Top ten senior hurlers in 2007

The battle for Munster provided spectators with scintillating action while Kilkenny has once again asserted itself as the team to beat, claiming the Leinster title in spectacular style. Christy O'Connor, former custodian of the Clare goal, picks 10 of the best in the championship to date.

Two  enthralling extra-time replays in the Munster semi-final between Limerick and Tipperary prompted pundits to repeatedly chorus: “This is what championship hurling is all about”. Limerick will face provincial favourites Waterford in an eagerly anticipated Munster final on 8 July. Meanwhile, Kilkenny displayed moments of brilliance against Wexford and secured another Leinster title. Group 1A/1B will entertain with Cork and Galway. Below, Village lists 10 of the best in 2007.

Name: Ollie Moran
County: Limerick

Moran was the most influential player in the opening two games of their three game Munster semi-final saga with Tipperary. As well as scoring 10 points from play and setting up Limerick's two goals, his overall statistics reflected the magnitude of his contributions. Moran made 24 plays in both games, a colossal return in the modern game. Of those 48 plays, he only gave the ball away twice and was hooked on one other occasion when he tried to blast a goal in injury time of the replay. Was out of the game for long periods of the third match but still ended with three points, two of which came in extra-time.

Name: John Mullane
County: Waterford

Only seconds into Waterford's Munster semi-final against Cork, a ball zipped into John Mullane's corner and Mullane was gone around Brian Murphy and had the ball over the bar in a flash of lightning. It was reminiscent of his opening point against Clare in the 2004 Munster quarter-final when Mullane ignited the Waterford team and crowd and he is one of the few players in the game who can create that electricity with his pace and dash.

He ended the Cork game with 1-4 and the man-of-the-match award. His increasing maturity was further highlighted in the closing minutes of the league final when he bagged two equalising points after having been completely out of the match.  

Name: Martin Comerford
County: Kilkenny

The great thing about Comerford is that despite his huge workrate, his massive ball-winning ability and his vision that brings so many other players into the match around him, he is still a prolific scorer on a team laced with finishers. In Kilkenny's two games so far, he has scored eight points from play. Kilkenny's best player against Offaly, he hit five points against Wexford and set up many other scores. He consistently makes big plays too. After Wexford had brought the deficit back to 10 points after a fine Darren Stamp score, Comerford caught the puck-out and dispatched it straight over the bar. Just a clinical reminder to Wexford who are the big Daddys.  

Name: Brian Geary
County: Limerick

Just after the throw-in of the second-half of extra-time in the third game of the Limerick-Tipperary Munster semi-final, Brian Geary latched onto a breaking ball, stormed up the field and landed a great point. Tipp had goaled just before the break to put three points between the sides and Geary's score was a huge statement of leadership and defiance. He was Limerick's second best player in the first replay when he made 19 plays and he cleared a slew of ball in the third game. Has consistently held the centre and his long range striking (four points from placed balls) has also been an added boost to Limerick's high scoring returns.

Name: Ronan Fallon
County: Dublin

Fallon first announced his huge potential this year when he tied with Gary Maguire for the outstanding player on the pitch in Dublin's league match against Galway and he carried that form with him into the championship. Excellent against Wexford in the Leinster semi-final, Fallon heroically returned whatever Cork threw at Dublin in the first round of the qualifiers. Cork illuminated that game with their class and panache but Fallon still rubbed shoulders with their marquee names. Forceful, powerful and a sweet striker, Dublin's future development will continue to revolve around Fallon's commanding presence. 

Name: Joe Deane
County: Cork

Cork have had impressive performers so far in this championship – the two Kieran Murphy's, Ronan Curran, and Jerry O'Connor – and Deane was cleaned out against Clare by Gerry O'Grady. Still, he's come back with a vengeance with 12 points in two games (eight from play).

Some of his scores against Waterford were sheer quality and he illuminated the Dublin game with his class.

In that game, Deane could have had a goal only for a fine Gary Maguire save and he set up Kieran Murphy (Erins Own) for his second goal after a sweet pass dinked over the Dublin defence.

Name: Declan Fanning
County: Tipperary

Fanning only came into the Tipperary team at the eleventh hour before Tipperary's first game with Limerick in the Munster Championship. His selection came because of Paul Curran's injury and what has enhanced Fanning's displays so far in this championship is that he had no history of playing at full-back.

Fanning displayed solid performances in the first two games against Limerick and was their best player in the third game when he cleared the world of ball. He also played a steady game against Offaly which Tipp won 2-17 to 2-13.

Name: Dan Shanahan
County: Waterford

Shanahan didn't give one of his most complete performances against Cork because he was out of the match for long periods of the second half, but his two first-half goals summed how deadly he can be and how influential he is to this Waterford side.

Since the beginning of the 2004 championship, Shanahan has bagged 13 goals in 16 championship matches – a massive strike rate in the modern game – and his two strikes against Cork were almost as good as any of his previous 11. A huge target point for puckouts, his second-half point against Cork also highlighted his ability to score from distance.

Name: Gerry O'Grady
County: Clare

Clare's best player against Cork when he not only kept Joe Deane scoreless but completely shut down Cork's best forward – and Deane has since shown he hasn't lost his assassin's touch. Apart from Philip Brennan (Clare goalkeeper), O'Grady was the only player who retained his position for the first round qualifier against Antrim and he showed leadership in the second-half when Antrim charged at Clare. His marker Paul Shields had retreated to play as a sweeper behind the Antrim half-back line but O'Grady played an effective covering role around his own full-back line. In the absence of many key players this season, O'Grady's leadership has shone like a beacon.

Name: Damien Murray
County: Offaly

Kevin Brady was immense for Offaly against Tipperary and has been excellent all season but Damien Murray has hit 3-26 so far in this championship.
The majority of those scores have come from placed balls – including the 1-5 he hit against Tipperary – but his scoring contribution from those placed balls has still been a huge factor in Offaly's championship.

His personal tally of 1-12 against Laois in the Leinster quarter-final saw him raise more flags (13) than any other Offaly player in a single championship game.