THERE ARE 45 players in the running for the 2012 Opel GAA-GPA All Stars which are set to be announced tonight.
Beaten All-Ireland finalists Galway lead the way with 14 nominations while champions Kilkenny have 12 nods.
All-Ireland semi-finalists Tipperary are next in line with six nominees while Cork and Waterford have four apiece. Munster counties Limerick and Clare both have two nominations while Danny Sutcliffe is the solitary Dublin nominee.
The eventual team selection always provokes debate so we asked our writers to offer their thoughts as to who they would select on their starting fifteen.
Ciaran Murphy
1. Anthony Nash (Cork); 2. Paul Murphy (Kilkenny), 3. JJ Delaney (Kilkenny), 4. Johnny Coen (Galway); 5. Brendan Bugler (Clare), 6. Brian Hogan (Kilkenny), 7. Kieran Joyce (Kilkenny); 8. Kevin Moran (Waterford), 9. Iarla Tannian (Galway), 10. TJ Reid (Kilkenny), 11. Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny), 12. Pa Bourke (Tipperary); 13. John Mullane (Waterford), 14. Joe Canning (Galway), 15. David Burke (Galway).
Fintan O’Toole
1. Anthony Nash (Cork); 2. Paul Murphy (Kilkenny), 3. JJ Delaney (Kilkenny), 4. Johnny Coen (Galway); 5. Brendan Bugler (Clare), 6. Brian Hogan (Kilkenny), 7. Padraic Maher (Tipperary); 8. Kevin Moran (Waterford), 9. Iarla Tannian (Galway), 10. Cyril Donnellan (Galway), 11. Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny), 12. Pa Bourke (Tipperary); 13. John Mullane (Waterford), 14. Joe Canning (Galway), 15. David Burke (Galway).
Niall Kelly
1. James Skehill (Galway); 2. Paul Murphy (Kilkenny), 3. JJ Delaney (Kilkenny), 4. Johnny Coen (Galway); 5. Brendan Bugler (Clare), 6. Brian Hogan (Kilkenny), 7. Kieran Joyce (Kilkenny); 8. Andy Smith (Galway), 9. Iarla Tannian (Galway), 10. Cyril Donnellan (Galway), 11. Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny), 12. TJ Reid (Kilkenny); 13. Eoin Larkin (Kilkenny), 14. Joe Canning (Galway), 15. Patrick Horgan (Cork).
Patrick McCarry
1. James Skehill (Galway); 2. Johnny Coen (Galway), 3. JJ Delaney (Kilkenny), 4. Jackie Tyrrell (Kilkenny); 5. Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny), 6. Brendan Bugler (Clare), 7. Padraic Maher (Tipperary); 8. Iarla Tannian (Galway), 9. Michael Fennelly (Kilkenny); 10. TJ Reid (Kilkenny), 11. Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny), 12. Cyril Donnellan (Galway); 13. Patrick Horgan (Cork), 14. Joe Canning (Galway), 15. David Burke (Galway).
Paul Fennessy
1. Anthony Nash (Cork); 2. Paul Murphy (Kilkenny), 3. JJ Delaney (Kilkenny), 4. Johnny Coen (Galway); 5. Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny), 6. Brian Hogan (Kilkenny), 7. Padraic Maher (Tipperary); 8. Michael Fennelly (Kilkenny), 9. Pa Cronin (Cork), 10. TJ Reid (Kilkenny), 11. Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny), 12. Pa Bourke (Tipperary); 13. John Mullane (Waterford), 14. Joe Canning (Galway), 15. David Burke (Galway).
Sinead O’Carroll
1. James Skehill (Galway); 2. Paul Murphy (Kilkenny), 3. JJ Delaney (Kilkenny), 4. Johnny Coen (Galway); 5. Padraic Maher (Tipperary), 6. Brian Hogan (Kilkenny), 7. Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny); 8. Kevin Moran (Waterford), 9. Iarla Tannian (Galway), 10. Richie Power (Kilkenny), 11. Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny), 12. TJ Reid (Kilkenny); 13. John Mullane (Waterford), 14. Joe Canning (Galway), 15. Richie Hogan (Kilkenny).
We also asked them for their choice of Hurler of the Year with the Kilkenny duo of Henry Shefflin and Paul Murphy along with Galway’s Joe Canning in contention.
Ciaran Murphy – Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny)
Fintan O’Toole – Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny)
Niall Kelly – Joe Canning (Galway)
Patrick McCarry – Joe Canning (Galway)
Paul Fennessy – Joe Canning (Galway)
Sinead O’Carroll – Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny)
And their choice for Young Hurler of the Year which will be contested by Galway pair Johnny Coen and Niall Burke and Dublin’s Danny Sutcliffe.
Ciaran Murphy – Johnny Coen (Galway)
Fintan O’Toole – Johnny Coen (Galway)
Niall Kelly – Johnny Coen (Galway)
Patrick McCarry – Niall Burke (Galway)
Paul Fennessy – Johnny Coen (Galway)
Sinead O’Carroll – Johnny Coen (Galway)
Who do you think should win the 2012 Allstar awards? And who are your choices for Hurler of the Year and Young Hurler of the Year? Let us know in the comments section below.
