All-Ireland hurling champions Tipperary lead the way on the 2019 Hurling Roll of Honour with seven places on the PwC All-Stars team as Pádraic Maher equals a county record with his sixth award.
The Thurles Sarsfields club-man equals the personal collections of Nicky English and Eoin Kelly, who claimed six awards each, and he is joined by brother Ronan who collects his second award.
Liam Sheedy’s men are represented in every line of the field with goalkeeper Brian Hogan starting the haul and creating a father and son combination, joining his 1987 winning father Ken by claiming the goalkeeper’s spot after his breakthrough season.
In becoming the first-ever Tipp father/son winners, they join the Larkins and Powers (Kilkenny) but become the first-ever duo to win the hurling award in the same position.
Their other awards are won in defence (Cathal Barrett and Brendan Maher), midfield (Noel McGrath) and in attack (Séamus Callanan).
In all, five counties are represented with All-Ireland final runners-up Kilkenny earning three, Limerick and Wexford winning two apiece and Cork completing the line up with their solitary award for revered marksman Patrick Horgan.
Wexford’s haul means they receive their first award since 2004 when Damien Fitzhenry was honoured.
The All-Ireland champions’ awards see them breach the 100 award threshold and their tally of seven brings them to 104, behind Kilkenny and Cork.
“Nearly 50 years on from their launch, the PwC All-Stars remain the gold standard for acknowledging exceptional achievement in Irish sport”, said GAA President John Horan.
“This GAA/GPA scheme recognises the heroes who played such a prominent role in defining what was yet again another epic hurling season.
“In congratulating all those who have been chosen in this distinguished 15 in recognition of their excellence in playing our games, it’s also a proud day for their families and the club volunteers who helped shape them.”
2019 PwC Hurling All-Stars
1 Brian Hogan (Tipperary)
2 Seán Finn (Limerick)
3 Ronan Maher (Tipperary)
4 Cathal Barrett (Tipperary)
5 Brendan Maher (Tipperary)
6 Pádraig Walsh (Kilkenny)
7 Pádraic Maher (Tipperary)
8 Noel McGrath (Tipperary)
9 Diarmuid O’Keeffe (Wexford)
10 Lee Chin (Wexford)
11 TJ Reid (Kilkenny)
12 Colin Fennelly (Kilkenny)
13 Aaron Gillane (Limerick)
14 Séamus Callanan (Tipperary)
15 Patrick Horgan (Cork)