GAELIC GAMES 2009 ALL STAR HURLING NOMINATIONS: THE SEASON is finally over so that leaves it up to the media to whittle down the best performers of 2009 into an All Star hurling XV.

There will be plenty of debate at the upcoming meeting and already some mild controversy was sparked by yesterday’s 45-man nominations list.

Tipperary have 13 names up for consideration, while All-Ireland champions Kilkenny have just 12.

Then again, this only becomes a major talking point should the Munster champions receive more names on the actual team that will be honoured at the awards ceremony in the Citywest hotel on Friday, October 16th.

RTÉ will provide their usual live coverage.

The players can vote for their peers in the rival Gaelic Players Association team that has tighter parameters for selection. In the Vodafone-sponsored All Star awards selection is done across each line as opposed to exact positions with the GPA equivalent.

The 2009 hurler of the year is between Kilkenny, Tipperary and Waterford. One from Tommy Walsh, Lar Corbett and John Mullane will receive the highest individual accolade within the sport.

Walsh was excellent all season, a credit to his mental strength as much as on-field prowess considering the constant questions about his propensity to hurl close to the edge, and receives a seventh successive nomination.

Corbett, an All-Ireland winner in 2001, was a vital cog in the Tipperary attack arguably saving his best performance for the All-Ireland final on September 6th, a thrilling contest that Kilkenny won 2-22 to 0-23.

Henry Shefflin is on the cusp of earning his ninth All Star award, a feat only achieved by DJ Carey in hurling and Pat Spillane in football.

There are three nominations for the young hurler of the year award and Kilkenny cannot be disappointed to miss out here as the only under-21 player in their team, Richie Hogan, had to wait until September to force his way into Brian Cody’s starting line-up.

Tipperary have two representatives in defender Pádraic Maher and the excellent Noel McGrath while Joe Canning, despite Galway’s disappointing campaign, is also recognised. Canning topped the scoring charts with a 3-45 return from five games.

Despite losing to Waterford in the All-Ireland quarter-final, John McIntyre’s Galway have six nominations with Canning joined by his brother Ollie, Fergal Moore, John Lee, Aonghus Callinan and Damien Hayes.

Waterford got five with goalkeeper Clinton Hennessy attempting to see off Brendan Cummins and PJ Ryan.

The latter is the strong favourite to become Kilkenny’s first goalkeeping All Star since Michael Walsh in 1993.

John Mullane is probably Waterford’s best chance but Noel Connors, Michael Walsh and Tony Browne are also in the mix.

Dublin’s decent league campaign and progress to the Leinster final sees Stephen Hiney, Alan McCrabbe, David Treacy and David O’Callaghan included in the initial list.

McCrabbe in midfield looks their strongest candidate after the Craobh Chiaráin man performed to a high standard on a consistent basis in 2009.

Limerick, despite their All-Ireland semi-final collapse, will be disappointed to receive just three nominations – Mark Foley, Séamus Hickey and Gavin O’Mahony – especially considering they defeated Dublin.

ALL-STAR HURLING NOMINATIONS

GOALKEEPER:

Brendan Cummins (Tipperary)

Clinton Hennessy (Waterford)

PJ Ryan (Kilkenny)

FULL BACKS:

Ollie Caning (Galway)

Noel Connors (Waterford)

JJ Delaney (Kilkenny)

Michael Kavanagh (Kilkenny)

** Pádraic Maher (Tipperary)

Fergal Moore (Galway)

Shane O'Neill (Cork)

Paddy Stapleton (Tipperary)

Jackie Tyrell (Kilkenny)

HALF BACKS:

Tony Browne (Waterford)

Declan Fanning (Tipperary)

Mark Foley (Limerick)

Stephen Hiney (Dublin)

John Lee (Galway)

Conor O'Mahony (Tipperary)

John Tennyson (Kilkenny)

Michael Walsh (Waterford)

* Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny)

CENTREFIELD:

Séamus Hickey (Limerick)

Alan McCrabbe (Dublin)

Shane McGrath (Tipperary)

Gavin O'Mahony (Limerick)

Michael Rice (Kilkenny)

James Woodlock (Tipperary)

HALF FORWARDS:

Eddie Brennan (Kilkenny)

Séamus Callanan (Tipperary)

Aonghus Callinan (Galway)

* Lar Corbett (Tipperary)

Pat Kerwick (Tipperary)

Eoin Larkin (Kilkenny)

John O'Brien (Tipperary)

Ben O'Connor (Cork)

Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny)

FULL FORWARDS:

**Joe Canning (Galway)

Martin Comerford (Kilkenny)

Damien Hayes (Galway)

Eoin Kelly (Tipperary)

** Noel McGrath (Tipperary)

* John Mullane (Waterford)

David O'Callaghan (Dublin)

Richie Power (Kilkenny)

David Treacy (Dublin)

* Hurler of the Year

** Young Hurler of the Year