With the PwC All-Star Awards over for the year, it is time to recognise a select group of players who have achieved the rare distinction of winning an award in both defence and attack in hurling.
Hurling has developed at a phenomenal rate and players have evolved in numerous ways but the ability to impress in both defence and attack remains a unique skill. It demands the ability to perform with or without the sliotar. A player must be able to deliver scores and prevent them.
Several players have been awarded an All-Star for midfield and another position, but when it comes to making an impression as a defender and a forward it is a significantly more limited group.
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Ken McGrath
County: Waterford
All-Stars: 2002 (half-forward), 2004 (midfield), 2007 (centre-back)
17 June 2007; Waterford's Ken McGrath celebrates at the final whistle. Guinness Munster Senior Hurling Championship Semi-Final, Cork v Waterford, Semple Stadium, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Picture credit: Matt Browne / SPORTSFILE
The Waterford icon first collected an All-Star in 2002 at wing-forward and from their graduated back out the field. 2004 saw the Déise storm to a Munster Championship success and McGrath was crucial to that. In front of a sea of blue and white, it was McGrath who climbed the Semple Stadium steps to collect their trophy. He was awarded an All-Star as a midfielder for his efforts.
Finally, in 2007 it was as a centre-back that McGrath impressed and he was deservedly recognised for a series of superb performances including a rock-solid defensive display in the All-Ireland quarter-final that limited Cork to just 0-12 from play.
Tommy Walsh - Kilkenny
County: Kilkenny
All-Stars: 2003 (midfield), 2004 (corner-back), 2005 (half-forward), 2006 (half-back), 2007 (half-back), 2008 (half-back), 2009 (half-back), 2010 (half-back), 2011 (half-back),
6 September 2009; Tommy Walsh, Kilkenny, in action against Noel McGrath, Tipperary. GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship Final, Kilkenny v Tipperary, Croke Park, Dublin. Picture credit: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE
One of the most versatile hurlers in the history of the modern game. Hurling was steeped in the Walsh family; his grandfather, Paddy Grace, and brother, Padraig, both enjoyed All-Ireland success with Kilkenny and his sister, Grace, is a key member of the Kilkenny senior camogie team.
He won a stunning nine All-Star awards across a success-laden career with Kilkenny. Brian Cody's most trusted lieutenant, it was in midfield that Walsh first impressed for which he was recognised in 2003.
Just a year later he graduated to wing-back, and by 2005 he completed the trio when he collected an All-Star at left wing-forward. That would be his only award as a forward. By the time he retired in 2014, the 2009 Hurler of the Year would have nine All-Ireland medals to with his individual awards and a reputation as one the greatest to ever play the game.
Michael 'Brick' Walsh - Waterford
County: Waterford
All-Stars: 2007 (midfield), 2009 (centre-back), 2010 (centre-back), 2017 (half-forward)
3 November 2017; Waterford hurler Michael Walsh pictured with his All-Star award during the PwC All Stars 2017 at the Convention Centre in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
Michael 'Brick' Walsh, the greatest servant in the history of Waterford hurling. Having impressed as an underage Gaelic footballer, he elected to devote his time to the small ball in 2003 and was a pillar of the team until his retirement in 2019.
While Walsh made his debut in 2003, it took four years until he secured his first All-Star. It came in 2007 as Waterford secured a Munster championship. Walsh was named at midfield on that year's All-Star team and would go on to secure the award three more times. Of those three, two came at centre-back and one at wing forward, where Walsh operated during Waterford's run to an All-Ireland final.
Brian Whelahan
County: Offaly
All-Stars: 1992 (half-back), 1995 (half-back), 1998 (full-forward), 1999 (half-back)
23 August 1998; Brian Whelahan of Offaly in action against Alan Markham of Clare during the Guinness All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship semi-final replay match between Offaly and Clare at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Damien Eagers/Sportsfile
Incredibly, in 1994 Brian Whelahan won two Hurler of the Year awards - one voted on by the media, the other by his fellow players - yet he did not receive an All-Star.
He did, however, collect that award as a wing-back in 1992 and 1995, before impressing as a full-forward in 1998 as Offaly stormed to their fourth All-Ireland victory. Whelahan was a renowned stickman who enjoyed a fruitful career that included two All-Ireland medals, three Leinster titles and four All-Stars in total.
Brian Corcoran - Cork
County: Offaly
All-Stars: 1992 (corner-back), 1999 (centre-back), 2004 (full-forward)
12 September 2004; Cork's Brian Corcoran celebrates after victory over Kilkenny. All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Final, Cork v Kilkenny, Croke Park, Dublin. Picture credit; Damien Eagers / SPORTSFILE
Brian Corcoran was voted onto the Cork Hurling Team of the Century in 2000 and is distinguished as one of the sport's greatest ever centre-backs.
Three All-Stars, three different positions for the Cork legend. From the age of 15, the Rebel county knew Corcoran was destined for greatest when he managed to force his way onto both of the Cork minor teams as a dual player.
He went on to become a key player for both Cork's hurling and Gaelic football teams but it was with the stick that he shone brightest. Just a year after making his debut, he was selected at corner-back on the 1992 All-Star team. He was also awarded Hurler of the Year.
In 1999, Cork secured the Liam MacCarthy Cup once again and at centre-back, key to it all was Corcoran. Finally, in 2004 he was selected at full-forward confirming his place in this elite list.
Kyle Hayes
County: Limerick
All-Stars: 2020 (half-back), 2021 (half-back), 2022 (centre-forward), 2023 (half-back)
8 July 2023; Kyle Hayes of Limerick in action against Daithí Burke of Galway during the GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship semi-final match between Limerick and Galway at Croke Park in Dublin. Photo by Stephen Marken/Sportsfile
The Kildimo-Pallaskenry man broke into the Limerick senior team as a forward, and was named Man of the Match at centre-forward as the Treaty County won their first All-Ireland hurling title in 45 years in 2018. Though he was named PwC Young Hurler of the Year in 2018, he had to wait a further two years for his first All-Star.
After being converted to a wing-back, Hayes won the first of four consecutive All-Stars in 2020. In 2022, he won at centre-forward and again this year at wing-back.
John Conlon
County: Clare
All-Stars: 2018 (full-forward), 2023 (centre-back)
2 November 2018; Clare hurler John Conlon with his All-Star award at the the PwC All Stars 2018 at the Convention Centre in Dublin. Photo by Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
The Clonlara man won an All-Ireland with Clare as a half-forward in 2013. Five years later, he was moved to the full-forward line by joint managers Gerry O'Connor and Donal Moloney, and won his first All-Star as Clare reached the All-Ireland semi-final but were beaten by Galway after a replay.
In 2022, Brian Lohan converted Conlon to a centre-back and after a year of learning the ropes, he won his second PwC All-Star at that position in 2023.
