WE’VE ALREADY PICKED the best fifteen players who will be playing their football in the States this summer, after they appeared in the GAA’s official New York, North American and J1 sanctions list.
Now it’s the turn for the hurling side with a mixture of emerging talent and players with inter-county experience that have made the move Stateside.
1. James Skehill (Galway)
Galway’s goalkeeper for the 2012 All-Ireland senior hurling final, Skehill has also won All-Ireland medals at U21 and minor level. The Cappataggle club man will be lining out for the Galway club in Boston this summer.
2. Matthew Collier (Laois)
A member of the Camross club, Collier was in action in Parnell Park in May when Laois exited the Bord Gáis Energy Leinster U21 hurling championship at the hands of Dublin. He’s going to play for San Francisco’s Na Fianna this summer.
3. Jerome Maher (Waterford)
Maher, from the Geraldines club in Waterford, lined out in defence for the county senior side in championship in 2011 when Davy Fitzgerald was at the helm. He caught the eye during the spring with his performances for Waterford IT as they won the Fitzgibbon Cup. He’s made the move to the Na Fianna club in San Francisco.
4. Cahir Healy (Laois)
Healy was in action for the Laois senior hurlers as recently as last summer and is pictured in action below against Clare’s Colm Galvin in the All-Ireland senior qualifiers. The Portlaoise player will feature for Fr Tom Burke’s hurling club in Dorcester in Boston this summer.
5. Paul Hoban (Galway)
Hoban was part of the Galway senior panel that contested the 2012 All-Ireland final and has featured in the league for Anthony Cunningham’s side in recent seasons. He played for the county U21 team beaten by Clare in last August’s All-Ireland semi-final and with his club Loughrea in the 2013 Galway county senior final. Hoban is set to play for Naomh Pádraig in San Francisco.
6. Joe O’Dwyer (Tipperary)
The Killenaule club man was centre-back on the Waterford IT side that claimed Fitzgibbon Cup glory against Cork IT in Belfast back in March. He’s switched to the Harry Bolands club in Chicago this summer.
7. Paul Flaherty (Galway)
A member of the Abbeyknockmoy club in Galway, Flaherty was part of the Tribesemen minor setup that swept to All-Ireland glory in 2011. This year he lined out in defence for Davy Fitzgerald’s Limerick IT team that reached the semi-finals of the Fitzgibbon Cup. He’s transferred to the Tipperary club in Boston.
8. Mark Mansfield (Kilkenny)
The Mullinavat club man lined out for the Kilkenny U21 hurler’s last month when they exited the Bord Gáis Energy Leinster U21 championship at the hands of Wexford. He scored 0-2 in that game from midfield but will be in action for the Wexford side in Boston this summer.
9. James Regan (Galway)
Regan is a very experienced operator having won an All-Ireland U21 medal with Galway in 2011 and an All-Ireland senior club medal with St Thomas in 2013. He’s played senior for the Tribesmen as well and featured in the 2012 and 2013 championships. The Galway club in Boston can call on his services for the next couple of months.
10. Michael Moloney (Kilkenny)
The Blacks and Whites clubman has impressed in recent seasons with his free taking abilities for Dublin IT in the Fitzgibbon Cup. He has also represented Kilkenny at U21 and intermediate level in recent years. He’ll be playing for the Wexford club from Boston this summer.
11. Keith Hogan (Kilkenny)
Hogan was part of the Kilkenny U21 squad that reached the 2009 All-Ireland final against Clare. Last October he hit the headlines with a superb exhibition of free taking that saw him notch 0-10 as his club Clara won the Kilkenny senior hurling final against Carrickshock. He has moved to New York club Long Island Gaels.
12. Zane Keenan (Laois)
Keenan has plenty inter-county experience at various grades for Laois. The attacker, who is a native of Camross, will be in action for the Fr Tom Burke’s hurling club in Boston.
13. Jack Shelly (Tipperary)
The Mullinahone club man was part of the Tipperary minor hurling side that won the All-Ireland final after a replay against Dublin in 2012. He’s transferred to New York side Long Island Gaels.
14. Liam Watson (Antrim)
An experienced campaigner with the Antrim senior hurlers, Watson also won an AIB All-Ireland senior hurling club medal with Loughgiel Shamrocks in 2012 when he bagged 3-7 in their final win at Croke Park. He has switched to the Naomh Pádraig club in San Francisco.
15. Thomas O’Hanrahan (Kilkenny)
From the Thomastown club in Kilkenny, O’Hanrahan is another player to have played for the Cats U21′s when they lost their Leinster quarter-final against Wexford last month. Previously he won an All-Ireland minor medal with a final win over Clare in 2010. He’ll now be playing in the colours of the Galway club in Boston
