HURLING ALUMNI FROM UCC and UCD dominate the shortlist for the Irish Daily Mail Fitzgibbon Cup Team of the Century which was announced this afternoon.
Seventy-five of hurling’s most famous figures have been included on the shortlist for the team which is due to be announced later this month as part of the centenary celebrations of the Higher Education competition.
Between them, UCD (21) and UCC (18) account for over half of the total nominations, including the only sets of family members to make the final cut, UCD father and son Billy and Tony Loughnane and UCC brothers John and Eddie Enright.
The shortlist was drawn up based solely on players’ performances in the Fitzgibbon Cup itself, though many of the nominees subsequently went on to claim All-Ireland titles and All-Star awards at inter-county level.
As part of the nomination process, all of the Higher Education institutes who have participated in the competition were invited to forward their most influential players. Each club has at least one nominee included.
A committee of former Fitzgibbon players and managers chaired by Joe McDonagh, former President of the GAA, will be responsible for selecting the final team.
This year’s Irish Daily Mail Fitzgibbon Cup will be hosted by UCC and takes place in Cork over the weekend of 2/3 March.
Irish Daily Mail Fitzgibbon Cup Team of the Century – Nominees
Goalkeepers: Tommy Daly (UCD & Clare/Dublin), Ger Cotter (UCC & Cork), Damien Young (WIT & Tipperary), Ray Brennan (UCD & Wexford), John O’Donoghue (UCC & Tipperary).
Backs: Seán Silke (Maynooth & Galway), Seán Stack (Maynooth & Clare), Ronan Curran (CIT & Cork), Liam Shalloe (UCC & Waterford), John Grainger (UCC & Cork), John O’Connor (UCC & Wexford), Dinny Barry-Murphy (UCC & Cork), Michael Cahill (UCC & Tipperary), Ted Carroll (UCD & Kilkenny), Dan O’Neill (UCD & Kilkenny), John Ryan (UCD & Limerick/Dublin), Niall McInerney (UCG & Clare/Galway), Conor Hayes (UCG & Galway), John Lee (NUIG & Galway), Stephen Lucey (UCD & Limerick), John Walsh (DIT & Laois), Cyril Duggan (TCD & Laois), Jackie Tyrrell (CIT/LIT & Kilkenny), Conor O’Mahony (LIT & Tipperary), Eamonn Corcoran (WIT & Tipperary), J. J. Delaney (WIT & Kilkenny), Michael ‘Brick’ Walsh (WIT & Waterford), Seán McMahon (UL & Clare), Séamus Hickey (UL & Limerick), John Devane (UL & Tipperary), Des Cormican (QUB & Antrim), Brian Lohan (UL & Clare), Paul Curran (WIT & Tipperary), John Tennyson (UCC & Kilkenny), Ken Coogan (WIT & Kilkenny).
Midfielders: Joe Salmon (UCG & Galway), Iggy Clarke (Maynooth & Galway), Jim Young (UCC & Cork), Con Lucey (UCC & Cork), Paul O’Connor (UCC & Cork), Eddie Enright (UCC & Tipperary), Jimmy Cooney (UCD & Tipperary), Des Dillon (UCD & Clare/Dublin), Jim Hurley (UCC & Cork), Dick Stokes (UCD & Limerick).
Forwards: Joe Connolly (UCG & Galway), James O’Connor (UCG & Clare), Eoin Kelly (LIT & Tipperary), Joe Canning (LIT & Galway), Andy Maloney (WIT & Waterford/Tipperary), Henry Shefflin (WIT & Kilkenny), Pat Kavanagh (UCD & Kilkenny), P. J. Delaney (WIT & Kilkenny), Andrew O’Shaughnessy (GMIT & Galway), Colm O’Neill (UCC/QUB & Cork), Henry Downey (QUB & Derry), Paddy O’Donovan (UCC & Cork), Nicky English (UCC & Tipperary), John Enright (UCC & Tipperary), Joe Deane (UCC & Cork), John O’Halloran (UCC & Cork), Eamon Bulfin (UCD & Offaly), Jim Byrne (UCD & Wexford), Donie Nealon (UCD & Tipperary), Pat Henchy (UCD & Clare), Jack Ryan (UCD & Tipperary), Bill Loughnane (UCD & Clare/Dublin), Tony Loughnane (UCD & Clare), Matt Ruth (UCD & Kilkenny), Kevin Broderick (AIT & Galway), John Sheehan (DCU & Cork), Dick Troy (UCC & Cork), Neil McManus (UUJ & Antrim), Willie Hyland (LIT & Laois), James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick (UCC/St. Pats & Kilkenny).
