All-Star hurling team: Four Cork players selected

Hurler of The Year nominee Brian Hayes among the Rebel quartet while star midfielder earns third gong
All-Star hurling team: Four Cork players selected

Cork's Brian Hayes scores the opening goal against Dublin's during the All-Ireland SHC semi final at Croke Park in July. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Four Cork hurlers have been selected on the PwC GAA/GPA All-Star hurling team for 2025.

Seán O’Donoghue, Ciarán Joyce, Darragh Fitzgibbon and Brian Hayes have all been honoured after a year in which the county reached the All-Ireland SHC final for the second year in a row, losing to Tipperary, as well as winning the Allianz HL and the Munster title, beating Tipp and Limerick respectively.

Fitzgibbon is chosen for the third time, having also been on the team in 2018 and one of the five Rebels picked in 2024. The Charleville clubman is the first Cork player selected in consecutive seasons since Patrick Horgan (2017-19 inclusive).

For the other three players, it is a first selection - following a campaign where he scored 5-9, all from play, across seven games, Hayes is also nominated for the Hurler of The Year Award along with Tipperary duo Jake Morris and John McGrath.

Cork's Darragh Fitzgibbon, seen here trying to get away from Michael Kiely of Waterford, has won a third All-Star Award. Picture: Eddie O'Hare
Cork's Darragh Fitzgibbon, seen here trying to get away from Michael Kiely of Waterford, has won a third All-Star Award. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

That attacking pair are among seven Tipp players chosen on the best 15 of the year, with McGrath adding to his award from 2016. Others from the Premer County are goalkeeper Rhys Shelly, defenders Robert Doyle, Eoghan Connolly and Ronan Maher and forward Andrew Ormond.

Kilkenny have two players selected - Huw Lawlor at full-back (a third selection in four years) and Martin Keoghan in the full-forward line - while Galway’s Cathal Mannion partners Fitzgibbon at midfield. Dublin’s Cian O’Sullivan, who has Beara ancestry, is also included. For the first time since 2017, there are no Limerick players on the team.

The All-Star football team will be announced at Friday night’s gala ceremony.

PwC GAA/GPA ALL-STAR HURLING TEAM: 

Rhys Shelly (Tipperary); 

Robert Doyle (Tipperary), Huw Lawlor (Kilkenny), Seán O'Donoghue (Cork); 

Eoghan Connolly (Tipperary), Ronan Maher (Tipperary), Ciarán Joyce (Cork); 

Cathal Mannion (Galway), Darragh Fitzgibbon (Cork); 

Jake Morris (Tipperary), Andrew Ormond (Tipperary), Cian O'Sullivan (Dublin); 

Martin Keoghan (Kilkenny), John McGrath (Tipperary), Brian Hayes (Cork).

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