Choosing the 15 best hurlers of all time is easier said than done. There have been more fantastic players over the past 40 years than you can shake a stick at. Some have achieved records that may never be surpassed, while others revolutionised the game. Like other sports, hurlers have developed over time, making it difficult to compare players from different eras. However, it’s about time someone gave a fair crack at it.
We tried to be impartial when creating this list of the best hurlers. The players included should be on merit alone, rather than our preference. When looking for the greatest players, we considered many aspects. We looked for players with the most appearances, top goal scorers, All-Ireland medals, and more. However, we concluded that the top players achieved success and had a lasting impact on the sport.
Our list only has 15 spots, but we will add more names to the best hurlers of all time. If we have missed anybody you think deserves recognition, let us know via social channels so we can update the list. We have already expanded the best GAA footballers of all time. So, remember to check back here monthly for any fresh additions.
15. Eoin Murphy
Starting our list of the best hurlers of all time is Eoin Murphy. Widely considered the best modern goalkeeper in hurling, Murphy has enjoyed a fantastic and successful career. He joined Glenmore in 2007 and was a dual player as a juvenile. He prioritised Gaelic football in his early days, securing a Kilkenny Football Championship medal in 2009. The only club title Murphy has received in his career was for Gaelic Football.
Murphy had to wait for his moment to shine on the intercounty level as he started as a third-choice goalkeeper for Kilkenny. The team was successful with him on the sideline, and he picked up an All-Ireland medal and a National League medal as an unused substitute. After working his way up the ranks, Murphy played a crucial part in various finals. He took up a successful role as a point scorer from Frees and contributed regularly to the scoreline.
Murphy is on this list for revolutionising the role of a goalkeeper in a hurling team. He was precise and lethal even from a distance. He became popular for his offensive and defensive contributions amongst fans and critics. Murphy achieved four hurling All-Stars awards and collected four All-Ireland medals. Considering Murphy’s impact on the sport, it’s easy to include him in any discussion of the best hurlers ever.
- Years Active: 2011-Present
- Leinster Titles: 8
- All-Irelands Medals: 4
- NHL Titles: 5
- All Stars: 4
14. Pádraic Maher
Next, we have Pádraic Maher, a centre back from the county Tipperary. Maher gathered a lot of attention at a young age, quickly working his way up the CBS Thurles’ ranks. He joined the senior hurling team as a 15-year-old and first lined out for the club in 2005.
Maher excelled in both a centre-back and full-back. Playing for Thurles Sarsfields and Tipperary, he performed incredibly, earning the captain’s armband. Maher would lead by example, scoring points and putting in fantastic shifts. The medals started to flow, and he achieved seven Tipperary Titles at club level.
Tipperary GAA Press Release – Padraic Maher Retirement – https://t.co/MYg2i4VZVM pic.twitter.com/D2el0suYMf
— Tipperary GAA (@TipperaryGAA) February 1, 2022
While the NHL title eluded him during his lengthy career, Maher was successful on the inter-county stage. He won five Munster titles for Tipperary, three All-Ireland medals, and they selected him for six hurling All-Star awards. Few players have a bigger collection of medals compared to Maher, but that does not matter. Maher was a leader and deserves recognition for his contributions to hurling.
- Years Active: 2009-2022
- Munster Titles: 5
- All-Irelands Medals: 3
- NHL Titles: 0
- All Stars: 6
13. Brian Corcoran
The thirteenth-best hurler of all time is Brian Corcoran from County Cork. The centre-back and full-forward is the first official dual player on the list. While his hurling career has been more successful than his football days, he achieved three Munster titles in Gaelic football.
Even though he spread his focus on two sports, there is no refuting what an incredible talent Corcoran had with a hurley. After his career finished, they voted him into several teams, celebrating the best hurlers. That includes the Cork Hurling Team of the Century and 125 greatest hurlers of all time in a poll conducted in 2009. It’s no surprise given his two Hurler of the Year awards and three hurling All-Star selections.
Corcoran started playing Gaelic football in 1993 but gave it up following a concussion in 1998. He joined the Cork hurling team in 1991 but briefly stopped in 2001. He returned to Cork in 2004, playing a couple more seasons before retiring in 2006. At the end of his career, Corcoran won five Munster titles in hurling, two league titles, and three All-Ireland medals. He might not represent the conventional hurlers you see in the modern game, but there is no doubt that he was one of the best.
- Years Active: 1991-2001 and 2004-2006
- Munster Titles: 5
- All-Irelands Medals: 3
- NHL Titles: 2
- All Stars: 3
12. Brian Whelahan
Just missing out on the top ten is another Brian, this time Brian Whelahan. The right wing-back from Offaly joined Birr in 1988, where he stayed until 2009. At the club level, Whelahan won 12 Offaly titles, seven Leinster Championships, and four All-Ireland medals. He is one of the most decorated club-level hurlers on our list.
Looking at his intercounty contributions, Whelahan joined Offaly in 1989. He made 55 appearances for his county, scoring two goals and registering 43 points during his career. The right wingback was a force to be reckoned with, and he even became a history-maker. Whelahan was the first player to win two Texaco Hurler of the Year awards. Plus, when you consider the four hurling All-Stars he received, it’s clear what other professionals thought of the “Millennium Man”.
Whelahan is not amongst the top All-Ireland hurling winners, as he only picked up two medals in his career. However, that takes nothing away from his achievements. With three Leinster titles and one NHL victory, Whelahan was successful. Players like Wheelahan are easy to miss when creating a list of the best hurlers. Winning medals is just as important as consistent club-level performances.
- Years Active: 1989-2006
- Leinster Titles: 3
- All-Irelands Medals: 2
- NHL Titles: 1
- All Stars: 4
11. Séamus Callanan
Next on our list is a player most of us would have seen over the years: Séamus Callanan. Unfortunately, we won’t see Callanan represent Tipperary anymore as the star full-forward announced his retirement. In September 2023, Callanan retired from intercounty hurling after a fantastic career. The 2019 Hurler of the Year still plays for club Drom & Inch, but we will all miss his contributions on the main stage.
Callanan was the epitome of a prolific goal scorer. He holds the current Tipperary record for most goals scored in the championship with 40. He is the championship’s second-highest goal scorer, trailing only Nicky Rackard. If you look at the combined total of goals and points, Callanan sits eighth on the Senior Hurling Championship all-time list.
🚨 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 🚨
Tipperary legend Seamus Callanan has announced his retirement from intercounty hurling.
Off the Ball Breakfast reacted to the news the three-time All-Ireland winner, four-time All-Star and former Hurler of the Year was stepping aside. pic.twitter.com/X2Nrf6WiWv
— Off The Ball (@offtheball) September 6, 2023
While he has only won one Tipperary title at club level, his intercounty career has been incredibly successful. Besides three nominations for the Hurler of the Year award and one win, Callanan has plenty of other accomplishments. For starters, he has six Munster hurling titles and three All-Ireland medals. He is a one-time winner of the NHL and has received four All-Star hurling awards throughout his career.
Even though Séamus Callanan has now retired from county hurling, there are dozens of clips online celebrating all his achievements. He will go down in history as one of the best hurlers.
- Years Active: 2008-2023
- Munster Titles: 6
- All-Irelands Medals: 3
- NHL Titles: 1
- All Stars: 4
10. John Fenton
John Fenton played in the midfield of Midleton and Cork in the 70s and 80s. While many of us never got to see Fenton play, I am sure most of us heard stories or clips of Fenton in his prime. Truthfully, you can’t have a list of the best hurlers of all time without celebrating a player like Fenton. He was unstoppable in the early 80s, winning five consecutive All-Star awards.
Looking at his club career with Midleton, we will forever remember him as a hurling legend. He helped Midleton win their first championship since 1916 and took them to three consecutive finals. After retiring in 1991, Fenton had three Cork titles, two Munster championships, and one All-Ireland medal.
At the intercounty level, Fenton stepped up and found another gear while representing Cork. In 1984, Fenton became Cork team captain, leading the squad to a Munster medal and All-Ireland final win. He also received his second All-Star award and Texaco Hurler of the Year. Having retired from intercounty hurling in 1987, we can look back at everything he achieved. With seven Munster titles, five All-Star awards, and two All-Ireland medals, few players have enjoyed a more successful career as a hurler.
- Years Active: 1975-1987
- Munster Titles: 7
- All-Irelands Medals: 2
- NHL Titles: 0
- All Stars: 5
9. D. J. Carey
We are in the top ten best hurlers, so the legendary names come thick and fast. Starting us off is left-wing forward D. J. Carey. Described as the first superstar of the GAA, Carey was reliable and prolific when representing Kilkenny and his club, Young Irelands.
With his club, Carey tasted success several times in his youth career. When he finally got the chance to join the senior team, he thrived and worked his way up as captain, picking up two Kilkenny medals. Intercounty hurling put D. J. on the map. He is up there with the best All-Ireland hurling winners, having won the competition five times with Kilkenny. As an individual, he shone, and many celebrated his achievements throughout his career.
Carey is at the top of the all-time list for hurling All-Stars. He received the award nine times, putting him level with Pat Spillane, one of the best GAA footballers ever. Only hurling legend Henry Shefflin has more All-Star awards in Gaelic sports than Carey. Besides being a two-time Texaco Hurler of the Year, Carey was a five-time NHL winner and won ten Leinster titles. In a career that started in 1989 and finished in 2006, D. J. won it all.
- Years Active: 1989-2006
- Leinster Titles: 10
- All-Irelands Medals: 5
- NHL Titles: 4
- All Stars: 9
8. Joe Canning
The next player on our list was a centre-forward born in Galway. Joe Canning set multiple records throughout his supreme career. He joined Portumna in 2004, where he won a variety of titles. Canning still plays for his club and could add to his already impressive trophy cabinet. He won five Galway titles, four All-Ireland medals, and two Leinster titles with Portumna.
He represented Galway in 2008, a position he enjoyed until retirement in 2021. Canning won seven trophies during his intercounty playing career, including five All-Star awards. He holds the record in hurling for the most sideline cuts scored and is the third-highest hurling point scorer of all time. Plus, he made 62 championship appearances for Galway, another record.
Joe Canning on why teams in the league should take a risk and "push up on the Limerick defence, their midfield, half-forward line and half-back line" #rtegaa #allianzleagues #hurling pic.twitter.com/MqVHaAAeX1
— RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) February 26, 2023
With three Leinster titles, one All-Ireland medal, and three NHL victories, Canning is up there with the best hurlers. He was a player that earned multiple nominations for being the best of the year, and he won the Hurler of the Year award in 2017. While his glory days are behind him, you can find him still playing at the grand old age of 35.
- Years Active: 2008-2021
- Leinster Titles: 3
- All-Irelands Medals: 1
- NHL Titles: 3
- All Stars: 5
7. Frank Cummins
While it’s great that some of the best hurlers of all time are still active at club level, quite a few have long since retired from active duty. One such player is Frank Cummins, who started playing in the mid-60s. He had an extraordinary career, winning titles for his club and in the intercounty tournaments. The midfielder left one heck of a legacy even though he stopped playing for Kilkenny in 1985.
At club level, Cummins represented Knocktopher and Blackrock. His success at this level started after joining Blackrock. He won six Cork titles, three All-Ireland medals, and three Munster titles with the club. Cummins stood out as a fantastic hurler, earning him four All-Star awards and the Texaco Hurler of the Year award in 1983. Since then, they have included his name in countless lists, celebrating the best hurlers.
While representing Kilkenny for almost two decades, Cummins won it all. He achieved nine Leinster titles, three NHL victories, and eight All-Ireland medals with his county. Only one of his All-Ireland medals came as a non-playing substitute, and he sits in the top ten for most medals ever. Careers as long and as successful as Cummins are rare. While we would have loved to watch him play in person, the stats paint an excellent picture of the type of player he was.
- Years Active: 1966-1985
- Leinster Titles: 9
- All-Irelands Medals: 8
- NHL Titles: 3
- All Stars: 4
6. Noel Skehan
We have mainly celebrated outfield players so far in our list of the best hurlers of all time. But Noel Skehan was one goalkeeper we had to include, no matter what. His career did not get off to the fast start that other talented players have enjoyed. Instead, he was a substitute for the best part of a decade, waiting for his chance for the first team.
Skehan played at club level for Bennettsbridge, winning four Kilkenny titles. At the intercounty level, he won six Leinster medals and three All-Ireland medals as a substitute. When he stepped up to the first team, he led them to even greater success. Through the late 60s to the mid-80s, Kilkenny won a selection of major trophies. By the end of his career, he won 14 Leinster titles, nine All-Ireland finals, and three NHL titles.
Noel Skehan #Kilkenny clears ball from danger during final of 1978 All Ireland SHC #gaa #nostalgia pic.twitter.com/b1iIp7t4Uy
— GAA Nostalgia (@gaanostalgia) June 20, 2016
It might have taken a few years of patience, but it all paid off for Skehan. He received incredible praise for what he did as a goalkeeper, including seven All-Star awards. That puts him level with other incredible hurlers, such as J. J. Delaney and T. J. Reid. Skehan is one of the best hurlers ever.
- Years Active: 1968-1985
- Leinster Titles: 14
- All-Irelands Medals: 9
- NHL Titles: 3
- All Stars: 7
5. Jimmy Barry-Murphy
In our mind, Jimmy Barry-Murphy is the best dual player ever. Looking back at his career, he preferred hurling, registering more appearances, and playing the sport longer. However, Jimmy enjoyed incredible levels of success in both sports. He thrived as a hurler and won multiple titles playing Gaelic football.
He spent his entire club career with St Finbarr’s, starting in 1972 and retiring in 1988. As a footballer, Barry-Murphy won three Cork titles, two All-Ireland finals, and two Munster championships. An impressive trophy haul by anyone’s standards. However, as a dual player, he excelled as a hurler. He won seven Cork titles, two more All-Ireland finals, and three Munster hurling championships.
Dual players are common throughout GAA history. However, only a handful have won the top prizes in both sports. Barry-Murphy won two Munster football titles, one All-Ireland Final, and a league championship. He also made it to one All-Star team at intercounty level. For hurling, he won ten Munster championships, five All-Ireland medals, two league titles, and five more All-Star awards.
Barry-Murphy lived out a schoolboy’s dream, winning major honours in Gaelic football and hurling. Being this successful across both sports is almost unheard of, and only 15 other players have managed the All-Ireland football and hurling title. With the popularity of a dual player fading into the history books, Barry-Murphy’s achievements only look more impressive.
- Years Active: 1975-1986
- Munster Titles: 10
- All-Irelands Medals: 5
- NHL Titles: 2
- All Stars: 5
4. J. J. Delaney
Now that we are into the top four best hurlers of all time, we can talk about players who changed the game. J. J. Delaney was a left win-back for Fenians, representing Kilkenny at the county level. When he retired in 2014, he left the sport as the third most-capped player in history with 66 championship appearances.
Although he finished his club career with zero titles, he was extremely successful on the inter-county stage. From 2001 to 2014, he won 14 Leinster championships, nine All-Ireland finals, and eight NHL titles. They celebrated Delaney’s contributions, earning seven All-Star medals in his county career. His best season was in 2003. He did a clean sweep of individual achievements, including the All-Star award, Texaco Hurley of the Year, and GPA Hurler of the Year.
Delaney was, without a doubt, one of the best hurlers in recent history. While he now sits seventh on the list of all-time All-Ireland appearances, his achievements have not diminished. Plus, given his retirement was only ten years ago, there are a plethora of highlight reels showcasing his abilities.
- Years Active: 2001-2014
- Leinster Titles: 11
- All-Irelands Medals: 9
- NHL Titles: 8
- All Stars: 7
3. T. J. Reid
The third-best hurler ever is none other than T. J. Reid. The iconic centre-forward began as a goalkeeper for the Ballyhale Shamrocks. At 16, he was already raising eyebrows. Transitioning to an outfielder allowed him to set the game alight with his prolific scoring.
Reid has been successful both at club level and with his county, Kilkenny. For Ballyhale Shamrocks, he has 11 Kilkenny titles, eight Leinster championships, and six All-Ireland medals. When we joined the county side in 2007, nobody could have expected how dangerous the centre-forward would become. At 36, we believe his intercounty days to be nearly over. However, he is yet to retire. He has won 12 Leinster championships, seven All-Ireland finals, and five NHL competitions. He is another player with seven All-Star awards so far.
T.J. Reid was a record-setter for appearances and point contributions. He sits first on the all-time scorers list in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. With 30 goals and 551 points, his tally of 641 is well out of reach for most players, except Patrick Horgan. Reid also has the most appearances in the competition with 82, six more than second place Micael Walsh. Players like Reid did everything they could to be the best hurler in history. However, we believe a couple of other players are more deserving of the spotlight.
- Years Active: 2007-Present
- Leinster Titles: 12
- All-Irelands Medals: 7
- NHL Titles: 5
- All Stars: 7
2. Tommy Walsh
The second-best hurler in recent history is Tommy Walsh. Walsh is unlucky to miss the top spot, as it’s extremely close between him and our number one. However, somebody has to come second. This time it’s the man from Kilkenny. The right half-back joined the club Tullaroan in 1999 and remains a player. At 40, he is near the end of his career, but it shows his dedication.
Walsh is one of the most successful and decorated hurlers of all time at the county level. He has ten Leinster championships, nine All-Ireland medals and seven NHL titles. Perhaps his most impressive achievement is the nine consecutive All-Star awards he received. From 2003 to 2011, Walsh was a staple in the All-Star team in multiple positions. He appeared in four other positions before settling into his favoured right half-back role.
While most players excel in one position throughout their career, Walsh demonstrated an unbelievable understanding of hurling. Nobody else has ever won All-Star awards in five different positions, let alone cornerback, right halfback, left halfback, midfield, and left half-forward. Walsh was a truly unique and excellent hurler.
- Years Active: 2002-2014
- Leinster Titles: 10
- All-Irelands Medals: 9
- NHL Titles: 7
- All Stars: 9
1. Henry Shefflin
The best hurler of all time is Henry Shefflin. “King Henry” is a three-time Hurler of the Year. He is one of two players to win the award more than once. Shefflin won in 2002, 2006, and 2012, making him the oldest player to receive the award.
Shefflin joined the Ballyhale Shamrocks in 1997, leading them to a successful two-decade-long campaign. He finished his playing career in 2017 after winning six Kilkenny titles, four Leinster championships, and three All-Ireland finals. However, playing intercounty hurling is where he set himself apart from the rest. With 11 All-Star awards, Shefflin is the most celebrated GAA athlete in history. He has more awards than any other hurler or Gaelic footballer in history.
Looking at his other achievements, he is fourth on the list of all-time top scorers in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship. With 565 points and goals, he only trails Joe Canning, Patrick Horgan, and T. J. Reid. Shefflin is also fifth on the list for most championship appearances with 71, ahead of J. J. Delaney.
When you consider he has ten All-Ireland medals, 13 Leinster championships, and six NHL victories, there can only be one name at the top. Henry Shefflin is the best hurler in sports history, long live the king!
- Years Active: 1999-2015
- Leinster Titles: 13
- All-Irelands Medals: 10
- NHL Titles: 6
- All Stars: 11
