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06th Mar 2015

Fantasy GAA XV: A team of All-Ireland club hurling-winning Leinster legends

Probably the hardest team we'll ever have to pick

Conor Heneghan

Probably the hardest team we’ll ever have to pick.

With only the finals of the AIB GAA Club Championships left to come we’ve been continuing our journey around the provinces to pick fantasy selections made up of some of the best players to have tasted glory on the club scene over the years.

This time, it’s the turn of Leinster hurling and as hinted at above, of all the fantasy GAA teams we’ve picked so far, this one was arguably the hardest.

Why? There were 14 All-Ireland winning club teams to choose from, teams which included some bona-fide legends of the small ball game and encompassed numerous great eras in hurling, from the early 1980s to the present day.

We should stress that only players who WON an All-Ireland SENIOR club title are eligible for selection, but there were still any amount of players eligible for selection and quite a few serious players from over the years were unlucky to miss out.

Considering that teams from Kilkenny were responsible for 10 of those All-Ireland titles, it’s an XV dominated by Black and Amber, but there is still a significant presence from Birr in Offaly, one of the greatest club sides in the history of the GAA.

When you’re done scrolling through this bunch of All-Stars, why not check out our club football selections from Connacht, Munster, Ulster and Leinster.

1. Kevin Fennelly (Ballyhale Shamrocks and Kilkenny)

Kevin Fennelly of Kilkenny and Eanna Ryan of Galway 1987

2. Joe Errity (Birr and Offaly)

PJ Whelehan and Joe Errity 17/3/2002 DIGITAL

3. Brian Cody (James Stephens and Kilkenny)

Brian Cody 19/6/1983

4. Phil ‘Fan’ Larkin (James Stephens and Kilkenny)

Fran and Philly Larkin 29/8/2002

5. Brian Whelahan (Birr and Offaly)

Brian Whelahan and Michael Swanne 24/2/2008

6. Jackie Tyrrell (James Stephens and Kilkenny)

Jackie Tyrrell celebrates victory 27/11/2005

7. Willie O’Connor (Glenmore and Kilkenny)

Willie O'Connor 15/8/1999

8. James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick (Ballyhale Shamrocks and Kilkenny)

James Cha Fitzpatrick 16/11/2014

9. Liam ‘Chunky’ O’Brien (James Stephens and Kilkenny)

10. Johnny Pilkington (Birr and Offaly)

Johnny Pilkington 17/3/2002

11. Henry Shefflin (Ballyhale Shamrocks and Kilkenny)

Henry Shefflin celebrates a score 7/12/2014

12. TJ Reid (Ballyhale Shamrocks and Kilkenny)

TJ Reid lifts the trophy 7/12/2014

13. Eoin Larkin (James Stephens and Kilkenny)

Eoin Larkin celebrates 30/10/2011

14. Daithi Regan (Birr and Offaly)

Daithi Regan Offaly Senior Hurling 1994

15. Christy Heffernan (Glenmore and Kilkenny)

Christy Heffernan with the cup 21/7/1991

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