Cats receive nine All-Star nominations, TJ Reid in running for Player of the Year
By COLIN BARTLEY
KILKENNY players have received nine nominations for the PwC All-Star hurling awards, and TJ Reid has been nominated for Player of the Year.
Adrian Mullen’s breakout season has been recognised as he gets a nod for the Young Hurler of the Year.
All-Ireland champions Tipperary lead the way with 11 of their players nominated, while the heroics of Eddie Brennan’s Laois team this summer have been rightly rewarded with two nominations, one for outstanding goalkeeper Enda Rowland, the other for sticky defender Jack Kelly.
The rest of the list is made up with eight nominations for Wexford, six for Limerick and two each for Cork, Dublin and Galway.
TJ Reid will face tough competition for the Hurler of the Year award from Tipp’s All-Ireland winning captain Seamie Callanan and Cork’s free-scoring forward Patrick Horgan.
Adrian Mullen will have to beat off the challenge of Limerick’s Kyle Hayes and Wexford’s Rory O’Connor if he is to pick up the Young Hurler of the Year award.
Kilkenny has one nomination in goal, four in defence and three in the forwards.
Those nominated are:
Eoin Murphy (Goalkeeper), Paddy Deegan, Pádraig Walsh, Huw Lawlor, Conor Fogarty (Defenders), Adrian Mullen, John Donnelly, Colin Fennelly (Forwards)
Player Of the Year Nominees
Patrick Horgan (Cork)
TJ Reid (Kilkenny)
Séamus Callanan (Tipperary)
Young Player of the Year Nominees
Adrian Mullen (Kilkenny)
Kyle Hayes (Limerick)
Rory O’Connor (Wexford)
The All-Star team will be announced in late October ahead of the PwC All-Stars banquet on November 1st.
