1. Michael Walsh (Waterford)
Waterford are blessed with some marquee forward names, including Maurice Shanahan and rising young stars Shane Bennett and Patrick Curran.
Pauric Mahony’s return to fitness following a horror leg break adds to Derek McGrath’s attacking options but the man continuing to do the spade-work up front is Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh.
The former captain has made a successful transition from defence to attack and along with fellow experienced player and current skipper Kevin Moran, remains an invaluable asset.
Walsh gets through a mountain of work throughout the 70 minutes, breaking ball and continuously hooking and blocking opponents.
2. Conor Fogarty (Kilkenny)
It’s almost unbelievable to think that Conor Fogarty has yet to receive an All-Star award.
Over the last two seasons in particular, Fogarty has been one of Kilkenny’s key figures but has yet to be honoured with one of the coveted individual awards.
Fogarty has been superb for Kilkenny in that time, dropping deep to provide an extra body when the Cats need it while also latching onto so much breaking ball around the middle third of the field before instigating attacks.
The more defensive nature of Fogarty’s play allows midfield sidekick Michael Fennelly to drive on and while Fennelly was man-of-the-match in last year’s All-Ireland final, Fogarty’s ‘sitting’ role had a big part to play in that.
3. Christopher Joyce (Cork)
It’s great to see Joyce back to full fitness after he was ruled out of the 2015 championship campaign with cruciate ligament damage.
Without him last year, Cork were left with a massive hole in their defence and it was a void they struggled to fill.
With Joyce in the Cork half-back line, that pivotal unit and their rearguard as a whole is automatically better.
The solidity provided by Joyce will allow Cork’s sweeper to operate with more ease, as the Rebels devise a system to counteract the inside threat of Tipperary’s Seamus Callanan and John McGrath on Sunday.
4. Brendan Bugler (Clare)
The elder statesman of the Clare team is still going strong.
A 2013 All-Ireland medallist, and unlucky not to be nominated for Hurler of the Year on that occasion, Whitegate clubman Bugler will be 31 this summer but is still mixing it with the best.
Bugler’s longevity in a team laced with exciting young stars can be credited to his extreme levels of dedication off the field of play.
Another player who doesn’t often gain the headlines or plaudits he deserves, Bugler remains a key figure for the Banner County.
5. Gavin O’Mahony (Limerick)
Behind the scenes, Gavin O’Mahony was one of the masterminds behind Mary Immaculate College’s landmark Fitzgibbon Cup success earlier this year.
And for the Limerick senior hurlers, he’s a player capable of linking defence and attack this summer.
The Kilmallock clubman is an underrated player and former captain who does more than his fair share of donkey work.
Limerick have some cracking young hurlers up front, headline acts, but the likes of O’Mahony and James Ryan are the men who keep the Shannonside machine ticking over.
6. Oisín Gough (Dublin)
Renowned as one of the finest corner backs in the game by seasoned observers, Gough is back in the Dublin set-up this year after a 2015 hiatus.
The Cuala clubman was a star last year as he tasted county glory and a Leinster final appearance against Oulart-the-Ballagh.
And when Dublin boss Ger Cunningham was overhauling his panel ahead of the 2016 campaign, the return of Gough came as a major boost.
A 2013 Leinster medallist during the Anthony Daly era, Gough is now 27 years of age and hitting the peak of his powers.
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