1. Stephen Murphy (Cork)
When new Cork senior hurling manager Kieran Kingston announced his squad for the 2016 campaign, Blackrock’s Stephen Murphy was one of the new men called in.
He’s the club’s vice-captain this year and along with players like John and Niall Cashman, Cathal Cormack, Shane O’Keeffe, Daniel Meaney and John O’Sullivan, he’s viewed as a key man in what could be a very bright future for the 32-time county champions.
A former Cork minor hurling captain, Murphy is a tidy corner back who’s tasted Fitzgibbon Cup fare with CIT in recent years.
Murphy was a member of the Cork U21 team for the past two seasons and he made his senior debut against Waterford in the Munster senior League at the start of the year.
He made his League bow against Dublin in the Allianz League, coming on at half-time for Stephen McDonnell in the Croke Park defeat, and he also appeared as a late substitute against Tipperary in the final Division 1A group fixture.
Still very much a fringe member of the squad, Murphy will hope for some game time throughout the summer to show what he can do.
2. Michael Breen (Tipperary)
Despite an underwhelming League campaign for Tipperary, Ballina’s Michael Breen emerged as one of the stand-out players for the Premier County.
Breen, 21, was full-back on the Tipp team that won the 2012 All-Ireland minor hurling title and has since graduated to the U21 and senior ranks.
He made his senior championship debut last year against Limerick, coming off the bench to score a goal, before starting the Munster final victory over Waterford.
Now anchored at midfield alongside captain Brendan Maher, Breen scored 1-10 during the group stages of the Allianz League, including 1-4 against Sunday’s championship opponents Cork.
He also picked off two points from play in the quarter-final defeat to Clare at Cusack Park.
3. Ronan Lynch (Limerick)
What a calendar year it’s been for Ronan Lynch, who’s the proud holder of All-Ireland medals at club level and with the Limerick U21s.
He claimed intercounty honours last year when the Limerick U21s steamed to national glory, before winning county and Munster senior club medals with Na Piarsaigh before the end of 2015.
Capable of operating in defence or attack, Lynch is a former Harty Cup winner with Ardscoil Rís who won two Munster medals during a three-year stint with the Limerick minors.
Last year was his debut season with the U21s and what a campaign it was for a player who’s quickly become accustomed to success.
Lynch made his senior debut for Limerick in the Allianz Hurling League quarter-final victory over Dublin in April and also lined out in the semi-final loss to Waterford.
4. Patrick Curran (Waterford)
Curran was the star of the show for Waterford in their All-Ireland minor final victory over Galway in 2013, hitting 1-7 on the day.
He’s since graduated to the senior and U21 ranks and after making his senior championship debut last year, he’s stepped up to the mark in 2016 with a string of impressive displays.
Curran scored 1-10 in the Allianz League semi-final victory over Limerick, a haul that took his tally for the season then to 1-32.
Not content with that, former Harty and Croke Cup winner Curran added four points, including two frees, in the drawn final with Clare, despite struggling somewhat on the day.
He was back in top form a week later when the two teams went at it again, registering 1-9 in defeat. When the dust settled, Curran had posted a massive 2-45 in the entire League campaign.
5. Aaron Shanagher (Clare)
In 2014, Shanagher hit the headlines when he posted 1-13 against Tipperary in the Electric Ireland Munster minor hurling championship.
The Wolfe Tones player scored a whopping 6-28 in four games that season, including a 3-6 haul when Clare put 6-25 past Kerry.
Clare had just the one game in the minor campaign last year, losing to Tipp, and Shanagher landed five placed balls.
He didn’t feature for the U21s in 2015 but has been fast-tracked into the senior set-up by Davy Fitzgerald to make a big impact.
Shanagher’s late goal was crucial against Tipp in the League quarter-final win and he featured off the bench against Kilkenny and in both finals against Waterford.
6. Kevin Kelly (Kilkenny)
On his full League debut against Clare in 2015, Kevin Kelly scored 1-9 at Nowlan Park.
A 2010 All-Ireland minor medallist, 22-year-old Kelly is also a former All-Ireland junior club hurling winner with Ballyragget.
When IT Carlow claimed back-to-back Higher Education Division 1 League crowns late last year, Kelly was a key figure and he’s carried that good form in the 2016 campaign.
With Ger Aylward and James Maher ruled out through injury, and Richie Power retired, there’s a chance for a ‘bolter’ to emerge from the Kilkenny pack this year.
Kelly could be that man and he scored two late goals against Tipperary at Nowlan Park when the counties clashed in the League earlier this year.
He also scored 1-7 against Offaly and 0-2 in the League semi-final loss to Clare.
7. Conor Dooley (Dublin)
Dooley has firmly turned up the heat on previously established number one Gary Maguire in the race to be Dublin’s goalkeeper for the summer campaign.
Dooley also provides Dublin boss Ger Cunningham with an extra option as he can also operate outfield – but it’s almost certain that he will feature heavily between the sticks this summer.
The Ballyboden St Enda’s man is a renowned long-range hitter who saw off the challenge of Alan Nolan for a place in the Dublin squad this year.
Dooley kept two clean sheets during the League campaign and started in four of Dublin’s five Division 1A outings.
Dooley was named in the team for Dublin’s League opener against Tipperary and held his place for the games against Galway, Cork and Waterford, with Maguire used for the Kilkenny match.
Dooley was back in goal for the League quarter-final defeat to Limerick – and is tipped to stay there.
8. Conor Whelan (Galway)
Conor Whelan was just 18 years of age when he was parachuted in from the intermediate squad for a senior championship debut against Cork last year.
And what an impact Whelan made, as he scored 1-2 from play against the Rebels in the All-Ireland quarter-final at Semple Stadium.
The Kinvara clubman picked off two points from play in the famous semi-final victory over Tipperary and while the final against Kilkenny didn’t go according to plan, Whelan never stopped trying and finished with two points.
In this year’s League, Whelan collected six points, three against Cork in the group fixture, two off the bench in the Waterford clash and another point in the relegation play-off loss to Cork.
He’ll look to boost those returns considerably during the summer and Galway need Whelan, Cathal Mannion and Jason Flynn to enjoy big campaigns again, as they aim to ease the scoring burden on Joe Canning.
9. Conor McDonald (Wexford)
A string of fine displays saw McDonald nominated for the Bord Gáis Energy U21 hurler of the year in 2015.
He was shortlisted along with winner Richie English and Diarmaid Byrnes from Limerick, exalted company for McDonald given the exploits of the Shannonsiders in the U21 grade.
McDonald produced some brilliant cameo moments, supplying the audacious flick for Cathal Dunbar’s superb goal against Offaly, while another brilliant moment of vision opened up the space for Conor Devitt to rattle home a brilliant goal in the Antrim All-Ireland semi-final win.
McDonald, 20, is still eligible for the U21 grade this year and since making his senior debut in 2013, he’s become an established member of the side. In ten senior championship appearances to date, McDonald’s scored 5-15.
The42 is on Snapchat! Tap the button below on your phone to add!
