Hurling All-Stars 2026: Limerick Lead with 13 Nominations as Galway's 11 Reflect Runners-Up Status
The GAA/GPA has announced the 45 nominees for the 2026 PwC All-Star hurling awards, with All-Ireland champions Limerick leading the way with 13 nominations and runners-up Galway securing 11 — their highest tally since 2017 — as Gearóid Hegarty, Diarmaid Byrnes, and Cork's Brian Hayes are shortlisted for the Hurler of the Year award ahead of the October 30 ceremony at the RDS.
Background
The PwC All-Star hurling awards are the most prestigious individual honours in the game, recognising the 15 best performers across the season in each position on the field. The selection process is conducted by a panel of GAA journalists and analysts, and the nominations announced on Wednesday represent the 45 players — three per position — from whom the final 15 will be chosen. The awards ceremony at the RDS in Dublin on October 30 is one of the highlights of the GAA calendar, bringing together the game's leading players and personalities for an evening that celebrates the season's finest performances.
Limerick's dominance of the 2026 championship was reflected in their 13 nominations, a figure that matches their tally from their 2022 All-Ireland winning campaign and is one better than their 2020 and 2023 successes. The Shannonsiders defeated Galway in the All-Ireland final to claim the Liam MacCarthy Cup, extending their remarkable period of dominance in the game. Galway's 11 nominations represent a significant improvement on recent years and reflect the quality of their campaign, which brought them to the final before ultimately falling short against the Munster giants.
Cork's seven nominations, despite not reaching the final, reflect the quality of their individual performers throughout the championship, with Brian Hayes in particular having an outstanding season that has earned him a place on the Hurler of the Year shortlist alongside two Limerick players.
Key Developments
Among Limerick's 13 nominees are goalkeeper Nickie Quaid, defenders Barry Nash, Diarmaid Byrnes, Kyle Hayes, Seán Finn, and William O'Donoghue, midfielders Adam English and Cian Lynch, and forwards Peter Casey, Gearóid Hegarty, Shane O'Brien, Aidan O'Connor, and Cathal O'Neill. The absence of 2023 Hurler of the Year Aaron Gillane and defender Mike Casey from the nominations is notable, reflecting either injury or a slight dip in form relative to the exceptional standards they have previously set.
Galway's 11 nominees include defenders Cillian Trayers, Daithí Burke, Darren Morrissey, Pádraic Mannion, and Ronan Glennon, midfielder Cathal Mannion, and forwards Aaron Niland, Conor Whelan, Darragh Neary, Jason Rabbitte, and Tom Monaghan. For Galway, the 11 nominations represent their highest tally since 2017 and are a source of considerable pride in a county that has been building steadily towards a return to All-Ireland glory.
The Hurler of the Year shortlist features Gearóid Hegarty and Diarmaid Byrnes of Limerick alongside Cork's Brian Hayes. Hegarty, who has been one of the most influential players in the game over the past several seasons, is widely regarded as the frontrunner, though Hayes's performances for Cork throughout the championship have been exceptional and he cannot be discounted. The Young Hurler of the Year nominees are Jason Rabbitte and Cillian Trayers of Galway and William Buckley of Cork.
Why It Matters
The All-Star nominations are more than a list of names — they are a snapshot of the state of hurling at its highest level, and the 2026 nominations tell an interesting story. Limerick's continued dominance is reflected in their 13 nominations, but the spread of nominees across eight counties — Limerick, Galway, Cork, Clare, Dublin, Offaly, Waterford, and Kilkenny — suggests that the game is in a healthy state, with genuine quality emerging from multiple provinces. The inclusion of Offaly's Ben Conneely and Eoghan Cahill is particularly noteworthy, reflecting the Faithful County's resurgence as a hurling force after years in the wilderness.
Galway's 11 nominations are significant because they suggest that the county is genuinely closing the gap on Limerick. The Tribesmen have been the most consistent challengers to Limerick's dominance over the past several seasons, and their All-Ireland final appearance in 2026 — combined with their strong individual performances — suggests that the rivalry between the two counties will continue to define the game at the highest level for the foreseeable future.
Local Impact
In Limerick, the 13 nominations have been welcomed as further confirmation of the county's status as the dominant force in modern hurling. The Gaelic Grounds and the county's hurling clubs have been buzzing with pride since the All-Ireland final victory, and the All-Star nominations add another layer of recognition to what has been an extraordinary period for Limerick hurling. In Galway, the 11 nominations have been received with a mixture of pride and determination — pride in the quality of the county's players, and determination to go one step further in 2027 and claim the Liam MacCarthy Cup that has eluded them since 2018.
What's Next
The final 15 All-Stars will be announced at the awards ceremony at the RDS on October 30, 2026. The Hurler of the Year and Young Hurler of the Year will also be announced on the night. In the meantime, attention in the GAA world is turning to the club championships, which are now entering their provincial stages, and to the ongoing debate about the future structure of the All-Ireland championship following the GAA's review of the round-robin format.
