It's never been more difficult to pick an All-Star hurling team but Jackie Tyrrell has done a fairly decent job of it.

Because of 2018, hurling is no longer in Gaelic football's shadow. It's no surprise that there were more spectators in Croke Park for the hurling semi-finals than the football this year - that's because hurling has won the hearts of the whole country in 2018. Where Gaelic football is focused on rule changes to make itself a more enjoyable watch, hurling has never ever been in a better place. The round-robin provincial formats went down a treat in their debut year with the Munster hurling championship ruling the roost for six consecutive weeks through June and into July. The Leinster championship wasn't far behind it at all. What followed was two All-Ireland semi-final ties for the ages with Clare and Galway serving up one of the greatest games of all time in Croke Park, still tied after extra-time. The following day extra-time was again required for Limerick to put Cork away, as football moved further into the shadows. And through all of this. Hurling folk sat pretty, those who wouldn't even take a glance at the game before lost their minds. It's no wonder tickets are like gold dust for this Sunday's final. Now the whole of Ireland are coming to terms with the fact that hurling is the fastest game on earth. That it requires so many different skills and that it can throw up moments of brilliance more regularly than any other sport. Points like this one from Peter Duggan helped convince them. https://twitter.com/TheSundayGame/status/1023259377518530560 The combination of moments like those led to some amazing individual performances and the All-Star selection has never been more competitive. Kilkenny legend and Sunday Game analyst Jackie Tyrrell delivered his verdict for his best 15 hurlers of the year so far on his Twitter account recently.

Jackie's team

https://twitter.com/MrJackieTee/status/1029035160111652864

Our thoughts on Jackie's team

We give our thoughts under each of his selections. We would make a few changes.

1 Eoin Murphy (Kilkenny)

Fact. https://twitter.com/officialgaa/status/1018497159753273344 With a massive All-Ireland final performance, Nickie Quaid will run him close but there wasn't much more Eoin Murphy could have done all year. For that reason, he remains as number one.

2 Adrian Tuohey (Galway)

Debatable. Sean Finn gets the nod for us.

3 Daithí Burke (Galway)

No arguing with that.

4 Richie English (Limerick)

We'd go Clare's Jack Browne instead. https://twitter.com/officialgaa/status/1005813311198375936

5 Diarmuid Byrnes (Limerick)

Going strictly by position, we'd have Padraig Mannion as our number 5.

6 Declan Hannon (Limerick)

On this year's form, Declan Hannon has been the best of the sixes. Cillian Buckley pushes him close as does Gearóid McInerney but on balance that man Hannon deserves his spot.

7 Padraig Mannion (Galway)

Seeing as we have Mannion already in there, Mark Coleman gets our vote for number 7. That's being extremely harsh on Dan Morrissey and Chris Crummie.

8 Darragh Fitzgibbon (Cork)

All day long.

9 Cian Lynch

No qualms here.

10 Peter Duggan

Well deserved. Daniel Kearney can feel hard-done-by but these tough decisions have to be made.

11 Joe Canning

Absolutely.

12 Johnny Glynn

Seamus Harnedy has been better, we reckon. https://twitter.com/officialgaa/status/1023581060251242496

13 Aaron Gillane (Limerick)

100%. https://twitter.com/officialgaa/status/1023601505063063552

14 John Conlon (Clare)

He's had some year.

15 Conor Whelan (Galway)

Agreed. But only just. Because both Graeme Mulcahy could change that in the final and Patrick Horgan is breathing down their necks. Take it for granted that there will be more changes come 5.00 on Sunday.