THE BORD GÁIS Energy team of the year will be announced live on Newstalk FM’s Off the Ball over four days from Wednesday 30 September, and those named in the final XV will be presented with their awards at a special ceremony in Dublin on Saturday 3 October.
“The Bord Gáis Energy Team of the Year is a fitting way to bring the U-21 season to a close,” said Ger Cunningham, of Bord Gáis Energy and Dublin hurling boss.
“These young players deserve to have their individual exploits recognised and, given the competitive nature of the championship, even making the shortlist is a big achievement.
“We’ve extended the list of nominees to 45 this season such was the competition. While it’s no surprise that the All-Ireland finalists take a major percentage of the places, it’s great to see the impact that some teams who didn’t quite make it to Semple Stadium for the finals being recognised.”
Champions Limerick have 12 players in the running to be named on the final team, while Wexford have nine players nominated and there is just one fewer from Clare. Waterford have six nominees, Tipperary have three and Galway have two while Kilkenny, Carlow, Dublin, Laois and Antrim have one apiece.
The full judging panel for the awards includes Bord Gáis Energy Sports Ambassador Ger Cunningham, TG4’s Micheál Ó Domhnaill, Galway star Joe Canning, Waterford great Ken McGrath and Newstalk’s Óisín Langan.
Full Shortlist for Bord Gáis Energy Team of the Year:
Goalkeepers: Keith Hogan (Clare), David McCarthy (Limerick), Oliver O’Leary (Wexford)
Full Backs: Michael Breen (Tipperary), Michael Casey (Limerick), Eoin Conroy (Wexford), Richie English (Limerick), David Fitzgerald (Clare), Conor Gleeson (Waterford), Shane McNulty (Waterford), Eoin Quirke (Clare), Liam Ryan (Wexford)
Half Backs: Diarmaid Byrnes (Limerick), Tadhg de Burca (Waterford), Conor Cleary (Clare), Diarmuid Cody (Kilkenny), Padraig Foley (Wexford), Ronan Maher (Tipperary), Aidan McQuane (Clare), Barry O’Connell (Limerick), Jack O’Connor (Wexford)
Midfield: Diarmuid Byrne (Carlow), David Conroy (Clare), Conor Devitt (Wexford), Austin Gleeson (Waterford), Darragh O’Donovan (Limerick), Pat Ryan (Limerick)
Half Forwards: Shane Bennett (Waterford), Cian Boland (Dublin), David Dempsey (Limerick), Bobby Duggan (Clare), Cha Dwyer (Laois), Kevin Foley (Wexford), Ian Galvin (Clare), Cian Lynch (Limerick), Ronan Lynch (Limerick)
Full Forwards: Patrick Curran (Waterford), Cathal Dunbar (Wexford), Jason Flynn (Galway), Conor McDonald (Wexford), Christy McNaughton (Antrim), Tom Morrissey (Limerick), Brian Molloy (Galway), Barry Nash (Limerick), Colin O’Riordan (Tipperary)
