Hurling legend Canning to hang up his inter county playing boots

HE couldn’t stay going forever and the rumour mill was in overdrive after Galway’s wipe-out by Waterford in Thurles last Saturday, but the thought of never again seeing Joe Canning in a maroon jersey is a scary one.

Recognised as one of the game’s greatest ever players and hurling’s record championship scorer of all-time, the Portumna ace has called time on a brilliant career ahead of his 33rd birthday in October.

A superb striker, lethal free-taker and the best exponent of the sideline cut we have ever seen, Canning’s extraordinary scoring deeds on the hurling fields will stand the test of time and he deserves to be feted in the same legendary company as Mick Mackey, Christy Ring, Jimmy Doyle and Henry Shefflin.

He burst onto the inter-county scene in 2008 and almost single-handily prevented Cork from winning their All-Ireland qualifier clash in Thurles, scoring 2-12 in a sensational individual display.

Many more were to come for Galway and if one was to nominate a moment in time from his inter-county playing days, it would surely be his superb winning point from the Cusack Stand side of the field in the Tribesmen’s epic 2017 All-Ireland triumph over Tipperary.

That was the year Canning finally got his hands on a cherished All-Ireland senior medal as Galway ended a near 30-year wait for the McCarthy Cup by overcoming Waterford in the All-Ireland final at Croke Park.

His tally of nine points against the same county in Saturday’s disappointing qualifier loss was enough for him to overhaul Shefflin as the championship’s record scorer – Canning assembling an extraordinary 27 goals and 485 points in nine games less.

Five times an All-Star, Hurler of the Year in 2017, winner of two minor and one U21 All-Ireland medal, Canning was also a strong presence in the county’s National League triumphs of 2010 and ’17.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.

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