GK Rhys Shelly [Moycarkey/Borris]
Current Tipperary Senior Panelist and County winning Captain. Rhys is a super all around goalkeeper, which he has shown throughout this campaign. While both the length and accuracy of his puckouts are rightly the first thing you notice, he is also an excellent shot stopper and athletic enough to create space for his strike when put under pressure. His long range free taking makes him a threat on the scoreboard as well.
CB Darragh Butler [Kiladangan]
Very solid throughout the campaign, with big performances in the North Final and County semi. He is a physical man marker who didn’t concede a score to any of his opponents. This included the unenviable job of trying to curtail county 20s star Max Hackett. While Hackett still had an influence on the game through winning frees, Butler did as good a job on Hackett as you will see anyone do.
Full Back Peter Melbourne [Moycarkey/Borris}
The Moycarkey fullback has been nothing short of heroic this year. To play week after week with a torn calf is one thing, but for his performances to get better with each passing game is almost beyond belief. Along with Darren Flood he was one of the finals 2 standout performers and HOTD MOTM. A combination of strength and speed coming out to the ball makes him a nightmare for forwards, who if even a second off the mark will be left behind.
CB Daire O’Brien [Mullinahone]
Full back O’Brien dominated the square throughout the championship, and is very much a mixture of the modern hurler and old style full back. Daire is another player who faced some big name opponents, such as Willie Barry of Cappawhite, and came out on top. Has a very good all around game and is a serious athlete. Even in defeat in the final he is a player who came out with his stock greatly enhanced.
WB Darragh Flannery [Kiladangan]
Former County u20 and already a Dan Breen winner with the Kiladangan seniors. In Kiladangan’s extremely competitive north semi against Nenagh, he put on a man of the match performance. This was the catalyst for their north title win. Not the typical stylish hurler you would associate with Kiladangan, he is a serious competitor, combined with his experience, this made him a great leader for this Kiladangan team.
CB Conor Whelan [Mullinahone]
A star underage hurler with Tipperary, big things are expected in the future from the Carrick or possibly Mulllinahone man. An orthodox style centre back, opposition teams are often left more worried about marking him, than if their centre forward influences the game. A clean striker of the ball, he is a superb long range free taker. Looks like a man among boys at 21s level, played to the level that you would expect of him, which bodes well for Tipp in the future.
WB Tom Ryan [Moycarkey/Borris]
The Moycarkey Centre Back is a player who has really come into his own this year, with the club’s seniors and u21s. He is a ferocious tackler and while lined out at centre back, he played tight on the centre forward, allowing the sweeper to occupy the middle. While O’Shea still had an influence in the final, it is no coincidence that his scoring from play dropped as a result of Tom following him.
MF Jack Fallon [Moycarkey/Borris]
A Rolls Royce of a midfielder and the Premierview Podcast HOTD with nearly 40% of the public vote, Jack seems to play the game at a stroll. It still looks like a stroll as he leaves chasing players behind him. Along with his serious speed and fitness, Jack is another top striker of the ball putting up big scores in 3 of the 4 games. His scores from midfield often come from smart runs off the shoulder but when moved into the forwards in spells of games, he can get out in front of his man and create space for his own shot.
MF Martin Kehoe [Mullinahone]
A big performer for Mullinahone seniors the last 2 years, he not only brought this form with him to their u21 hurling team but lifted it to another level. On a team filled with athletes, he is one of the big standouts. His work rate often causes opposition players to lose possession and will generally be the man to come away with the ball from the ensuing rucks. Ended up on the most ball of any midfielder in each game and can take a score when given the chance.
WF Conor Bowe [Moyne/Templetuohy]
One of the big names at this grade not only in Tipp but all around the country. Now with the County Hurlers after a spell with the footballers, it seems that year of S&C with the footballers brought him on leaps and bounds. Conor led a Moyne team with Gearoid O’Connor in goal to victory against a JK Brackens team containing multiple former Tipp minors and 20s. Then in the following game he had Moycarkey on the ropes for a long time. Lined out at midfield but his play was such that he could have been named on most lines of the field with the ground he covered.
CF Mikey O’Shea [Mullinahone]
County 20 hurler and Current Tipp senior football panellist, Mikey looked a class apart in the games leading up to the county final where he was able to score almost at will. A tidy sticksman his hurling ability was never in doubt, however his fitness levels had been questioned. This is most certainly a thing of the past and he is not afraid to take on his man from start to finish of the game. Added an extra bit of class to the Mullinahone team.
WF Shane Gleeson [Kiladangan]
The top marksman for Kiladangan, he had a noted effect on the game both from play and placed ball. His standout performance came in the North Final against Roscrea, where his shooting was top quality all throughout. While Kiladangan had some big name players such as Sean Hayes and Bryan McLoughney, Gleeson was extremely consistent all year and had to be somewhere on this team.
CF Kyle Shelly [Moycarkey/Borris]
County 20 hurler Kyle is also a distinguished footballer. Kyle, like his brother, is a great striker of the ball and scored a lot from play and placed balls in this campaign. While moved around the forward line from time to time, it was his ability to play in a 2 man full forward line that stood out. His ability to move across the top line and create options for the ball allowed Moycarkey to play a sweeper without hindering them in attack. His last 15 minutes spell against Moyne in the first round set Moycarkey on their way to county honours.
FF Max Hackett [Moycarkey/Borris]
A Star County 20s player, Hackett was another who was found himself in a variety of positions in the forwards for Moycarkey. His mid-final performance will live long in the memory for those who were there but he played an important role in the other games. His scores in the Moyne and Mullinahone game showed his touch of class, along with his battling spirit in the county semi where he didn’t throw in the towel and won a lot of important frees when many others would have lost their cool with the same treatment.
CF/Sweeper Darren Flood [Moycarkey/Borris]
While he finished up there in the first game, it was his permanent move to sweeper at half time of the mid final where he began to shine. Flood was a star performer in both county semi and final. An extremely clever player, his use of the ball and positioning allowed him to influence the game in numerous aspects. Never rushed in possession, he was able to find Moycarkey forwards and defensively cut off supply to the full forward line.