Comerford only Cat missing from All-Star shortlist

September 26, 2008
Kilkenny have received a whopping 14 nominations for the 2008 All-Star hurling awards, with Martin Comerford the only member of their All-Ireland winning team to lose out. Henry Shefflin is on course to equal DJ Carey's all-time record of nine awards after being nominated for his eighth award. Waterford's Ken McGrath and Wexford goalkeeper Damien Fitzhenry are among the most notable absentees from the list of 45, while there will be disappointment among the Christy Ring Cup teams that Westmeath's Brendan Murtagh - who had been widely tipped to receive a nomination - hasn't been shortlisted. In all, eight counties are represented with National League and Munster champions Tipperary enjoying the second highest number of nominees with nine. Cork's performances in the backdoor series have earned them seven nominations, two more than beaten All-Ireland finalists Waterford and Munster finalists Clare who have five nominations each. Offaly and Dublin both received two nominations, with Galway getting just one nominee in the form of Joe Canning. Kilkenny's Richie Power and Offaly's Brian Carroll are both hoping to join an elite club of one in terms of fathers and sons who have claimed hurling awards - the only combination so far to achieve this amazing double is fellow Kilkenny duo Fan and Philly Larkin. Seven of last year's winners are nominated again. They are Michael Kavanagh, Jackie Tyrrell, Tommy Walsh, Tony Browne, James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick, Henry Shefflin and Eddie Brennan. The awards ceremony will take place in the CityWest Hotel on 17 October. The county breakdown is: Kilkenny 14, Tipperary 9, Cork 7, Clare 5, Waterford 5, Offaly 2, Dublin 2 and Galway 1. The GAA Hurling All Stars nominees for 2008 are: Goalkeeper Brendan Cummins (Tipperary) AS 00, 01, 03 Clinton Hennessy (Waterford) PJ Ryan (Kilkenny) Full Backs Michael Kavanagh (Kilkenny) AS 02, 03, 07 Noel Hickey (Kilkenny) AS 00, 03 Jackie Tyrrell (Kilkenny) AS 07 Paul Curran (Tipperary) Conor O'Brien (Tipperary) Shane O'Neill (Cork) Brian Murphy (Cork) AS 06 Gerry O'Grady (Clare) David Franks (Offaly) Half Backs Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny) AS 03, 04, 05, 06, 07 JJ Delaney (Kilkenny) AS 03, 04, 06 Brian Hogan (Kilkenny) Tony Browne (Waterford) AS 98, 06, 07 Conor O'Mahony (Tipperary) Shane Maher (Tipperary) John Gardiner (Cork) AS 05 Sean Óg Ó hAilpín (Cork) AS 03, 04, 05 Ronan Fallon (Dublin) Midfield James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick (Kilkenny) AS 06, 07 Derek Lyng (Kilkenny) AS 02, 03 Shane McGrath (Tipperary) Tom Kenny (Cork) Brian O'Connell (Clare) Colin Lynch (Clare) AS 97, 02 Half Forwards Eoin Larkin (Kilkenny) Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny) AS 00, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07 Richie Power (Kilkenny) Ben O'Connor (Cork) AS 05 Cathal Naughton (Cork) Seamus Callinan (Tipperary) Lar Corbett (Tipperary) Jonathan Clancy (Clare) Brian Carroll (Offaly) Full Forwards Eddie Brennan (Kilkenny) AS 03, 06, 07 Aidan Fogarty (Kilkenny) John Mullane (Waterford) AS 03 Eoin McGrath (Waterford) Eoin Kelly (Waterford) AS 02 Joe Canning (Galway) Eoin Kelly (Tipperary) AS 01, 02, 04, 05, 06 Niall Gilligan (Clare) AS 99 David O'Callaghan (Dublin)

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