Square Ball - 26th August 2009

Written by Frank Kearney

Wednesday, 26 August 2009

Privileged to see such a talent

Those of us involved in sports reporting are sometimes privileged to have the opportunity to watch special talents and special occasions. Those of us that follow the game of hurling in this county are blessed that we have in our midst the supreme talent that is Joe Canning.

Here is a player that we can watch at club and county level, a player with the level of skill starting his career that many other great players in the past, built up to by the end of their career.

We hope that Joe is at the dawn of a long career, but the worry of the news last week of a strain that is troubling the young star should not be forgotten.

Joe has given tremendous service to the game over the past few years in his young life, at college, club and county where he held back on nothing. Joe has admitted that he doesn’t want to stop playing sport to let his injury heal, but he at least owes it to himself to take a break for the winter or take it easy, despite the fact that there are demands on him from college and club. In the programme at the weekend, the top Under-21 semi-final scorers since 2000 were listed with Kerril Wade, Ger Farragher, David Huban and Canning from 2006 all made the list. However while there were a number tied on 13 points over these years, Joe Canning tore them all apart with 4-7 last Saturday, and after all that was on the losing team. Thank you, Joe for displaying such talents.

Only adult team in final

The victory by the Galway intermediate camogie team at the weekend ensures that at least one Galway adult team will contest an All-Ireland final in Gaelic Games this year. It might be very much the poor relation after losing the senior semi-final a week earlier but reaching an All-Ireland final is very important in any grade. How we would dearly love to have more than our minor hurlers and at least one football team in an All-Ireland final.

Semi final clashes

So it's a neighbourly battle and the giants in action in the Claregalway Hotel Galway senior football championship semi-finals as Caltra and Mountbellew/Moylough will do battle. An intriguing battle of neighbours, but in the semi-finals the big clash will be the clash of Salthill/Knocknacarra and reigning champions Corofin. Many people had fancied a county final between the big two but that is now out of the question.

The Claregalway Hotel Galway intermediate football championship semi-final pairings brought together Dunmore McHales who will meet St James and Leitir Mor will take on Oughterard. All these semi-finals will be played on the weekend of 12 September.

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