Tony Considine picks his hurling All-Stars with seven from Limerick and four Cats

WELL, everything is all done and dusted now.

Did we ever think we would see inter-county hurling over so early in the year?

The authorities wanted it that way and I suppose we have to go with it, even though it might be against our will. Having no big inter-county games and all that goes with it, is a big loss to a lot of people. Also, I believe a huge loss to the GAA.

In the couple of best months left with grounds in really good shape, it is hard to think that there is no more top-class hurling for the year.

And after the great All-Ireland final, we had last week together with the great weather, it is very hard to see the top brass reversing back to the way it used to be. I think there is for and against and they should look at both sides before deciding about next year.

I always believed that the club should have been played first, maybe in March, April and May, and some of June, and then have inter-county for the rest of the year, probably up to September. 

I think it gives players on both sides plenty of time off, especially in the winter months.

However, that is up to the powers that be. Maybe they will take my advice, who knows?

It is a year we will all look back on, especially the people of Limerick. What a season it has been for them to do the three in a row, and four All-Ireland titles in five years.

A brilliant achievement. But how do they compare with the great teams of the past?

I remember as a young boy the great Tipp team of the ’60s. They also won four in five years. The great Cork team of the ’70s and their three-in-a-row.

The Galway team of the ’80s, although they didn’t win three in a row, but nevertheless they were an outstanding team.

A couple of teams made a breakthrough in the ’90s, Offaly first and then Clare after a very long number of years.

All these teams produced some outstanding players and gave great entertainment, but I have to say the greatest team that I have ever seen has been the Kilkenny team of the ’00s, winning four in a row and also winning a total of eleven All-Irelands in 15 years.

I doubt that will ever be equaled again. So Limerick have some target in front of them in the next number of years.

A big ask.

This year you have to say the big underachievers have to be Waterford, Cork and Tipperary. Not a great year for any of these three, two failing to get out of Munster, and Cork being turned over by Galway in the quarter-final.

There was expectation, both in Waterford and Cork. Was it real expectation, or just media talk, particularly regarding Waterford who went down so badly in the Munster championship?

Cork did not reach their potential either, and Tipp did not win a game in Munster. It’s amazing all these three that failed will have three new managers next year. We will wait and see how they get on, or if it was the right thing to do.

Clare made good progress under Brian Lohan, but failed when it mattered most in the All-Ireland semi-final, never got out of the blocks on the day. A lot for them to work on for next year when that surprise element will be gone.

Need a few new players to push on.

Anyway, here is my team of the year, and I’m taking League and Championship form into consideration.

My goalkeeper is one of the best I have seen, Eoin Murphy (Kilkenny) gets in ahead of Nicky Quaid.

The three men I have in front of them, Sean Finn (Limerick) Huw Lawlor (Kilkenny) and the brilliant Barry Nash (Limerick).

Diarmuid Byrnes (Limerick) Declan Hannon (Limerick) and David McInerney (Clare). A real strong half-back line. Midfield: David Fitzgerald (Clare), Adrian Mullen (Kilkenny). Two players that have been outstanding for their counties.

Half-forward line, Gearoid Hegarty, Kyle Hayes, Tony Kelly... there is not a half-back line in the country that would hold these three.

Full-forward line then, Aaron Gillane, TJ Reid and Conor Whelan (Galway). What a lethal full-forward line.

I would take on anyone with this team, both now, in the past, or in the future.

TONY CONSIDINE'S ALL-STARS:

Eoin Murphy; 

Sean Finn, Huw Lawlor, Barry Nash; 

Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, David McInerney; 

David Fitzgerald, Adrian Mullen; 

Gearóid Hegarty, Kyle Hayes, Tony Kelly; 

Aaron Gillane, TJ Reid, Conor Whelan.

7 Limerick, Kilkenny 4, Clare 3, Galway 1. 

Everyone picks their team, but in my opinion, these are the best players in their positions this year.

Players of the year, I broke it down to four, Diarmaid Byrnes, Barry Nash, Aaron Gillane and Tony Kelly. All four were brilliant during the year and were big match winners for their teams at times.

Very entertaining players to watch, some really big scores by all of them during the year, but the most consistent of them all with his excellent long-range free-taking, and his great defensive duties, was the brilliant Diarmuid Byrnes.

My young player of the year, if there is such a thing anymore, would be Mikey Butler of Kilkenny. A real find for Kilkenny this year.

Enjoy the break from inter-county, even though some of us did not want it that way.