Tipperary dominate again as GPA make their selection

GAELIC GAMES NEWS:AS IF Tipperary needed any further reminder of their dominance in this year's championship they've won seven places on the 2010 Opel/Gaelic Players Association (GPA) hurling team of the year – one more than they had on the All Star selection.

To further underline that dominance, Pádraic Maher takes the left-half back position from rivals Kilkenny, as JJ Delaney won the All Star, although other than that the GPA selection is the same as the All Star selection.

It also means only four counties are again represented – All-Ireland champions Tipperary, beaten finalists Kilkenny, along with Waterford and Galway – even though the GPA selection is voted on by members of the players’ body, while the All Star selection is made by members of the GAA media.

“It is a special honour to be recognised by your fellow hurlers,” said Donal O’Grady, the chairman of the GPA hurling selection committee, and about to take over the ropes as Limerick hurling manager.

“I would like to pay tribute to the 15 chosen by the players on this year’s Opel GPA Hurling Team of the Year. As a selection committee we chose who we believed were the three most deserving nominees for each position, along with six midfielders, and the players then made the ultimate choice.”

Tipperary’s seven representatives start in goal with Brendan Cummins, along with defenders Paul Curran and Pádraic Maher, midfielder Brendan Maher, and forwards Noel McGrath, Lar Corbett and captain Eoin Kelly. Kilkenny are still the next best represented with four players: Jackie Tyrell, Tommy Walsh, Michael Fennelly, and Richie Power.

Waterford, who lost out to Tipperary in the All-Ireland semi-final, have three representatives in Noel Connors, Michael Walsh and John Mullane – while the last place goes to Damien Hayes of Galway, who also lost out to Tipperary in the All-Ireland quarter-final.

The GPA’s football team of the year will be announced tomorrow, ahead of the gala awards night in Dublin on Friday, and that one is expected to differ a lot more from the All Star selection – where the absence of a single forward from All-Ireland winners Cork caused some considerable debate.

Each player on the GPA winning hurling and football teams receives a trophy, €2,500 and a comprehensive set of training gear. The chosen hurler and footballer of the year each receives an Opel vehicle to the value of €25,000 in addition to the individual prize.

It’s no surprise then that Tipperary also dominate the nominations for the GPA hurler of the year, with Lar Corbett and Brendan Maher in contention, along with Kilkenny’s Michael Fennelly and Tommy Walsh. Corbett was already named the GAA’s All Star hurler of the year, no surprise either given his hat-trick of goals in the All-Ireland final, and overall championship season tally of 6-11 from play, while Maher was chosen as young player of the year.

Dessie Farrell, chief executive of the GPA, paid tribute to Tipperary’s overall dominance: “For the second year running we have had a remarkable conclusion to the hurling championship, with Tipperary this time overcoming the all-conquering Kilkenny. The final was inspirational, with both sides chasing history for very different reasons but the contribution of the players involved has been acknowledged by their fellow hurlers.”

In other hurling news, Aisake Ó hAilpín’s immediate future with Cork appears to be in some doubt after he returned to Australia this week, along with his brother, Setanta, who still plays in the Australian football league.

It’s unclear whether the younger O hAilpín intends staying long-term, but the recent omission of older brother Seán Óg Ó hAilpín from the Cork hurling panel for 2011 would suggest Aisake has possibly severed his ties too with manager Denis Walsh, albeit for different reasons.

Aisake previously tried out the AFL in 2004, featuring for the Carlton feeder club, the Northern Bullants, for two seasons, but was later troubled by injuries, and returned to Ireland in 2008.

The 250-year-old had his first full season with the Cork hurlers this year, at full forward, and was named man of the match in Cork’s Munster championship win over Tipperary.

Opel/GPA Hurling Team Of The Year

1. Brendan Cummins (Tipperary)

2. Noel Connors (Waterford)

3. Paul Curran (Tipperary)

4. Jackie Tyrell (Kilkenny)

5. Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny)

6. Michael Walsh (Waterford)

7. Pádraic Maher (Tipperary)

8. Michael Fennelly (Kilkenny)

9. Brendan Maher (Tipperary)

10. Damien Hayes (Galway)

11. Noel McGrath (Tipperary)

12. Lar Corbett (Tipperary)

13. Eoin Kelly (Tipperary)

14. Richie Power (Kilkenny)

15. John Mullane (Waterford)

NOMINEES FOR OPEL GPA PLAYER OF THE YEAR FOR HURLING:Lar Corbett (Tipperary); Michael Fennelly (Kilkenny); Brendan Maher (Tipperary); Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny).

NOMINEES FOR CHRISTY RING PLAYER OF THE YEAR:Joe Clarke (Westmeath); Tom Murnane (Kerry); Jonathan O'Neill (Wicklow); Paul Braniff (Down).

NOMINEES FOR NICKY RACKARD PLAYER OF THE YEAR:Mark Mythen (London); Paul McCormack (Armagh).