Kilkenny's all conquering hurlers were in celebratory mood again last night when six of their players were named as Vodafone GAA All Stars for 2006.
The award winners were announced during the live television show from the gala banquet at Dublin's City West Hotel.
It was a special night for the famed Ballyhale Shamrocks club in Kilkenny. Two of their clubmen, Henry Shefflin and James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick were named Hurler of the Year and Young Hurler of the Year respectively.
Kerry's Kieran Donaghy was named Footballer of the Year and Keith Higgins from Mayo was named Young Footballer of the Year.
Shefflin collected his sixth All Star award tonight and is now firmly set to equal and possibly surpass the record number of nine awards won by his former teammate DJ Carey and Kerry's Pat Spillane.
Joining Shefflin and Fitzpatrick on the stage were their Kilkenny teammates JJ Delaney, Tommy Walsh who wins his fourth award in a fourth different position, Eddie Brennan and Martin Comerford.
Fitzpatrick was one of four first time award winners, the others being Eoin Murphy (Waterford), Brian Murphy (Cork) and Tony Griffin (Clare) who flew home from Canada for the awards.
The county breakdown is: Kilkenny (6), Cork (4), Waterford (3), Tipperary (1), Clare (1).
The Senior Footballer of the Year was Kerry's Kieran Donaghey while Mayo's Keith Higgins picked up the young player award.
Vodafone GAA Hurling All Stars for 2006: Donal Og Cusack, Eoin Murphy, JJ Delaney, Brian Murphy, Tony Browne, Ronan Curran, Tommy Walsh, Jerry O'Connor, James Fitzpatrick, Dan Shanahan, Henry Shefflin, Eddie Brennan, Eoin Kelly, Martin Comerford, Tony Griffin
