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.
Advertisement
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.
Jason Rabbitte, William Buckley, and Cillian Trayers. INPHO
INPHO
*****
The 42 View
- Declan Bogue
In keeping with their period of almost absolute dominance over the last decade, two Limerick players in Gearóid Hegarty and Diarmaid Byrnes stand to become two-time winners of the GAA/GPA Hurler of the Year award.
Their competition comes in the form of Cork’s Brian Hayes. An All-Star last year, the St Finbarr’s man carries a potent goal threat, hitting 11 goals throughout the season. It must be noted however, that three of those goals came in the 26-point win over Offaly in the All-Ireland quarter-final.
However, it would appear most likely that the honour will fall to one of the Limerick duo.
When Hegarty won his previous award in 2020, it was in the straight knockout fashion after the Covid pandemic, a period of downtime that Hegarty later revealed he spent a great deal of time sharpening his skills with a ball against a wall.
This was reflected in his 0-7 tally in the final against Waterford.
He has since evolved into a complete team player, evidence of which came in the All-Ireland semi-final when he did not score against Clare, but won man-of-the-match, such was his effectiveness under Nickie Quaid’s puckout.
Related Reads
13 for Limerick and 11 for Galway as All-Star hurling nominations announced
Clifford, O'Donoghue and Carney in the frame to land Footballer of the Year Award
11 for Mayo and 7 for Kerry as All-Star football nominations are announced
Byrnes had a storming return to form in 2026, scoring 3-18 to end up as Limerick’s second-highest scorer in the championship campaign. Two of those goals were penalties and the other a close-range free.
He also added 0-6 from play, to go along with his effectiveness from distance from the dead ball.
The Young Hurler of the Year will be fought between beaten finalists Galway’s Cillian Trayers and Jason Rabbitte, with Cork’s William Buckley for company.
Trayers showed immense maturity for a player in his second season with the county team, while much of Galway’s gameplan was based around isolating Rabbitte and trading off his physical power. Buckley had a very strong showing in the league and the Munster championship in his breakthrough season after being a member of the extended panel in 2025.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
4 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Hegarty, Hayes and Byrnes nominated for Hurler of the Year award
GAA GPA Hurler of the Year Nominees
GAA GPA Young Hurler of the Year Nominees
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.
*****
The 42 View
- Declan Bogue
In keeping with their period of almost absolute dominance over the last decade, two Limerick players in Gearóid Hegarty and Diarmaid Byrnes stand to become two-time winners of the GAA/GPA Hurler of the Year award.
Their competition comes in the form of Cork’s Brian Hayes. An All-Star last year, the St Finbarr’s man carries a potent goal threat, hitting 11 goals throughout the season. It must be noted however, that three of those goals came in the 26-point win over Offaly in the All-Ireland quarter-final.
However, it would appear most likely that the honour will fall to one of the Limerick duo.
When Hegarty won his previous award in 2020, it was in the straight knockout fashion after the Covid pandemic, a period of downtime that Hegarty later revealed he spent a great deal of time sharpening his skills with a ball against a wall.
This was reflected in his 0-7 tally in the final against Waterford.
He has since evolved into a complete team player, evidence of which came in the All-Ireland semi-final when he did not score against Clare, but won man-of-the-match, such was his effectiveness under Nickie Quaid’s puckout.
Byrnes had a storming return to form in 2026, scoring 3-18 to end up as Limerick’s second-highest scorer in the championship campaign. Two of those goals were penalties and the other a close-range free.
He also added 0-6 from play, to go along with his effectiveness from distance from the dead ball.
The Young Hurler of the Year will be fought between beaten finalists Galway’s Cillian Trayers and Jason Rabbitte, with Cork’s William Buckley for company.
Trayers showed immense maturity for a player in his second season with the county team, while much of Galway’s gameplan was based around isolating Rabbitte and trading off his physical power. Buckley had a very strong showing in the league and the Munster championship in his breakthrough season after being a member of the extended panel in 2025.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Cork GAA GAA Allstars Hurling Limerick