If any hurler epitomises all that is good in the game of hurling in contemporary times it has to be Kilkenny’s Bould DJ Carey Himself… How often do we hear the chant ‘Dee-Jay ! Dee-Jay!’ ring round hurling grounds at vital moments of Kilkenny’s games ?

Today’s Eircell Hurling All Star nominations tee him up for his eighth award, setting a new record. DJ must also be a ‘shoo in’ for Player of the Year 2000 as well – despite the eccentric choice by fans of Philly Larkin as ‘Man of the Match’ in AFR’s ‘Vote On It!’ Poll. (As of today, Carey has moved to within one percentage point, with only two days left to close of poll)

Those fans have only slightly less egg on their faces than the illustrious selectors of the An Post Millennium hurling team. These gents had the temerity to omit Carey from the side, in a decision that was later proved nonsensical by his inspirational All Ireland performance. Ironically, Offaly’s Brian Whelehan – who was considered good enough for the ‘Millennium’ team – fails to get an All Star nomination! Where is the sense, meaning or logic in that ? On this one, Brian could end up being hurt in his pocket as much as his pride. After all, what call will GPA/Marlborough have for an ex-All Star ?

DJ is joined on the nominees list by thirteen Kilkenny colleagues, a deserved tribute to a masterly team performance on the second Sunday of September. Derry’s Kieran McGeever achieves a nice little ‘double’ by getting a hurling nomination today on top of yesterday’s football one and slots into a small elite group to have received dual nominations.

Offaly this year were a bit like the apocryphal ‘Leanna Machree’s Dog’ – they went a bit of the road with everyone. Their strangely ‘liom leat’ performances have been rightly put in perspective by the selectors by in giving defeated semi-finalists Galway ten nominations over six for Offaly, who actually made it to the final. This makes a pleasant change from the traditional dominace of All Ireland finalists over the list.

An Fear Rua is an unalloyed admirer of the skills, courage and determination of Waterford’s Ken McGrath. But, for consistently starring performances throughout League and championship for the county, surely Brian Flannery deserved a nomination ?

D. J. Carey won the first of five consecutive awards in 1992, a sixth in 1997 and his seventh last year when he equalled the hurling All Stars record set by former Kilkenny goalkeeper Noel Skehan. 1986.The winners will be announced live on RTE TV at the presentation banquet, on Friday, December 1.