All-Ireland under-21 hurling champions Waterford provide eight players on the 2016 Bord Gáis Energy Team of the Year, with Austin Gleeson, Patrick Curran or Stephen Bennett also in line to pick up the Player of the Year accolade when the awards are presented on Saturday night.

The eight Waterford representatives are joined on the team by two players each from Dublin and Galway, while there is one player each from Tipperary, Limerick and Westmeath. Indeed, Westmeath’s Niall Mitchell is the first player from the county to pick up an award since the scheme came into being in 2013.

All seven defensive positions, including the goalkeeping berth, go to Waterford and Dublin. From midfield up five counties are represented, including three more Waterford men. Galway’s Brian Molloy is the sole survivor from the 2015 team.

The team was picked by Bord Gáis Energy sports ambassador Ger Cunningham, TG4’s Michéal Ó Domhnaill, Waterford great Ken McGrath and Galway sharpshooter Joe Canning.

2016 Bord Gáis Energy Team of the Year :
1 Jordan Henley (Waterford)
2 Conor Gleeson (Waterford)
3 Eoghan O'Donnell (Dublin)
4 Darragh Lyons (Waterford)
5 Micheál Harney (Waterford)
6 Austin Gleeson (Waterford)
7 Shane Barrett (Dublin)
8 Dan Nevin (Galway)
9 Ronan Lynch (Limerick)
10 Shane Bennett (Waterford)
11 Brian Molloy (Galway)
12 Andrew Coffey (Tipperary)
13 Patrick Curran (Waterford)
14 Stephen Bennett (Waterford)
15 Niall Mitchell (Westmeath)