Knock-out sport brings a unique sort of pressure and last weekend's Allianz Hurling League quarter-finals and relegation play-offs were always going to separate the wheat from the chaff.

A handful of players produced some really special performances, but in the end we went for Conor Lehane (Cork), John McGrath (Tipperary), and Shane Nolan (Kerry).

The voting process is simple: retweet the image of your chosen player on the GAA's official Twitter account (@officialgaa) or like their image on the GAA's official Facebook and Instagram pages.

Voting will close at 10am on Tuesday, April 5 and the winner will be announced on GAA.ie.

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GAA.ie Hurling Player of the Week Nominations

Conor Lehane (Cork)

Cork attacker Conor Lehane has been in red-hot form so far this year and he was at it again on Sunday when he masterminded Cork's 2-22 to 0-25 Allianz Hurling League Division 1A Relegation Play-off victory over Galway. 

The Midleton man scored six points from play and terrorised the Galway defence with his willingness to run at them at speed and then fire the ball over the bar off either side and from all sorts of angles. 

Now positioned at centre-forward for the Rebels, Lehane's instinctive ability to drift into pockets of space and fininsh clinically is a joy to watch.

John McGrath (Tipperary)

Tipperary might be disappointed that their League campaign has ended at the quarter-final stage after defeat to Clare in Ennis on Sunday, but one huge positive they can take from it has been the coming of age of John McGrath.

The former minor star's progress was slowed last year by a chronic groin injury, but now that he is fit again he has been busy showing everyone why he is such a hot prospect.

He was outstanding again on Sunday as he scored six points from play and led the Clare defence a merry dance with his intelligent movement, quick wrists, and dead-eyed finishing.

Shane Nolan (Kerry)

Kerry are one of the stories of the hurling year so far and their highly impressive 2-27 to 1-19 win over Laois on Saturday that secured their Division 1B status for next season was another entertaining chapter in it.

It was a consumate team performance by the Kingdom, but wing-forward Shane Nolan was a Prince among men.

He hit a total of 1-9, 1-3 of which was from play, and his ability to roam across the pitch and hoover up possession proved nightmarishly difficult for the Laois defence to cope with.

Nolan has been one of the most talented young hurlers in the country for the past few years, and it is no surprise that he has blossomed on the bigger stage.

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Players of the Week are decided based on votes cast by followers of @officialgaa on Twitter, on the Official GAA Facebook Page and on the Official GAA Instagram page