The GAA, GPA and Opel are pleased to confirm the nominations for the 2016 All-Star hurling awards with All-Ireland and Munster champions Tipperary boasting a 15-strong list of contenders.

The strong number of Premier County nominees is a testament to the form enjoyed by Michael Ryan’s team this summer and their success in dethroning Liam MacCarthy holders Kilkenny.

Their representation is an increase on the 2015 list which saw Tipp receive 7 nominations and betters their haul of 2010 when they previously won the All-Ireland crown and received 14 nominations that season.

As in football, there are eight different counties represented on the distinguished list of 45 players who have been chosen, and from which the prestigious final 15 will be announced live at a banquet in Dublin’s Convention Centre on Friday, November 4.

The breakdown of nominees is as follows: Tipperary (15); Waterford (9); Kilkenny (8); Galway (6); Clare (3); Wexford (2); Limerick (1), Cork (1).

The short list for this year’s Player of the Year awards has also been decided.

These awards are voted on exclusively by the playing body themselves and the short list for Player of the Year features Waterford’s Austin Gleeson alongside Tipperary’s Pádraic Maher and Séamus Callanan.

The candidates for Young Player of the Year are Tipperary’s Ronan Maher and Waterford’s Austin Gleeson and Shane Bennett.

Padraic Maher impressed for Tipperary.

Goalkeepers

1. Eoin Murphy (Kilkenny)

2. Darren Gleeson (Tipperary)

3. Colm Callanan (Galway)

Defenders 

1. Cathal Barrett (Tipperary)

2. James Barry (Tipperary)

3. Daithí Burke (Galway)

4. Tadhg de Búrca (Waterford)

5. Shane Fives (Waterford)

6. Pádraic Maher (Tipperary)

7. Ronan Maher (Tipperary)

8. Paul Murphy (Kilkenny)

9. Pádraig Walsh (Kilkenny)

10. Cillian Buckley (Kilkenny)

11. Michael Cahill (Tipperary)

12. Séamus Kennedy (Tipperary)

13. Diarmuid Byrnes (Limerick)

14. Noel Connors (Waterford)

15. Philip Mahony (Waterford)

16. Cian Dillon (Clare)

17. Pádraig Mannion (Galway)

18. Matthew O’Hanlon (Wexford)

Midfielders

1. Jamie Barron (Waterford)

2. David Burke (Galway)

3. Michael Breen (Tipperary)

4. Conor Fogarty (Kilkenny)

5. Brendan Maher (Tipperary)

6. Kevin Moran (Waterford)

TJ Reid remains a key player for Kilkenny.

Forwards

1. Séamus Callanan (Tipperary)

2. Austin Gleeson (Waterford)

3. Richie Hogan (Kilkenny)

4. Patrick Maher (Tipperary)

5. Pauric Mahony (Waterford)

6. John McGrath (Tipperary)

7. Noel McGrath (Tipperary)

8. John O’Dwyer (Tipperary)

9. Walter Walsh (Kilkenny)

10. Conor Cooney (Galway)

11. Tony Kelly (Clare)

12. Dan McCormack (Tipperary)

13. Joe Canning (Galway)

14. TJ Reid (Kilkenny)

15. Michael Walsh (Waterford)

16. Lee Chin (Wexford)

17. Colm Galvin (Clare)

18. Alan Cadogan (Cork)

Player of the Year Nominees

1. Austin Gleeson (Waterford) 2. Pádraic Maher (Tipperary) 3. Séamus Callanan (Tipperary)

Young Player of the Year Nominees

1. Ronan Maher (Tipperary) 2. Austin Gleeson (Waterford) 3. Shane Bennett (Waterford)