Cian Boland makes shortlist for U21 Hurling Team of Year

Wed, 23rd September 2015

Cian Boland is Dublin's sole representative in the list of nominations for this year's Bord Gáis Energy U21 Hurling Team of the Year.

The Dubs exited the championship on their first day out to Kilkenny in a tight battle with Boland impressing.

All-Ireland Champions Limerick have, unsurprisingly, received the most nominations for this year’s Bord Gáis Energy Team of the Year which will announced live on Newstalk’s Off the Ball over four days starting on Wednesday, 30 September. 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, 3 October.

Two players from the victorious Limerick team are also nominated for Player of the Year. Captain Diarmaid Byrnes is 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, 28 September. Fans will also be able to vote for their favourite score via Facebook and Twitter. Voting will close at midnight Friday, 2 October.

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 U-21 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”.

All-Ireland champions Limerick have twelve representatives on the list of nominees. Wexford have nine players nominated with just one fewer from Clare. Waterford have six nominees, Tipperary have three and Galway have two while Kilkenny, Carlow, Dublin, Laois and Antrim have one apiece.

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 Gáis 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 McQuane (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)

Breakdown on Counties Nominated

Limerick 12

Wexford 9

Clare 8

Waterford 6

Tipperary 3

Galway 2

Antrim 1

Dublin 1

Kilkenny 1

Laois 1

Carlow 1