Galway give Canning his senior bow

NEWS ROUND-UP:A HURLING ANOMALY will be rectified at the Gaelic Grounds on Sunday. Joe Canning has won five All-Ireland titles at minor, under-21 and with his club, Portumna.

He has a Fitzgibbon Cup medal. He has even lost a couple of All-Ireland deciders, but remarkably the prodigy has never donned the maroon of Galway in a senior intercounty fixture.

Irish sport was made aware of his potential in 2004 when, still only 15, he posted two of his trademark sideline cuts in the replayed minor victory over Kilkenny.

In the summer of 2006, then Galway manager Conor Hayes approached him about joining the senior panel. He was minor captain and opted to maintain his full focus on that responsibility.

From serious hurling stock, brother Ollie could still be of use to the Galway defence, everyone waited for the right time, the right juncture. Internal fallouts between Portumna and Loughrea two seasons back certainly slowed the process. Finally though, the time is now. Canning said:

"I found out on Monday night there at training, the same as everyone else. I've been with the panel these past two weeks. Yeah, it's been a long while coming alright. I got the call in 2006 but was focused on the minors and under-21s. I was then supposed to come in last year, and there has been a lot documented about that, but I just felt it wasn't the right time."

His touch is what makes him famous but his physicality is another obvious strength. He should adapt handily to the higher intensity of the senior panel although the highest level he has performed at would be the club final or Fitzgibbon.

"It's tougher hurling. There are far harder belts going in at training and it is a faster game," he added. Last weekend he took the short hop from his college residence to watch Cork and Limerick tussle for a place in the National League semi-final against Galway.

Standing in the freezing conditions, his eyes must have wandered to the sight of hurling's very own version of Hercules, Diarmuid O'Sullivan. He was also told last Monday night at training that he would be marking the great Cork full back.

Understandably, just days before his intercounty bow, he wasn't full of talk. "I suppose it is a baptism of fire," he answered politely, yet sharply. No man wants to be talking about his marker in the lead-in to a big game. "It should be a challenge anyway."

O'Sullivan, aka 'The Rock' has a habit of physically dominating opponents but that is one department in which the Portumna teenager (20 in November) should be able to cope. "Yeah, I was down at the game as, being in LIT, it is only across the road. It wasn't a great match, both teams played poorly, but it was difficult weather conditions. But Sunday will be a different scenario.

"Cork seem to be coming along well as this I think will be six games in six Sundays. Every player wants to be playing games."

The college season is over. The under-21s will eventually take up some time. The club will let him go for the time being. But Galway seniors is the main port of call for now and the future.

"The Galway guys have been going well recently. You can see it in training. There is a good mix there too as about 15, 16 fellas from last season's under-21 panel are in the team and a few from the minors. It helps, yeah, that I know most of them."

It also helps that club companions Damien Hayes and Iarla Tannian will flank him in the corners. It also represents a chance to lay down a marker ahead of the championship.

"I don't think so. I have to take every game just as it comes. In Galway we place a lot of emphasis on the league as there is a decent break afterwards until the championship." Is full forward his preferred position? "Ah, I'll play wherever I get in the team." Will he be taking the frees? "Ah, we'll see on Sunday." We certainly will. Roll up, roll up. They'll give him the sidelines anyway.