About a year ago i picked what i thought was the best hurling team in the country at that time. It was not an all star selection ie based solely on the past season - but what i thought was the overall best team at that time. Before this hurling year commences im going to pick a similar selection. I would welcome opinions on my final product.
1.Stephen O'Keeffe - I think he has risen above a number of keepers who were at a similar level, narrowly ahead of colm callanan
2.Paul Murphy - no qustion, the best corner back in the game
3.Richie McCarthy - The most difficult position to fill as there is no outstanding full back, joey holden and james barry still have a bit to prove i think so richie for his consistent displays over the past few year gets it for me. one dodgy showing last year was heavily criticized but he still beats off the others... just!
4.Cathal Barrett - Close call here between barrett and noel connors who is a fantastic corner back but i think barrett is outstanding, great pace and a really good hurler
5.Kevin Moran - A very versatile player I also had him at 5 last year, stiff competition around midfield means he is placed here, simply couldnt leave him out, great leader and a super hurler.
6.Padraic Maher -Little doubt here ii would think, established now as the best center back in the game.
7.Cillian Buckley - Has become a fantastic wing back, top class player.
8.Michael Fennelly - Has shown his worth the kilkenny around midfield recently, such a powerful hurler plays around his half backline and gets on more ball than anyone. kind of a playmaker for kilkenny, i think he is their third most important player after tj and richie.
9.Tony Kelly - Lot of other contenders here but i think kelly is too good to leave out, clare have had 2 poor years but he was one of the best for clare over those 2 years, only all star nomination for his county last year if i remember correctly. great pace and skill while he can score from anywhere.
10.Austin Gleeson - I couldnt leave this man out, i think wing forward might be his best position. 1 of the most complete hurlers i have seen. has the pace, skill, striking off either side, strong in the air, takes frees, sidlines. phenomenal talent - will only get better.
11.Richie Hogan - Best hurler in the country in my opinion.
12.TJ Reid - Last seasons hurler of the year is up their with hogan as one of the very best in the game.
13.John O'Dwyer - An excellent forward, almost always get 5 or 6 points per game. an exceptionally wristy player.
14.Seamus Callanan - Has proven himself to be one of the best players out there over the past 2 seasons, hands down the best full forward around.
15.Joe Canning - I couldnt pick one other outstanding corner forward from a number of options, but then again i dont care what anyone thinks - a best 15 cannot be picked without picking the great joe canning. one of the best hurlers i have ever seen - maybe he is feeling the effects recently of carrying galway for so long. himself and callanan would make a nice 2 man full forwad line here i think!
Obviously while i could only pick 15 some others were close such as - noel connors, brendan maher, bonner maher, conor lehane, david burke, conor mcgrath, pat horgan, conor mcgrath, maurice shanahan, liam rushe, zane keenan etc.

hurlingexpert (Clare) - Posts: 1941 - 03/01/2016 14:24:09    1814220

Agree with most of the selections,wouldn't agree with McCarthy at full back,I'd either put David mcinerney here or alternatively play padraig Maher full back with rushe or De Burca centre back

I'd have to find room for Brendan Maher somewhere,I'd make loads of positional changes and put him in for canning (most naturally talented hurler in Ireland in my view but terribly inconsistent both within games and from game to game). conor McGrath is a top player aswel but has suffered from Davy Fitzgeralds tatics and gameplan.Cathal mannion was excellent this year too but has back it up the next 2 or 3 years.found my own county lee chin and conor McDonald would get on any team in the country

bostonredsox (Wexford) - Posts: 4368 - 04/01/2016 21:30:40    1814551

Can't argue with much of that team.I don't think Tipp are getting the best out of Brendan Maher by playing him in the forwards.He is not a forward.He is a great hurler though and I'd play him right half back or centre back.Tipp are short in midfield now with McGrath & Woodlock's retiring,so i would expect him to play there this year.
Austin Gleeson looks a player.Strong,skillfull,elegant,with a fine burst of pace to get him out of tight situations.I think Waterford have found a centre back to rival some of the greats in that position.It's early days but i can't wait to see him in action again.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 05/01/2016 19:09:38    1814732

Strong team but I would have Callanan in goal and Jason Flynn instead of Bubbles who dosn't actually score 5 or 6 points every game.

Condorman (Dublin) - Posts: 983 - 06/01/2016 10:53:24    1814805

That team would take beating Hurlingexpert, in my opinion Daithi Burke would be in with a strong shout of selection in any best 15 at the moment.

Barnowl94 (Galway) - Posts: 3150 - 06/01/2016 14:41:39    1814875

exactly cuederocket, i agree totally on what you said about maher - i think he is a fantastic hurler but tipp simply didn't use him as best they could this year gone by.

condorman aside from this year all ireland semi final where he didnt hit the same heights (although he was involved in the play quiet a bit), over the past 2 seasons he has been one of the most reliable source of points from play on any team. jason flynn had an up and down kind of year similar to his teammate cathal mannion, they both have a bit to prove on a more consistent basis before being included in the top level. but they certainly have the potential.

hurlingexpert (Clare) - Posts: 1941 - 06/01/2016 17:50:18    1814922

The All Ireland semi was a fairly important game I think you'll agree Hurlingexpert? I think Flynn hit 5 or 6 points including one massive free from his own half, a similar return from Bubbles would have seen Tipp in the final.For me Flynn was one of Galway's best and very unlucky to miss out on an All Star, Mannion's 3 goals against us swayed that award I believe but Flynn had the better year.

Condorman (Dublin) - Posts: 983 - 06/01/2016 19:08:26    1814944

i never suggested that it was not a big game!! i have never seen any player in every sport play their best in every game - i think you'll agree that is a given. bubbles didnt have his usual scoring return in that game, but i did think he was involved a lot. over the last couple of years he has been one of the top players in the country, flynn had a good year but he also had some quieter games. that why on the balance of things bubbles definitely deserves his place in my selection..

hurlingexpert (Clare) - Posts: 1941 - 10/01/2016 11:42:34    1815565