Yesterday, we brought you five footballers whose club performances could yield to their becoming regulars on the intercounty scene next year, and now, it's time to pick some hurlers.
Adrian Breen (Limerick)
Limerick lag considerably behind their rivals in Munster, but the opposite is true at club level: Na Piarsaigh this year won their fourth Munster title in the last seven years. This year, they accounted for Waterford's Ballygunner, with Adrian Breen among the most impressive performers, hitting 1-5 in a man-of-the-match performance. He made a similar impact on the Limerick decider, hitting six points from play against Kilmallock.
In the last couple of years, Breen has slipped away from the Limerick senior panel having been involved between 2013 and 2015, but perhaps his performances at club level will persuade Limerick manager John Kiely to give him another shot.
Sean Moran (Dublin)
It would be thoroughly unsurprising were Pat Gilroy to lean heavily on Cuala in his debut season as manager of the Dublin hurlers, and if he does so, expect Sean Moran to become a more regular member of the half-back line. Moran flitted about the squad last year, and was promoted to a starting spot for the qualifiers games against Laois and Tipperary. His performances for Cuala have been outstanding this year: a tenacious defender who is also useful on the ball, assisting Con O'Callaghan's first goal in Sunday's Leinster final.
Michael Connelly (Galway)
There are very few avenues into the Galway senior team at the moment, but if any spaces were to open up in defence, Liam Mellows' Michael Connelly may have catapulted himself to the top of the queue. He was the rock at full-back upon which Mellows' built their unlikely Galway title victory over Gort last Sunday, restricting Richie Cummins to nothing but a late, late goal.
Connelly has been on the fringes of the Galway squad this year, and another fine performance in the All-Ireland series for Mellows' will see his stock soar.
Con O'Callaghan
Pat Gilroy can but dream.
