Two Clare hurlers land All-Star awards as hurling team-of-the-year is named

TWO Clare hurlers have received All-Star awards for 2023, it has been revealed.

John Conlon has been named at centre back on the All-Star team 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. 

The Banner's Shane O'Donnell (below) has also been named on the team - at wing forward.

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.

The Treaty County lead the way with All-Ireland finalists Kilkenny capturing five places Galway forward Conor Whelan completes the 15.

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.

Either side of John Conlon are Limerick duo Diarmaid Byrnes and Kyle Hayes who each win their fourth straight All- Star award.

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

In attack, birthday boy TJ Reid moves into the top 10 most decorated All-Stars of all time. The Kilkenny man, who turns 36 this Thursday, claims his seventh All-Star in 12 years

He now joins county men and icons Noel Skehan and JJ Delaney as well as Cork dual star Jimmy Barry Murphy and Kerry football hero Mikey Sheehy on seven awards. He is one behind Kerry’s Colm Cooper, two behind DJ Carey, Tommy Walsh and Pat Spillane in a list still headed by his Ballyhale Shamrocks club colleague Henry Shefflin who amassed 11 during his
career.

Here is the 2023 @PwCIreland All Star Hurling Team of the Year! ⭐️#PwCAllStars @gaelicplayers pic.twitter.com/JZUIwsl3Dq

— The GAA (@officialgaa) November 16, 2023

Commenting after the All-Stars were announced Uachtarán CLG Larry McCarthy said: “I am delighted to congratulate the distinguished final 15 who have been selected for a PwC Hurling All-Star for 2023. The high-calibre list of nominations reflected what was yet another thrilling hurling season and this team represents the cream of that considerable crop.

"To join the illustrious ranks of the heroes who have been honoured with an All-Star since 1971 is a wonderful achievement and something that I am sure will be shared by your families and clubs. I want to thank our partners in PwC for their continuing support of this prestigious scheme and look forward to a great night in the RDS (on Friday night) for the presentation banquet that will celebrate a fantastic GAA  season.”

Tom Parsons, CEO of the Gaelic Players Association added: “To be nominated for a PwC All-Star is a massive honour as it marks you as being among the best performers in any given season.  To take the next step and be named on the final 15 puts you on the level of being the best of the best and that is what these 15 hurlers have achieved.  Congratulations on your outstanding individual performances throughout 2023. You are part of a storied list of the legends of the game of hurling who have won these awards in the past."

The PwC GAA/GPA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year will be named tomorrow night in the live television broadcast.