Three Limerick hurlers nominated for All Stars

THREE Limerick hurlers (Adare’s Mark Foley, Murroe-Boher’s Seamus Hickey & Kilmallock’s Gavin O’Mahony) have been nominated for the 2009 GAA All-Stars.
The nominations for the prestigious awards were announced on Wednesday evening and saw Tipperary receive 13 nominations, All-Ireland champions Kilkenny 12, Galway six, Waterford five, Dublin four, Limerick three and Cork just two.


Meanwhile Tipperary’s Lar Corbett, Waterford’s John Mullane and Kilkenny’s Tommy Walsh have been nominated for the Hurler of the Year award. Galway’s Joe Canning and Tipperary duo Padraig Maher and Noel McGrath have been nominated as Young Hurler of the Year.
The GAA All-Stars banquet will be held on Friday, October 16 and the football nominations will be announced on Thursday evening (September 24).

National Leagues
The GAA have also released the fixtures for next year’s national hurling and football leagues. The Limerick hurlers will launch their National Hurling League Division One campaign against Galway (home) on February 21 next.
Six days later Limerick host Cork on February 27 while on March 14 Limerick will travel to Waterford.
On March 21 Limerick host beaten All-Ireland finalists Tipperary and on March 28 Limerick face Offaly (away).
On April 4 Limerick host Kilkenny while in their final Division One game the Shannonsiders travel to Dublin (April 18).
The Limerick footballers will open their Division Four campaign with a trip to London on February 7 while their first home game, on February 13, will see Carlow visit Shannonside. On February 20 Longford host Limerick while on March 13 Waterford will visit Limerick.
On March 21 Limerick travel to face Mick O’Dwyer’s Wicklow and six days later the Shannonsiders host the Kilkenny footballers.
On April 3 Limerick face Clare in Ennis while in the final round of the 2010 National Football League Limerick will complete their Division Four campaign with a home game against Leitrim.

Ladies football
Meanwhile St. Ailbe’s Maire Halvey, along with selectors Pat O’Sullivan and Tom Barron, will lead the Limerick ladies footballers into their first-ever All-Ireland final this Sunday morning.
On Sunday, September 27 the Limerick ladies football team will face Antrim in the junior All-Ireland final (12pm) in Croke Park.
The game will be televised live on TG4 and will feature as part of an attractive triple header at GAA headquarters - the junior decider will be followed by the intermediate final between Clare and Fermanagh (2pm) while at 4pm the senior final will see Cork face Dublin.
Tickets are available from the following outlets - from Wednesday through Friday tickets will be available to buy from the Gaelic Grounds (10am to 1pm & 2pm to 5pm). On Thursday evening in the Woodlands Hotel (Adare) tickets will be on sale from 8-9pm. Tickets are also available to buy on www.ladiesgaelic.ie

Brian McDonnell