GAA
The 2021 All-Star hurling team was announced this morning ahead of tomorrow’s ceremony which will be held behind closed doors.
While breaking records has become the norm for John Kiely’s Limerick hurling team, their latest feat will certainly further their legacy as they smashed the record for All-Stars in a single season.
Last year, Kiely’s side picked up nine awards, matching that of Kilkenny in 2008, 2000 and 1983.
But they have obliterated that record with 12 chosen on the 2021 side.
Sean Finn picked up his fourth consecutve award while there was a third for Cian Lynch. Kyle Hayes, Diarmaid Byrnes, Gearoid Hegarty and Tom Morrissey were chosen for the second successive year while Declan Hannon also collected his second gong.
There were five players chosen for the first time in Barry Nash, William O’Donoghue, Darragh O’Donovan, Peter Casey and Seamus Flanagan.
That means every player that started the 2021 All-Ireland final has won an All-Star with Nickie Quaid (2020), Dan Morrissey (2018, ’20) and Aaron Gillane (2019, ’20) the only players to miss out on the team.
Elsewhere, Eoin Murphy, Conor Prunty and Tony Kelly make up the side with no Cork player making the cut after they reached the All-Ireland final.
One of Cian Lynch, Kyle Hayes or Sean Finn will add a Hurler of the Year award to their All-Star with the trio up for the prize which will be revealed on Friday evening.