GALA OCCASION
Banquet night looks set to be all about Tribe after champs get 14 nods
GALWAY are poised for a record haul of PWC All-star awards after 14 of their All-ireland winning side received nominations. Having clinched League, Leinster and All-ireland titles this year after putting together an 11-game winning streak, it comes as no surprise that Micheal Donoghue’s side carry the strongest representation on the 45-strong shortlist. Galway’s best return in terms of All Stars was in their previous All-ireland winning year of 1988, when they had seven players selected. Their best showing since ‘88 was in 2012, when they had six players in the team after winning the Leinster title for the first time and losing the All-ireland final to Kilkenny after a replay. The only Tribe player who started the All-ireland final win over Waterford not to earn a nomination is Johnny Glynn, for whom that game was his only start of the year and he was replaced early in the second half. Yet Galway have been trumped in terms of Hurler of the Year nominations. Waterford have taken two of the three slots through Jamie Barron and Kevin Moran, along with Tribe talisman Joe Canning. The nominees for Young Hurler of the Year are Conor Whelan (Galway), Mark Coleman (Cork) and Conor Gleeson (Waterford). Waterford have equalled their highest ever number of All Star nominees from 2015, with 11 players making the cut. Next best are Munster champions Cork, who have eight players nominated, their highest since 2013 when they had one more, while last year’s All-ireland champions Tipperary come in with
five. The achievement of Wexford in winning promotion from Division 1B in the League and scoring a first Championship win over Kilkenny in 13 years to reach their first Leinster final since 2008 is recognised in the shape of four nominations. Wexford haven’t won an All Star since Damien Fitzhenry claimed the goalkeeping spot back in 2004. Kilkenny have earned two awards as Cillian Buckley and TJ Reid (inset) are included. With it being two fewer than what they managed in 2013, it’s the lowest tally for Kilkenny since 1996, pre-dating the Brian Cody era, which began in late 1998. There’s just one nomination for Clare through Shane O’donnell after another underwhelming Championship campaign for the Banner, despite reaching a first Munster final in nine years. The All Stars will be presented at the annual banquet at the Convention Centre, Dublin on November 3, when the Hurler of the Year awards winners will be made known. The All-star football nominees and Footballer of the Year shortlist will be revealed tomorrow.