The GAA has confirmed the travelling party for the 2011 GAA GPA All-Stars Hurling Tour sponsored by Opel, which departs for San Francisco tomorrow. Limerick duo Declan Hannon and Donal O’Grady have been included in the replacements to travel. The touring party consists of players from the 2010 and 2011 All-Star teams who will play in the tour’s exhibition game under the guidance of team managers Liam Sheedy (2010) and Davy Fitzgerald (2011).
The game takes place at Treasure Island on Sunday afternoon (local time), the headquarters of San Francisco GAA, and will be preceded by a special breakfast event held in conjunction with Ireland Reaching Out which aims to connect the Irish diaspora with the GAA’s growing international club network.
33 players from eight counties are travelling. With six players selected on both the 2010 and 2011 All-Stars teams and some players unable to travel, 12 players have been added as replacements. The touring party is as follows:
Double All Stars – (2010 & 2011): Paul Curran (Tipperary), Tommy Walsh (Kilkenny), Michael Fennelly (Kilkenny), Richie Power (Kilkenny), John Mullane (Waterford) and Lar Corbett (Tipperary).
2010 Travelling All Stars: Brendan Cummins (Tipperary), Jackie Tyrell (Kilkenny), Michael Walsh (Waterford), JJ Delaney (Kilkenny), Brendan Maher (Tipperary), Damien Hayes (Galway), Noel McGrath (Tipperary), Eoin Kelly (Tipperary).
2011 Travelling All Stars: Gary Maguire (Dublin), Paul Murphy (Kilkenny), Michael Cahill (Tipperary), Brian Hogan (Kilkenny), Pádraic Maher (Tipperary), Michael Rice (Kilkenny), Richie Hogan (Kilkenny).
Replacements: Ryan O’ Dwyer (Dublin), Declan Hannon (Limerick), Pauric Mahony (Waterford), Shane Walsh (Waterford), Liam Watson (Antrim), Eoin Larkin (Kilkenny), Donal O’ Grady (Limerick), Patrick Maher (Tipperary), Shane Dooley (Offaly), David Collins (Galway), John Dalton (Kilkenny) and Peter Kelly (Dublin).
The players and management will also meet 200 local juvenile players at the same venue on Saturday.
The GPA will also be represented on the tour for the first time in an official capacity. The touring party arrives back in Ireland next Wednesday, December 7.
