After a week of debate, the votes have been tallied, and we can reveal our fourth 15 for 30 team - Tipperary's best county hurling team of the last 30 years, as voted by the public.
Over the course of the week, thousands of votes were cast but in the end, only 15 could be named.
A few players were always going to make it. Despite three All-Star goalkeepers who were also eligible, it speaks to Brendan Cummins's legendary status that he had no challenge at all, while the likes of Eoin Kelly, Seamie Callanan, Brendan and Paudie Maher also strolled home.
For others, it was a lot closer. Nicky English is arguably Tipp's greatest ever hurler, but all of his six All-Stars came before 1990. Were his seven years in the 90s good enough for a place in the team? In the end, his legend was enough to get him in alongside other old school forwards Declan Ryan and John Leahy. Leahy was touch and go until the very end of voting, with just 17 votes separating him from Patrick "Bonner" Maher in the end.
For the third time in four weeks, a cornerback ended with the 16th most votes, pushing a 7th forward out of the team, despite receiving less votes. Bonner can consider himself very unlucky not to have gotten the nod.
The final team lines up as follows:
The Tipperary 15 for 30:
1. Brendan Cummins;
2. Cathal Barrett, 3. Paul Curran, 4. Michael Cahill;
5. Brendan Maher, 6. Ronan Maher, 7. Padraic Maher;
8. Tommy Dunne, 9. Noel McGrath;
10. Lar Corbett, 11. Declan Ryan, 12. John Leahy;
13. Eoin Kelly, 14. Seamus Callanan, 15. Nicky English.
As with last year's All-Stars, the 2019 All-Ireland Champion forward line is somewhat hard done by, but it's hard to say they've been overlooked when the forward line is also without the 1991 Hurler of the Year in Pat Fox and a four-time All-Star in Michael Cleary.
In the backs, two-time All-Star centre-back Conor O'Mahony was unlucky to lose out to Ronan Maher, owing a lot to the latter's versatility, especially last year.
Lar Corbett played a lot at wing forward for Tipp but is arguably out of position considering his best work between 2009 and 2012.
Of Tipp's five All-Irelands in the last 30 years, the 2010 win is most well represented on their 15 for 30 team with 8 players who won medals that year. Next came the 2016 and 2001 title with seven each, while 2019 had six, and there was just three players who were around in 1991.
At the top of the voting, we fully expected Eoin Kelly, A.K.A. The Son of God, to receive the most votes. It was an underestimation on our part of Seamie Callanan. The 2019 Hurler of the Year and Kelly remarkably ended up on the exact same number of votes at the top of the poll!
The Top 30 in order of votes received in all positions was as follows:
1. Eoin Kelly
1. Seamus Callanan
3. Brendan Cummins
4. Lar Corbett
5. Padraic Maher
6. Cathal Barrett
7. Noel McGrath
8. Brendan Maher
9. Nicky English
10. Declan Ryan
11. Tommy Dunne
12. John Leahy
13. Patrick "Bonner" Maher
14. Ronan Maher
15. Paul Curran
16. Michael Cahill
17. Pat Fox
18. John "Bubbles" O'Dwyer
19. Michael Cleary
20. Conor O'Mahony
21. Eamonn Corcoran
22. Shane McGrath
23. Philip Maher
24. John McGrath
25. Paddy Stapleton
26. Declan Fanning
27. John Carroll
28. Paul Delaney
29. Bobby Ryan
30. Paul Kelly
We're sure this will only cause further debate now that the voting has closed.
Up next, we'll be moving back to football for the 15 for 30, and the county of Armagh. The last 30 years have seen a revolution in Armagh football. In 2002, they won their only ever All-Ireland title, while they also won seven Ulster titles from 1999 to 2008. Since then, there have been some brilliant players who may not have achieved the same team success, so we're looking forward to see who will join the bulk of the 2000s team in the final XV.. We'll be getting the debate going on Monday.
SEE ALSO: The Best Meath Team Of The Last 30 Years As Voted By You
SEE ALSO: The Best Waterford Team Of The Last 30 Years As Voted By You
SEE ALSO: The Best Donegal Team Of The Last 30 Years As Voted By You
