Salthill’s Hanley nominated for All Stars

Date Published: 26-Sep-2008

A SERIES of rock solid performances in the county colours throughout 2008 has seen Salthill-Knocknacarra defender Finian Hanley become one of three Galway players to be nominated for an All-Star award.

The full-back from Highfield Park performed brilliantly when handed the task of marking Kerry’s Kieran Donaghy in last month’s pulsating All-Ireland quarter final at Croke Park, which was widely regarded as one of the best championship games of the year.

Hanley matched Donaghy in the air in the terrible conditions on that dark Saturday afternoon and limited the Kingdom’s ‘Star’ to just one point in one of the finest defensive displays witnessed this year.

Earlier in the summer, Hanley also produced solid defensive displays in the Connacht championship wins over Roscommon, Leitrim, and Mayo, helping Galway to their thrilling victory over Mayo – and picking up his second senior provincial medal – at Castlebar in mid-July.

Hanley, who was voted Man of the Match on the Salthill side who won the All-Ireland Club title in 2006, has been Galway’s regular full-back since making his senior debut for the county in July 2005, the year in which he won an All-Ireland U-21 medal with the county.

Galway’s other two nominees, announced yesterday, are …..