THE 2020 ALLIANZ Hurling League campaign is only weeks away and it will offer a host of young players around the country the chance to prove they belong at this level.
Perform well during the league and opportunities will follow on the big stage in the championship.
Here’s our selection of players from a range of counties that could be set for a breakthrough season:
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1. Ross Banville (Wexford)
Banville’s last competitive act in a Wexford jersey was scoring 0-8 in their All-Ireland U20 semi-final defeat to Tipperary back in August.
He finished the campaign with 0-25 from three games and senior boss Davy Fitzgerald, who has always been happy to put his trust in youth, surely made note of his shooting efficiency.
The GAA / Twitter
The GAA / Twitter / Twitter
The Shelmaliers youngster is a deadly accurate free-taker while he’s also a talented footballer and won a Wexford SFC in 2018. Although he’s still young, Banville will be hoping to make his senior debut for Wexford in the coming weeks.
2. Conor Boylan (Limerick)
Boylan’s arrival on the scene has been expected for the past few seasons, though it hasn’t yet transpired. An All-Ireland club winner with Na Piarsaigh, he played through the underage grades for Limerick with Kyle Hayes, Seamus Flanagan and Peter Casey, winning an All-Ireland U21 crown in 2017.
The wing-forward has already racked up an impressive list of titles. As well as his All-Ireland club medal, he’s won two Munster titles and two Limerick SHC crowns with Na Piarsaigh. He also claimed the Harty Cup with Ardscoil Rís in 2016 and the Fitzgibbon Cup with UCC last year.
Squeezed in!!
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) March 9, 2019
Cúl eile ag Boylan do @LimerickCLG #AllianzLeagues pic.twitter.com/YpOrpKgMKw
Boylan made his league debut in 2019 and went on to appear in four Division 1A games (scoring 2-4) and one Munster SHC match under John Kiely.
3. Sean Twomey (Cork)
Twomey has started both of Cork’s Munster SHL games so far, chipping over four points on his first senior start against Kerry.
An archetypal ball-winning wing forward, Twomey’s ability in the air could make him a perfect target for Anthony Nash’s puck-outs.
He bagged a goal in last year’s Munster U20 final and helped supply dangerous inside forwards Brian Turnbull and Shane O’Regan with ample ball throughout the season.
Fantastic catch and finish by Cork's Sean Twomey! pic.twitter.com/DjCNNmJS30
— The GAA (@officialgaa) July 23, 2019
Cork could do with a new half-forward arriving on the scene and Twomey might prove to be that man in the coming weeks.
4. Tom Barron (Waterford)
He’s watched his older brother Jamie develop into one of the top midfielders in the country over the last five years and now Tom Barron is looking to make his mark with the Deise.
He was one of five youngsters blooded by new Waterford boss Liam Cahill in their Munster SHL opener last week, arriving off the bench in the defeat to Cork. The Fourmilewater man featured at wing-forward for the county U20 side last season, while he also played on the half-back line with the U20 footballers.
Barron kicked the winning score when the U20s beat Clare for a first Munster win at Fraher Field in 13 years.
5. David Keogh (Dublin)
One of Keogh’s biggest achievements of 2019 came on the football field. He starred at corner-forward as Thomas Davis made a shock run to the Dublin SFC final, where they fell to Ballyboden St Enda’s.
Keogh is also a fine hurler and could be set for a big year with the Sky Blues. He was part of Mattie Kenny’s extended senior panel last season while he played at midfield for the U20s, who lost to Offaly in the Leinster semi-final after extra-time.
He picked off two points from midfield in the Walsh Cup against Westmeath and will be hoping for further opportunities to impress in the coming weeks.
6. Eoin Cody (Kilkenny)
Cody’s name will be familiar to many after his string of recent performance for reigning All-Ireland club champions Ballyhale Shamrocks. While TJ Reid, Colin Fennelly and Adrian Mullen are the big names in Henry Shefflin’s attack, Cody has been going about his business with some style.
He hit 3-4 against Clonkill in the Leinster quarter-final, 1-2 in the county final win over James Stephens and 0-6 in Kilkenny’s All-Ireland U20 semi-final loss to Cork in August.
Last February, it was Cody’s calm second-half finish that helped the Leinster champions past Ballygunner in the last four clash.
What a fantastic goal by Eoin Cody for @KilkennyCLG !! pic.twitter.com/bn4mcLwfVy
— The GAA (@officialgaa) July 4, 2019
He’s enjoyed a stellar year, winning the All-Ireland ‘A’ Colleges title with St Kieran’s before Ballyhale lifted the Tommy Moore Cup on St Patrick’s Day and retained the Kilkenny county crown in October.
Another All-Ireland club bid beckons before Brian Cody surely bloods the youngster in the Kilkenny attack.
7. Fintan Burke (Galway)
It’s highly possible Burke would have established himself last season had it not been for the torn cruciate he suffered while playing for St Thomas’ in the All-Ireland club final loss to Ballyhale.
He promised his team-mates he’d make it back for the county final and did, scoring two points off the bench as St Thomas’ retained their title in November.
The former Galway U21 captain looks primed to fight for a starting spot in the Galway defence under new manager Shane O’Neill in 2020.
8. Paddy Cadell (Tipperary)
Cadell is another youngster who enjoyed a tremendous season last year. He captained his club JK Bracken’s to their first-ever Tipperary SFC final in November, won the All-Ireland U20 hurling crown with Tipp in August and was part of the senior panel for the Liam MacCarthy Cup success a week earlier.
He’s certainly no stranger to success. Cadell already has minor and U21 All-Ireland medals in addition to the Harty Cup medal he won with Our Lady’s Templemore in 2017.
Comfortable on the half-back line or at midfield, Cadell has partnered Michael Breen at centrefield for Tipperary’s opening two Munster SHL games of the season.
9. Colin Guilfoyle (Clare)
Guilfoyle featured for Clare in the pre-season and early part of the league in 2019 before chances dried up.
Peter Duggan’s decision to step away for 2020 is good news for the tall and athletic Guilfoyle, who could operate as a ball-winner on the half-forward line or aerial threat closer to goal.
Some catch!
— Spórt TG4 (@SportTG4) February 3, 2019
Scór den chéad scoth ó Colin Guilfoyle! #AllianzLeagueii pic.twitter.com/2l42K3kRSa
He started on the edge of the square in the Banner’s Munster SHL win over Tipperary, the same side he scored 1-3 against in the league opener last year.
Brian Lohan entrusted Guilfyole with free-taking duties in a challenge game against Galway in early December when he finished with 10 placed balls to his name. Guilfoyle could be in for a big year.
What hurlers do you think are set for breakthrough seasons? Let us know in the comments section below.
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