Tipperary have surprisingly received more Vodafone All-Star hurling nominations than four in-a-row All-Ireland champions Kilkenny. The Premier County has received 13 nominations, one more than Brian Cody's all-conquering Cats, who pipped Liam Sheedy's side for All-Ireland and National League honours this year. Paul Curran and Brendan Maher are the only two Tipperary players who started the All-Ireland final to miss out, while centre back Brian Hogan, midfielder Derek Lyng and forwards Richie Hogan and Aidan Fogarty miss out for Kilkenny. Martin Comerford, who didn't start the All-Ireland final but came on and scored a crucial goal for Kilkenny, has been included. Eyebrows will also be raised at the fact that Waterford's Eoin Kelly, who was the second highest scorer in this year's championship, has been omitted from the 45-strong list of nominees. In all, there are 14 first-time nominees - including the Tipp players Pádraic Maher, Paddy Stapleton, James Woodlock, Pat Kerwick, John O'Brien and Noel McGrath; Dublin's Stephen Hiney, Alan McCrabbe and David Treacy (David O'Callaghan was nominated last year); Kilkenny's Michael Rice and Limerick's Gavin O'Mahony. The others are Waterford's Noel Connors and Fergal Moore and Aengus Callinan of Galway. All but three of last year's All Stars team are nominated (the exceptions are Kilkenny's Noel Hickey and James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick as well as Eoin Kelly of Waterford). Tommy Walsh is line for his seventh successive award, while Henry Shefflin will join his fellow county-man DJ Carey and Kerry football great Pat Spillane on nine awards if selected this year. Eoin Kelly of Tipperary is going for his sixth, having missed for the last two years. Michael 'Brick' Walsh of Waterford is nominated for the half-back line, having won an award at midfield in 2007 and being nominated at half-forward the previous year. Declan Fanning, who is nominated at half-back, was full back on the 2007 All Star team. John Mullane, Lar Corbett and Tommy Walsh have been nominated for Player of the Year, while the Young Player of the Year nominees are Joe Canning, Pádraic Maher and Noel McGrath. The All Stars banquet will be held on Friday, 16 October, with the football nominations due to be announced later today. Vodafone GAA All Stars Hurling Nominations for 2009: Goalkeepers: Brendan Cummins (Tipperary) PJ Ryan (Kilkenny) Clinton Hennessy (Waterford) Full Backs: JJ Delaney (Kilkenny) Michael Kavanagh (Kilkenny) Jackie Tyrrell (Kilkenny) Padraig Maher (Tipperary) Paddy Stapleton (Tipperary) Ollie Canning (Galway) Fergal Moore (Galway) Noel Connors (Waterford) Shane O'Neill (Cork) Half Backs: John Tennyson (Kilkenny) Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny) Michael Walsh (Waterford) Tony Browne (Waterford) Conor O'Mahony (Tipperary) Declan Fanning (Tipperary) John Lee (Galway) Mark Foley (Limerick) Stephen Hiney (Dublin) Midfield: Michael Rice (Kilkenny) Alan McCrabbe (Dublin) Shane McGrath (Tipperary) James Woodlock (Tipperary) Seamus Hickey (Limerick) Gavin O'Mahony (Limerick) Half Forwards: Eddie Brennan (Kilkenny) Eoin Larkin (Kilkenny) Henry Shefflin (Kilkenny) Seamus Callanan (Tipperary) Lar Corbett (Tipperary) Pat Kerwick (Tipperary) John O'Brien (Tipperary) Ben O'Connor (Cork) Aonghus Callinan (Galway) Full Forwards: Eoin Kelly (Tipperary) Noel McGrath (Tipperary) Joe Canning (Galway) Damien Hayes (Galway) Martin Comerford (Kilkenny) Richie Power (Kilkenny) David O'Callaghan (Dublin) David Treacy (Dublin) John Mullane (Waterford) Hurler of the Year Lar Corbett (Tipperary) John Mullane (Waterford) Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny) Young Hurler of the Year Joe Canning (Galway) Padraig Maher (Tipperary) Noel McGrath (Tipperary) Tweet

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