Best 15 hurlers you saw in the flesh

DJ Carey

Brendan Cummins

J Tyrell B Corcoran O Canning

Sean Og K McGrath L Rushe

O Baker

TJ Reid J Canning C Keaney

T Kelly E Kelly

Have to think about those final 2 slots. It's very difficult when you can only select 2 .

It's only 2 from the same county.

This was hard

Noel Skehan

Sylvia Linnane

Brian Lohan

Martin Hanamy

Brian Whealan

Tony Keady

Kyle Hayes

John Fenton

Ollie Baker

Martin Storey

Jimmy Barry Murphy

Dan Shannhan

Henry Shefflin

Joe Mckenna

John Mullane

Subs( match day 26)

Davy Fitz Dj Carey, Tommy Walsh, Nichlos English Seanie McMahon, Pat Fleury, Pat Hartigan, John Callinan Ben O Connor, Geroid Hegerty, Sean Og O'Haplin

Not too bad and no Tipp hurler on starting 15.

Damien Fitzhenry

Sean Finn

Brian Lohan

Ollie Canning

Brian Whelehan

Ken McGrath

Paudie Maher

Lee Chin

Johnny Pilkington

Gearoid Hegarty

Joe Canning

Henry Shefflin

John Mullane

Seamus Callanan

DJ Carey

Ya it is not easy. You cannot really name the best you have seen and must leave out a serious amount of good players. You can only pick two of DJ Carey, Shefflin, TJ Reid, JjDelaney, Noel Skehan, Eddie Keher, Tommy Walsh etc,

Then you are set hing for CB's etc as generally the great CB were on the great teams but you have to leave out some serious players to put them in

The 'none from your own county' provision completely by-passed me. So may bring in Anthony Nash for Fitzhenry, and Tony Kelly for Lee Chin (who I probably could have included originally)

While I started going to and seeing hurling in the 80's, and while there are plenty of great players from then to until now, I think over the past 20 years the speed of the game has moved on to the point that the players operating today may be more skilful but operate under much higher game pace and so stand out more in my lifetime.

The best I've seen in the flesh, in order,

(1) Joe Canning (2) Pauric Maher (3) Eoin Kelly (4) Tony Kelly (5) Ben O'Connor

Outside of Kilkenny players, Canning is the best for me, had it all, pure artist. Maher was a colossus in all forms, and I think the big clearances and heavy hits covered over that he had outrageous skill and vision. Eoin Kelly carried Tipp for years, and was a magician to watch. Ditto Tony Kelly, a joy watch in the flesh, his first touch is supreme and may be the best point taker I've ever seen. Ben O'Connor was for me the jewel in the crown of a great Cork team, but unlike the way the team faded quickly, he remained their best player for a long time afterwards, and you didn't know what he would when he got the ball.

But if we were allowed to pick from our own county, I'd have to change it to;

(1) TJ Reid (2) JJ Delaney (3) Henry Shefflin (4) Joe Canning (5) Tommy Walsh

For me, at their peak, Reid is the best player full stop, with Delaney just behind as the best defender to have played the game in terms of quality and skill. Shefflin was truly brilliant and ridiculously consistent, Canning edges out Walsh for skill but Walsh definitely top 5 for his all-round ability.

Mick Burns RIP Eire Óg Nenagh and Tipp. Now there was a class wing back who could play on any all time great team and wouldn't look out of place.

Cork, Brian Corcoran and Ben O Connor

Tipp, Eoin Kelly and Seanus Callanan

Kilkenny Eddie Brennan and Tommy Walsh

Limerick Ciaran Carey and Mark Foley

Galway Joe Canning and Gerry Mcinernay

Clare Brian Lohan

Waterford Tony Browne

Antrim Sambo

Wexford Fitzhenry

Offaly Johonny Pilkington