The PwC All Stars game may be a humdrum affair to most players, but it’s a rare honour for several hurlers on this year’s tour.
The 2018 selection take on their 2019 counterparts at Zayed Sports City in Abu Dhabi tomorrow afternoon and the GAA has taken the novel approach of calling up several players from lower tier counties as replacements.
Laois’s Enda Rowland, who was nominated for an All Star this year, is included along with teammate Paddy Purcell, who won the Joe McDonagh Cup Player of the Year, and they are joined by Shane Conway (Kerry), Killian Doyle (Westmeath), Neil McManus (Antrim), Declan Coulter (Donegal), Patrick McKenna (Kildare), Edward Byrne (Carlow) and James Weir (Sligo).
“It's great to be out here in Abu Dhabi in the good weather and hanging out with all the Liam MacCarthy Cup boys,” said Weir. “It's cool. If someone had said I'd be out there at the start of the year I'd have laughed at them.
“I'm looking forward to the match now and getting to play with fellas you'd normally be going to Croke Park to watch. It'll be cool to be on the same pitch as them.”
Weir, 20, is coming off a fine season with Sligo, who he captained to the Nicky Rackard Cup on the back of their Lory Meagher Cup success of last year.
“Getting to Croke Park again was a big thing for us but to go on and win it was a very good achievement because no one really gave us a chance. I think we were 40/1 outsiders before the first game against Louth to win it at all.”
They now face a step up for the Christy Ring Cup next year.
Weir added: “We got the group three weeks ago and we're in with Derry, Wicklow and Offaly. So they're three big challenges.
“It's a big task for us, but we want to keep driving the thing on. It's a great challenge for us to play a county like Offaly in the Championship.
“Twenty years ago no-one would have thought that could ever happen. It's great to look forward to.”
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