There could be just three games left in the hurling championship. We pick our hurling All Stars as of now.

1. Colm Callanan (Galway)

The number one jersey is very much up for grabs as we enter the home straight in the Liam McCarthy Cup race. The Galway custodian gets our vote but it's a close call with Stephen O'Keeffe (Waterford), Darren Gleeson (Tipperary) and Eoin Murphy (Kilkenny) breathing down his neck.

2. Cathal Barrett (Tipperary)

A shoulder injury sidelined him for the provincial semi-final victory over Limerick but the Holycross-Ballycahill clubman underlined his worth to the Tipp cause with a five star performance against Waterford in the Munster SHC final.

3. Paul Murphy (Kilkenny)

Joey Holden has solved the full-back conundrum created by JJ Delaney's retirement but he has been helped by the presence of Murphy and Jackie Tyrrell either side of him. With three All-Star awards already to his name, the Danesfort man is looking good for a fourth.

4. Padraig Mannion (Galway)

Waterford's Noel Connors is also very much in the frame for one of the corner-back spots but we're going with the young Ahascragh/Fohenagh clubman who has displayed maturity beyond his tender years since making his championship debut in the drawn Leinster SHC quarter-final against Dublin.

5. Austin Gleeson (Waterford)

The Mount Sion youngster has delivered on his underage potential ever since bursting onto the senior scene with a wonder goal against Cork 12 months ago. Currently heads the Young Hurler of the Year betting market (11/8).

6. Padraic Maher (Tipperary)

After the disappointment of last year's replay All-Ireland final defeat, Tipperary mean business this year and the Thurles Sarsfields man was one of the driving forces behind their march to a 41st provincial title. Galway will ask serious questions of their All-Ireland winning credentials on Sunday week.

7. Cillian Buckley (Kilkenny)

Tadhg De Burca's omission may raise a few eyebrows but the final spot in our half-back line goes to Buckley who has really stood up to the challenge of taking on extra leadership responsibilities following the departure of so many influential performers from the Cats' dressingroom.

8. Conor Fogarty (Kilkenny)

The 25-year-old has shown no ill-effects to the fibula break he suffered in Kilkenny's opening round league defeat to Cork and, with Michael Fennelly struggling on the injury front, has continued where he left off in 2014 as strong physical presence in the Cats' engine room.

9. Kevin Moran (Waterford)

Waterford's Mr Versatile, Moran has led be example in what has already been a year to remember for Deise hurling. On Sunday, Derek McGrath's young guns face the biggest test of all and they will need their captain to be at his very best.

10. John O'Dwyer (Tipperary)

If Tipperary are to bridge the five year gap to their last Liam McCarthy Cup success, a lot will depend on O'Dwyer maintaining his rich vein of scoring form. When their backs were against the wall in the Munster decider, 'Bubbles' fired over three crucial points from play.

11. Richie Hogan (Kilkenny)

The Danesfort dynamo in full flight is a joy to watch and he has notched 1-9 in the Cats' two championship outings to date. A lot can happen at the semi-final and final stages and there is no such thing as a nailed-on certainty - but last year's Hurler of the Year is as close to one as you can get.

12. TJ Reid (Kilkenny)

The same can be said for the Ballyhale Shamrocks sharpshooter. Tipp legend Nicky English said this week that Hogan and Reid are the two best hurlers in the country at the moment and it's difficult to find fault with that statement. Reid, who has bagged 2-16 to date, is the 7/2 favourite for Hurler of the Year.

13. Cathal Mannion (Galway)

The 20-year-old led the Leinster SHC quarter-final replay rout of Dublin with 3-3 and has backed that up with a string of impressive performances. Has contributed 3-15 from play to the Tribesmen's march to the All-Ireland SHC semi-final stage.

14. Maurice Shanahan (Waterford)

A vital cog in the Waterford machine, Shanahan was responsible for half of his team's final tally of 0-16 in the Munster final defeat and hit 1-12 against Dublin in the quarter-final victory. The Lismore ace has scored a total of 2-29 (2-5 from play) in the championship so far.

15. Seamus Callanan (Tipperary)

Despite failing to score form play in the Munster decider victory, the prolific finisher from Drom & Inch has 2-12 to his name and the Galway defence will have their work cut out as they attempt to curb his influence in the last four.

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