Jake Morris of Tipperary celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the 2018 Bord Gais Energy GAA Hurling All-Ireland U21 Championship Semi-Final match between Galway and Tipperary at the Gaelic Grounds in Limerick.
The 2018 Hurling season was notable for the number of new faces who established themselves as up and coming stars.
2017 Young Hurler of the Year, Kyle Hayes, was an obvious stand-out, but others like his Limerick team-mate Seamus Flanagan, Wexford’s Rory O’Connor, Cork’s Darragh Fitzbibbon, and Tipperary’s Billy McCarthy also caught the eye.
So, what up and coming young hurlers are likely to make a similar impact this year?
Here are ten of the most promising players coming to a county ground near you in 2019.
Jake Morris (Tipperary)
A star of the 2018 Tipperary Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland winning U-21 team, Morris also showed great promise in his few cameos with the county senior team last year.
Perhaps Tipperary’s year would have turned out much differently had his superbly struck shot against Clare in the Munster SHC hit the back of the net instead of rebounding back into play off the post.
Physically powerful, fast, skilful, and a lethal finisher, Morris has all the tools in this locker needed to be a top-class inside-forward.
Adrian Mullen celebrates after captaining Kilkenny to the 2017 Leinster Minor Hurling Championship title.
Adrian Mullen (Kilkenny)
Long touted as a star in the making after blazing a trail with St. Kierans and Kilkenny underage teams, Mullen now looks ready to make his mark in the senior grade.
He’s been a vital figure for his club Ballyhale Shamrocks throughout their march to the AIB All-Ireland club SHC semi-final, but most notably when scoring 2-1 in the Leinster Final against Ballyboden St. Enda’s.
Once that club campaign is over, he’ll surely be drafted into the Kilkenny senior panel.
Cork's Sean O'Leary Hayes pictured with his 2017 Electric Ireland GAA Minor Star Award.
Sean O’Leary Hayes (Cork)
2017 Cork minor hurling team captain, O’Leary Hayes, excelled for Midleton during their run to the Cork SHC Final this year.
Most comfortable in the centre-back position, he’s the sort of central defender the Cork senior team have been crying out for.
It’ll take him some time yet before he’ll fulfil his potential, but it’s a testament to his talent that he’s already been called up to John Meyler’s panel.
Tipperary's Ger Browne (left) celebrates after victory over Cork in the 2018 Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland U-21 Hurling Final.
Ger Browne (Tipperary)
The jet-heeled midfielder was one of the stars of Tipperary’s Bord Gáis Energy All-Ireland U-21 winning campaign.
His huge energy levels, desire to run at defences, and ability to take a score make him ideally suited to the midfield position in the modern game.
With players like Brendan Maher and Billy McCarthy sidelined for the foreseeable future by injury, Browne has a great chance to nail down a position in the Tipperary engine-room this year.
Huw Lawlor could be an option at full-back for Kilkenny in 2019.
Huw Lawlor (Kilkenny)
Lawlor made his debut for Kilkenny in the unusual surroundings of the Spotless Stadium in Sydney last November when the Cats played Galway for the inaugural Wild Geese trophy.
The venue might have been unfamiliar, but Lawlor looked right at home in the full-back position as he caught the eye with a performance of strength and guile.
If he could build on that showing and make the position his own, then Kilkenny would have the luxury of releasing Padraig Walsh to the half-back line.
Brian Concannon of Galway in action against Garry Molloy of Wexford during the Bord Gais Energy Leinster Under 21 Hurling Championship 2018 Final
Brian Concannon (Galway)
Concannon impressed in his debut season for the Galway seniors in 2018, scoring 2-2 from play over the course of two starts and two substitute appearances.
Now that he’s blooded at senior level he should be able to hit the ground running in 2019 and really nail down a regular position in a Galway starting XV that probably needs to be freshened up.
The Killimordaly has a good eye for goal and is well able to win his own ball, two potent attributes for an inside-forward.
Conor Boylan of Na Piarsaigh (r) and Denis Moloney of Doon pictured during the 2018 Limerick County Senior Club Hurling Championship Final.
Conor Boylan (Limerick)
Limerick’s Young Sports Star of the year in 2016, Boylan’s promise as a hurler has been heralded for quite some time.
He’s been called up to the Limerick senior panel this year, and there’s no reason to suspect he won’t look as at home there as former underage team-mates like Kyle Hayes, Seamus Flanagan, and Peter Casey.
A star for Na Piarsaigh in recent years, he’s an athletic, free-scoring half-forward.
Shane Conway of Kerry pictured after being named the Bord Gáis Energy U-21 ‘B’ Championship Player of the Year at City Hall in Dublin for the second consecutive season.
Shane Conway (Kerry)
Conway caught the eye for the Kerry seniors in his debut season in 2018 and built on that promise by starring for UCC in the Cork Senior Hurling Championship later in the year.
A nippy, classy inside forward who always shows for the ball, he’s lethal when given a scoring chance in open play and is also a very reliable free-taker.
College commitments means he probably won’t feature much for the Kingdom in the early rounds of the League, but when he returns he’ll be a key man.
Colin Currie of Dublin in action against Dara Tobin of Carlow during the Bord Gais Energy Leinster Under 21 Hurling Championship 2018 Round 2 match between Carlow and Dublin at Netwatch Cullen Park in Carlow.
Colin Currie (Dublin)
Currie has been a stand-out player for Dublin at both minor and U-21 level in recent years and should be ready to step up to the senior grade in 2019.
A speedy and accurate inside forward, he has a knack for scoring goals and is very accurate from placed balls.
His brother Sean is also an outstanding talent, so before long we could see both Currie brothers featuring in the Dublin attack.
Seamus Casey of Wexford celebrates after scoring his side's first goal during the 2018 Bord Gais Energy Leinster Under 21 Hurling Championship 2018 Final match between Wexford and Galway at O'Moore Park in Portlaoise, Co Laois.
Seamus Casey (Wexford)
Named on the EirGrid U-21 hurling team of the year, Casey is a knacky inside forward who can score heavily both from open play and frees.
A former U-19 soccer player with Wexford Youths, the talented all-rounder is blessed with natural skill and will surely feature for Davy Fitzgerald’s senior team in 2019.
