LIMERICK DUO GEARÓID Hegarty and Diarmaid Byrnes, along with Cork’s attacking star Brian Hayes, are the three players nominated for the 2026 Hurler of the Year award.
The trio have been shortlisted after a brilliant series of displays throughout this year’s championship.
Hegarty and Byrnes are both previous Hurler of the Year winners, St Patrick’s clubman Hegarty taking home the honour for the 2020 season, while Patrickswell’s Byrnes was honoured in 2022, and also later nominated in 2023. Both Limerick players are four-time Allstar winners.
Hayes has not won the award before, but the St Finbarr’s forward makes the three-player shortlist for the second successive year, while he also claimed his first All-Star in 2025.
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The young hurler of the year award will be contested by Galway duo Jason Rabbitte and Cillian Trayers, and Cork’s William Buckley, after they all enjoyed breakthrough campaigns.
Jason Rabbitte, William Buckley, and Cillian Trayers. INPHO
INPHO
GAA GPA Hurler of the Year Nominees
Gearóid Hegarty (Limerick)
Brian Hayes (Cork)
Diarmaid Byrnes (Limerick)
GAA GPA Young Hurler of the Year Nominees
William Buckley (Cork)
Jason Rabbitte (Galway)
Cillian Trayers (Galway)
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Hegarty, Hayes and Byrnes nominated for Hurler of the Year award
LIMERICK DUO GEARÓID Hegarty and Diarmaid Byrnes, along with Cork’s attacking star Brian Hayes, are the three players nominated for the 2026 Hurler of the Year award.
The trio have been shortlisted after a brilliant series of displays throughout this year’s championship.
Hegarty and Byrnes are both previous Hurler of the Year winners, St Patrick’s clubman Hegarty taking home the honour for the 2020 season, while Patrickswell’s Byrnes was honoured in 2022, and also later nominated in 2023. Both Limerick players are four-time Allstar winners.
Hayes has not won the award before, but the St Finbarr’s forward makes the three-player shortlist for the second successive year, while he also claimed his first All-Star in 2025.
The young hurler of the year award will be contested by Galway duo Jason Rabbitte and Cillian Trayers, and Cork’s William Buckley, after they all enjoyed breakthrough campaigns.
GAA GPA Hurler of the Year Nominees
GAA GPA Young Hurler of the Year Nominees
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Cork GAA GAA Allstars Hurling Limerick