Clare top All-Star nominations

One thing is for certain, a Clare hurler will walk away with the accolade of Young Hurler of the Year as the three nominees for this year’s award are Tony Kelly, David McInerney and Podge Collins.

In fact, both Kelly and Collins are also short-listed for the Player of the Year award with their only rival being Cork goalie, Anthony Nash.

A total of 13 Clare players have been nominated for All-Stars in the 2013 GAA GPA  Awards announced on Wednesday night.

The two that didn’t get nominated from the team that started last week-end’s All-Ireland final replay are defenders Cian Dillon and Patrick O’Connor, both of whom were solid all season if not spectacular.

There are just 13 survivors from last year’s list of nominees and the final selection will be voted on at a judges’ meeting on Wednesday, November 6, with the awards banquet at Croke Park on Friday, November 8.

Hurling All Star nominations

Goalkeepers: Anthony Nash (Cork), Patrick Kelly (Clare), Gary Maguire (Dublin)

Full backs: David McInerney (Clare), Domhnall O’Donovan (Clare), Richie McCarthy (Limerick), Tom Condon (Limerick), Peter Kelly (Dublin), Shane O’Neill (Cork), Conor O’Sullivan (Cork), Paul Murphy (Kilkenny), Tomás Waters (Wexford)

Half backs: Brendan Bugler (Clare), Patrick Donnellan (Clare), Liam Rushe (Dublin), Michael Carton (Dublin), Brian Murphy (Cork), Wayne McNamara (Limerick), Gavin O’Mahony (Limerick), Kieran Joyce (Kilkenny), Michael Walsh (Waterford)

Midfield: Conor Ryan (Clare), Colm Galvin (Clare), Joey Boland (Dublin), Paul Browne (Limerick), Daniel Kearney (Cork), Kevin Moran (Waterford)

Half forwards: Tony Kelly (Clare), John Conlon (Clare), Colin Ryan (Clare), Séamus Harnedy (Cork), Patrick Cronin (Cork), Conal Keaney (Dublin), Danny Sutcliffe (Dublin), James Ryan (Limerick), Eoin Larkin (Kilkenny)

Full-forwards: Podge Collins (Clare), Conor McGrath (Clare), Shane O’Donnell (Clare), Patrick Horgan (Cork), Conor Lehane (Cork), Paul Ryan (Dublin), David O’Callaghan (Dublin), Graeme Mulcahy (Limerick), Richie Hogan (Kilkenny)

Nominees for Player of Year: Tony Kelly (Clare), Anthony Nash (Cork), Podge Collins (Clare)

Nominees for Young Player of the Year: Tony Kelly (Clare), David McInerney (Clare), Podge Collins (Clare)

Meanwhile, All-Ireland U-21 hurling champions, Clare, have received 14 nominations for the inaugural Bord Gáis Energy team of the year.

Among the shortlisted are captain Paul Flanagan, All-Ireland final man of the match, David O’Halloran and Saturday’s senior hat-trick hero Shane O’Donnell.

David McInerney, Colm Galvin and Podge Collins are all in the running for  the Player of the Year award.

The judging panel consists of Ger Cunningham, Joe Canning, Ken McGrath and TG4’s Mícheál Ó Domhnaill. The ceremony will be shown on TG4 on Saturday, October 12 at 8.30pm.

The Clare players shortlisted  for Bord Gáis Energy Team of the Year are  Ronan Taffe, Paul Flanagan, David McInerney,    Jack Browne, Seadna Morey, Alan O’Neill, Stephen O’Halloran, Colm Galvin, Tony Kelly, Peter Duggan, Podge Collins,        Cathal O’Connell, David O’Halloran and Shane O’Donnell.