on to score 3-3 that day, but his impact at under-21 level, while not insignificant, was not enough to earn him a place among the six forwards.

His team-mates Padráic Collins and Tony Kelly, along with Stephen McAfee and Ciarán Clarke of Antrim, Stephen Quirke (Offaly) and Jason Forde (Tipperary), who finished the championship with a personal haul of 5-23, are included.

Clare goalkeeper Ronan Taffe of Tubber is between the posts behind Banner captain Paul Flanagan and team-mate David McInerney, while Seadna Morey has been selected at right-half back and St. Josephs/Doora Barefield’s Alan O’Neill at centre-back.

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All four were members of Davy Fitzgerald’s senior panel.

Kilkenny’s Brian Kennedy and Ray Barry of Waterford complete the defence, while Clare’s Colm Galvin joins Wexford dual star Lee Chin in midfield

The player of the year and score of the year awards will be presented at the inaugural Bord Gáis Energy team of the year award ceremony to be televised on TG4 at 8.30pm this Saturday.

The judging panel consists of Ger Cunningham and Joe Canning, as well as TG4’s Mícheál Ó Domhnaill and former Waterford star Ken McGrath.

Bord Gáis Energy under-21 team of the year

Ronan Taffe (Clare); Paul Flanagan (Clare), David McInerney (Clare), Brian Kennedy (Kilkenny); Seadna Morey (Clare), Alan O’Neill (Clare), Ray Barry (Waterford); Colm Galvin (Clare), Lee Chin (Wexford); Tony Kelly (Clare), Padráic Collins (Clare), Stephan McAfee (Antrim); Stephen Quirke (Offaly), Jason Forde (Tipperary), Ciarán Clarke (Antrim)

Nominations for player of the year

David McInerney (Clare), Jason Forde (Tipperary), Podge Collins (Clare)

Nominations for Bord Gáis Energy score of the year

Antrim vs Clare (All-Ireland Final): Tony Kelly

Kerry vs Kildare (All-Ireland B Final): Pádraig Boyle

Galway vs Clare (All Ireland Semi-Final): Cathal O’Connell

Wexford vs Antrim (All Ireland Semi-Final): Ciaran Clarke

Tipperary vs Clare (Munster Final): Peter Duggan

Waterford vs Clare (Munster Semi-Final): Peter Duggan