*Tony Kelly. Photograph: Martin Connolly
Tony Kelly has been named as a 2020 All Star off the back of one of his greatest years in the Clare jersey.
An outstanding championship campaign in which Tony scored 1-53 in four outings saw him deservedly honoured with a second All-Star award, it comes off the back of his 2013 accolade a year in which he was also named Hurler of the Year. He was named at midfield alongside Jamie Barron.
His is the 51st All Star award won by a Clare hurler, the tally increases to 57 when the Cu Chulainn Awards are included, these awards were dished out from 1963 to 1967 and predated the All Stars but were held in the same esteem. He is one of eight hurlers in the county to win two All Star awards.
Kelly becomes the first hurler from Ballyea to collect two All Stars. His clubmate Tony Griffin was Clare’s only All Star winner in 2006. The pair are the only representatives of the two time Clare SHC winners to receive such recognition.
Though shortlisted for the top gong this year, Kelly came up short against Limerick’s Gearoid Hegarty. His nomination for Hurler of the Year despite Clare’s elimination in the All-Ireland quarter-finals underlined just how impressive a season he had.
Feake’s Eibhear Quilligan, Rory Hayes of Wolfe Tones and Cathal Malone from the Sixmilebridge club were nominated for an All Star in their respective lines of the field but missed out on the selection in the top fifteen.
Prior to the St Flannan’s school teacher, John Conlon and Peter Duggan were the county’s most recent All Star winners, they received their distinction in 2018.
1: Nickie Quaid (Limerick)
2: Seán Finn (Limerick)
3: Dan Morrissey (Limerick)
4: Daithí Burke (Galway)
5: Diarmaid Byrnes (Limerick)
6: Tadhg de Burca (Waterford)
7: Kyle Hayes (Limerick)
8: Jamie Barron (Waterford)
9: Tony Kelly (Clare)
10: Gearoid Hegarty (Limerick)
11: Cian Lynch (Limerick)
12: Tom Morrissey (Limerick)
13: Aaron Gillane (Limerick)
14: TJ Reid (Kilkenny)
15: Stephen Bennett (Waterford)
