All-Ireland champions Limerick lead the list of nominees for this year's Bord Gais Energy Team of the Year which will be announced live on Newstalk's Off the Ball over four days starting on Wednesday, September 30.

In total twelve players from Limerick are in the running to be named in the final fifteen who will be presented with their awards at a special ceremony in Dublin on Saturday, October 3.
 
Two players from the victorious Treaty County are also nominated for Player of the Year with Captain Diarmaid Byrnes  joined on the list by Richie English. Wexford star Conor McDonald, who is nominated for the second successive year, is the third player in contention. 

The 'A' championship and the 'B' championship Players of the Year will be announced at the awards ceremony.
 
Four players who were named on the 2014 Team of the Year are again in contention to be honoured.  Three of those are Wexford men; Oliver O'Leary, Liam Ryan and Conor McDonald.  Clare's Conor Cleary is the fourth man on that list.  In total just seven players who were nominated last year return on this year's shortlist.
 
U-21 hurling supporters are once again being given their chance to vote for the Score of the Year which will be announced live at the awards ceremony.

In total twelve scores from this season's championship are in the running. All of these great scores will be available to view and vote for on the dedicated championship website bgeU21.ie from Monday, September 28.. Fans will also be able to vote for their favourite score via Facebook and Twitter. Voting will close at midnight Friday, October 2.
 
Speaking at the announcement of the shortlist, Ger Cunningham, Sports Ambassador for Bord Gáis Energy said, "The Bord Gáis Energy Team of the Year is a fitting way to bring the U21 season to a close.  These young players deserve to have their individual exploits recognised and, given the competitive nature of the championship, even making the shortlist is a big achievement.
 
"We've extended the list of nominees to 45 this season such was the competition. While it's no surprise that the All-Ireland finalists take a major percentage of the places, it's great to see the impact that some teams who didn't quite make it to Semple Stadium for the finals being recognised.
 
"This year, we also have the exciting development of the team being announced live on Off the Ball on Newstalk.  We hope fans will get involved in the conversation around the team and let the guys in Newstalk know how they feel about the fifteen we ultimately pick.
 
"And there will still be some big announcements on the night of the awards ceremony itself, including the two Player of the Year winners and the Score of the Year."
 
The full judging panel for the awards includes Bord Gáis Energy Sports Ambassador Ger Cunningham, TG4's Micheál Ó Domhnaill, Galway star Joe Canning, Waterford great Ken McGrath and Newstalk's Óisín Langan. 
 
FULL SHORTLIST FOR BORD GAIS ENERGY TEAM OF THE YEAR

Goalkeepers: Keith Hogan (Clare), David McCarthy (Limerick), Oliver O'Leary (Wexford)
 
Full Backs: Michael Breen (Tipperary), Michael Casey (Limerick), Eoin Conroy (Wexford), Richie English (Limerick), David Fitzgerald (Clare), Conor Gleeson (Waterford), Shane McNulty (Waterford), Eoin Quirke (Clare), Liam Ryan (Wexford)
 
Half Backs: Diarmaid Byrnes (Limerick), Tadhg de Burca (Waterford), Conor Cleary (Clare), Diarmuid Cody (Kilkenny), Padraig Foley (Wexford), Ronan Maher (Tipperary), Aidan McGuane (Clare), Barry O'Connell (Limerick), Jack O'Connor (Wexford)  
 
Midfield: Diarmuid Byrne (Carlow), David Conroy (Clare), Conor Devitt (Wexford), Austin  Gleeson (Waterford), Darragh O'Donovan (Limerick), Pat Ryan (Limerick)
 
Half Forwards: Shane Bennett (Waterford), Cian Boland (Dublin), David Dempsey (Limerick), Bobby Duggan (Clare), Cha Dwyer (Laois), Kevin Foley (Wexford), Ian Galvin (Clare), Cian Lynch (Limerick), Ronan Lynch (Limerick)
 
Full Forwards: Patrick Curran (Waterford), Cathal Dunbar (Wexford), Jason Flynn (Galway), Conor McDonald (Wexford), Christy McNaughton (Antrim), Tom Morrissey (Limerick), Brian Molloy (Galway), Barry Nash (Limerick), Colin O'Riordan (Tipperary)   
 
NOMINATIONS FOR PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Diarmaid Byrnes (Limerick)

Richie English (Limerick)

Conor McDonald (Wexford)
 
NOMINATIONS FOR BORD GAIS ENERGY SCORE OF THE YEAR AWARD

Chris Bolger, Leinster Quarter-Final, Dublin v Kilkenny

Austin Gleeson, Munster Quarter-Final, Cork v Waterford

Conor McDonald, Leinster Semi-Final, Offaly v Wexford

The Wexford Team, Leinster Semi-Final, Offaly v Wexford

Cathal Dunbar, Leinster Final, Wexford v Kilkenny

Patrick Curran, Munster Semi-Final, Clare v Waterford

Cian Lynch, Munster Semi-Final, Limerick v Tipperary

Stephen Ward, Munster Final, Clare v Limerick

Pádraig Foley, All-Ireland Semi-Final, Antrim v Wexford

Tom Morrissey, All-Ireland Semi-Final, Limerick v Galway

Padraig Doyle, 'B' Championship Final,  Meath v Wicklow

Conor McDonald, All-Ireland Final, Limerick v Wexford

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