Henry Shefflin has remained at home in Kilkenny this week, as his fellow All-Star hurlers departed on a trip to sunny California.
The 10-time All-Star winner declined to travel due to the injury he sustained on club duty in October. Shefflin took a knock to his shoulder, which it has now emerged will require surgery in the coming weeks.
Over 30 of Ireland’s finest hurlers packed their bags this week, and headed west for this winter’s GAA GPA All-Star tour in San Francisco. The team, made up of players from this year’s and last year’s All-Star selections, left Dublin Airport on Wednesday morning.
Also absent from the departure list was Young Hurler of the Year Liam Rushe. The Dublin midfield star opted not to travel as he has exams coming up later this month.
Former Tipperary manager Liam Sheedy and former Waterford manager Davy Fitzgerald will take charge of the team for the eight-day trip to California. Twelve players have been added to the squad as replacements.
From Kilkenny, Tommy Walsh, Michael Fennelly, Richie Power, Jackie Tyrell, JJ Delaney, Paul Murphy, Brian Hogan, Michael Rice and Richie Hogan will all travel, while Eoin Larkin and John Dalton will join them as replacements.
The team will play an exhibition match this Sunday at Treasure Island, the home of San Francisco GAA. The trip also includes an event aimed at fostering links between the Irish diaspora and the GAA’s international network of teams, which GAA president Christy Cooney will attend.
This year marks the first time that the GPA has been represented on the tour following the merger of the two sets of All-Star awards.
Shefflin picked up his shoulder injury in Ballyhale Shamrocks’ county semi-final against O’Loughlin Gaels, and struggled during the subsequent county finals against James Stephens. The recovery time required following surgery will likely rule him out of hurling for six months.
