Joe Canning incident

CLADA

Anybody able to give a neutral eye witness account of what happened at the Galway Co. Hurling Final last Sunday and the alleged targetting of Joe Canning by the opposition. I'm living on the other side of the country and have no connection with either club but find it hard to believe that a future star for Galway could be treated this way by his own countymen.

this link has details

http://home.eircom.net/content/unison/sports/9139618?view=Eircomnet

swalsh

Sounds like he got a right doin, hope he doesn't quit and thats not just for Galways sake, he is defo a star for the future

wheelbarrow

If this had happened in football there would have been war over it, in particular if it had happened up North we`d have had talk of "Typical Northern Thugs".

Hurling however appears to get away with this sort of thing...."sure they were just getting to know each other"

Bogger77

Wasn't at the match, but it's totally credible report.

I've been to a few Galway club matches to see a relation play, and I've been seriously concerned for his safety.

It's the main reason why the Galway hurling team have talent but no medals, they kill each other in club games, and don't even talk in the county dressing room.
Contrast that with the likes of Offaly, Kilkenny, Down and Antrim where once a team win's the County and is in the provincial championship, they get support from other teams with in the county.
I've been to all-ireland semi's and finals , when Birr were playing, and there were guys from Cushendall/Cushendun in Croker to support Dunloy, that wouldn't happen in Galway.

padi89

I was at the match on Sunday as a neutral and to be honest, it was even worse than the papers described.The incident that left J Canning flat on his arse in the first place before he was stamped on was wreckless too.Mind you he was being literally butchered anytime he got the ball right from the start.Loughrea were guilty of so much dirty play all over the pitch and in my eyes their victory is seriously tarnished.
To give an eye witness account of what was going on all over the pitch id be here all night.You can have a look through this thread i think the reactions of people that were there speak for themselves.

http://www.hoganstand.com/Galway/MessageBoardForm.aspx?PageNumber=0

CLADA

Bogger77 wrote:

It's the main reason why the Galway hurling team have talent but no medals, they kill each other in club games, and don't even talk in the county dressing room.

Wait till the "mad clare man" takes charge and gets going in that dressing room:eek:

cson

I was at the match on sunday unfortunately. I hurled with joe up to minor level and he's a decent honest guy, what they did to him is disgraceful. before the match even started the loughrea players were fighting and niggling with portumna players, they obviously didnt turn up to play hurling. The first half was some of the worst $hite i've ever seen with regards hurling and fouling, some of the loughrea fouls were outrageous. A loughrea player (a former county player at that!) stood on Joe cannings face while he was on the ground injured, at the time there was so much blood the physio's didnt know where it was coming from, he had to have 8 stitches to his face and as far as im aware he's drinking out of a straw for a few days thats how bad it is, his back is gone black from the beatings he got as well apparently. the violence on that pitch was horrendous, from both sides but particularly loughrea, they were the main instigators and it just looked liked all they came to do was have a scrap. the ref absolutely lost control of the game (3 yellows in the whole match) and let so much go and paradoxically penalised so much too, he was terrible. It s a disgraceful display. Sorry for the long winded story but feelings are still very high over it here in Portumna, and while it may sound biased, thats what happened.

CLADA

Thanks for the link padi89 some fairly mixed opinions there. From csons account Canning got some going over and its hard to see how between the referee, linesmen and umpires not one of them witnessed it.

One of the posts on the Hoganstand site said the referee lives in Loughrea and is a neighbour of one the players

cson

oh yeah, i forget to mention how horrendous the officiating was from all officials, the amount that was let go was unbelieveable, if you did it on the street.......jail. And then some of what was penilised was a joke, ollie canning an all star county player was penalised twice against a 44 year old sub.....doesnt make sense, if you see the video of the match it'll make even less sense. Im not gonna disguise the fact im from portumna but honestly even some loughrea people sitting beside me were horrified at what went on. I feel for Joe, like I said i hurled with him and he gave as good as he got but never insigated aggression, he was always the target cos of his talent and its a shame that loughrea had to resort to such violence to win, i hope he doesnt give up hurling cos it'd be a huge loss for both portumna and galway although given what happened on sunday, i wouldnt hold it against him if he did.

padi89

CLADA wrote:

Thanks for the link padi89 some fairly mixed opinions there. From csons account Canning got some going over and its hard to see how between the referee, linesmen and umpires not one of them witnessed it.

One of the posts on the Hoganstand site said the referee lives in Loughrea and is a neighbour of one the players

I went to see a good game of hurling and if im completely honest i was probably leaning more towards the underdogs Loughrea(after 10 minutes of play that all changed).Their tactics were brutal , take the main Portumna man out by any means nessecary and every other Portumna man there after.No one can justify what went on in that game , its a discrace to the Loughrea team and will do them no favours.I was sitting beside a couple from Loughrea and they were appaled by what was going on , especially what happened to J Canning.
I dont know myself why the other officials didnt call the referee over.There were blatant incidences all over the pitch and there is no way the ref could have witnessed them all.The other officials did NOT do their jobs, simple.If J Canning quits (which i hope he wont) i wouldnt blame him ,his own life is worth much more than the likes of what went on Sunday.The funny thing is i witnessed a similar dirty tackle on Dereck Hardiman in the semi-final in Athenry by Loughrea men that left him with a broken collar bone .

cson

i'd also like to point something out >>>>> joe canning stamped in the face on sunday, derek hardimans collarbone broken 3 weeks ago, 'bloodbath' in ballinasloe in '04.....................the common factor in all these incidents...Loughrea. One wonders what its gonna take for the county board to end the dirtyness, is someone gonna have to die?

Imposter

Imo this is a general problem with the GAA disciplinary system (or lack thereof). It happens in every county to some degree and even at inter-county level.

If the incident was as bad as it sounds a video (assuming one exists) should be sent to the guards with the GAA fully behind whatever comes out of any investigation.

fago

It happened right in front of us maybe 30 feet away. It was without doubt the worst incident I've ever seen. Loughrea corner back had to change direction to go back towards Canning, before bringing his boot down on Canning's face.
I couldn't believe Joe got back up, I thought he was looking at a few broken teeth at least.

I'm a neutral, and before any Loughrea supporters try to defend it, there was a deafening silence around us after the incident - no supporter trying to justify it. They saw it for what it was.

In this case I don't think the ref was to blame the ball was gone and he was following the action, and when it came back to it he assumed the injury had happened from Greg Kennedy's initial shoulder charge. Linesman was about the same distance away as us.

I don't think there was any malice in Hardiman's injury in the semi-final, its in no way comparable

gucci

what colour shorts were loughrea wearing sunday?
because on the back of yesterdays independent theres a picture claiming to be of the stamping incident, it looks shocking and im physically ill reading the reports. im all for tough play in a match but on the right side of discipline but to stamp on anybodys face when theyre lyin on the ground is truelly barbaric.
iv been kicked in the face before when lying on the ground and recieved no protection from a referee who was beside the incident, despite having a broken nose with blood streaming out of it!!! the GAA stance on such action is a joke at times.

Langerland

Is there video footage of this? I know TG4 and/or Setanta are doing the county finals this year. Such footage would shame the GAA into action. Incidents like this are far more common in less high profile matches however. An example needs to be made out of the culprit in this case. For the sake of hurling.

gucci

the rest of his teammates should withdraw from the galway squad in protest until some action is taken

<< wish my 500th post was on something more humerous:mad:

padi89

fago wrote:

I don't think there was any malice in Hardiman's injury in the semi-final, its in no way comparable

It happened right in front of me at Kenny Park, one Loughrea player hit him a shoulder and another came right in on hardiman with the butt of his hurl.There was certainly intention to do damage.

Amazotheamazing

Joe Canning to turn to rugby?







'Joe was on the ground and he stamped on his head, smashing in his face-guard'

THE GALWAY hurling board last night launched an investigation into the horror stamping incident which left one of the country's best young hurlers needing eight stitches to his face.

As full details emerged of the shocking nature of the challenge on Joe Canning, it was confirmed that the 18-year-old is now seriously considering quitting hurling and taking up rugby instead.

Canning is based in Limerick, where he is a first year student at LIT, and it is understood that he has already received an offer to join a rugby club in the city.

The 6' 2" Portumna star sustained his injuries during the first half of Sunday's stormy county final against Loughrea in Salthill.

"He was knocked to the ground by a ferocious frontal charge from a Loughrea player," said Portumna chairman Martin Carty, who incidentally is a native of Loughrea.

"Joe was lying on the ground and he stamped on his head, smashing in his face-guard and he had to have eight stitches inserted in his face during the half-time break," added Carty.

Galway Hurling Board chairman Miko Ryan announced yesterday that a full investigation will be launched into the incident.

"We will be going over that video inch by inch and if we see things then we will take action. The first half of the game was very negative, the referee needed to have eyes in the back of his head to see what was going on.

"It looked terrible for the showpiece of our hurling championship. But we need to see what is on the video."

Ryan said that they were also waiting for the report from referee Mike Conway before deciding what course of action would be taken.

Ryan admitted there had been a lot of reaction around the county to the game. "I have got dogs abuse since Sunday. So too has my brother and my daughters. That is not good enough," he added.

Canning was unavailable for comment yesterday, but his brother Frankie, the Portumna club's delegate to the Galway Hurling Board, revealed that the teen prodigy is now likely to turn down invitations from new manager Ger Loughnane to join the Galway senior hurling squad.

"After what happened to Joe in the county final, I don't think he will be joining the Galway senior panel in November," said Frankie.

Paddy Hickey

Amazotheamazing

While I won't like to see hurling lose someone who will be a huge player for the next 15 years (imo), I can imagine the prospect of a professional career could be very tempting for a young guy.

sgthighway

There was to be a meeting tonight on it where the Hurling Board were to review the TG4 footage and the footage supplied by an independant person.

I was not at the match but I am familar with the Discipline Procedures in Galway. A Galway Football Referee recently reported the Galway Discipline Board to Croke Pk. for failing to deal with an incident properly where he was verbally abused by a player.

Kojak

I would be hugely surprised if he quits hurling for good. The statement about him not being available for the Seniors next year is no real surprise as it was stated by him that he wouldn't be playing next year anyway.

So for next year he was not going to be a loss either way. If he were to stay gone to rugby then he would be a loss to Galway hurling in the long-term.

He was always going to get special treatment as nearly all "gifted players" can subscribe to - ask DJ Carey or Henry Shefflin to name but 2. I am not condoning certain Loughrea actions but it is something he will have to live with if he wants to continue playing hurling. If he doesn't like the physical stuff then he should quit straight away, IMO.

gucci

Kojak wrote:

If he doesn't like the physical stuff then he should quit straight away, IMO.

theres a difference between physical play and absolute thuggery, walking/stamping on somebody on the ground cannot be loosley described as physical in any sense.

cson

Kojak wrote:

I would be hugely surprised if he quits hurling for good. The statement about him not being available for the Seniors next year is no real surprise as it was stated by him that he wouldn't be playing next year anyway.

So for next year he was not going to be a loss either way. If he were to stay gone to rugby then he would be a loss to Galway hurling in the long-term.

He was always going to get special treatment as nearly all "gifted players" can subscribe to - ask DJ Carey or Henry Shefflin to name but 2. I am not condoning certain Loughrea actions but it is something he will have to live with if he wants to continue playing hurling. If he doesn't like the physical stuff then he should quit straight away, IMO.

I just dont conform to this 'he'll have to deal with it if he wants to play hurling' theory. I fail to see the correlation between making him a man and stamping on his head while he is down injured. Joe is 6'2'', he a strongly built lad, if he is struggling to look after himself in a match then there is obviously something else going on as evidenced on sunday. It's unforgiveable that a team can set out to chop down a young player (any player at that) and do some of the stuff that was done on Sunday. Referees should be able to protect him from this sort of violence, violence that would earn you a custodial sentence if perpetrated on a street. Stamping on his head wont make him a man!!

padi89

Kojak wrote:

it is something he will have to live with if he wants to continue playing hurling. If he doesn't like the physical stuff then he should quit straight away, IMO.

I take it you werent at the match.There is a huge difference between physical play and blatant dangerous play never mind stamping on someones head.Everyone loves a physical game as long as its kept within the rules and its fair , when you try to take someone out of a match with dirty play you've crossed the line.I know if J. Canning was a member of my family i would be worried for him after what happened Sunday.Rugby is as physical as hurling but at least they have the professionalism to protect players.

gucci

anybody see the mayo county final on tg4 or perhaps were at it?a crossmaligna player (no.19)was sent off for stamping on a ballahdreen player (no.7)on the ground.wasnt as agressive as perhaps the canning incident but still serious foul play, you have to wonder how players actually motivate themselves to do such a cowardly act, and why the player from crossmaligna done it, especially after all the press from last weeks incident

future_plans

It is common as muck in the GAA. If you play hurling or football for any length of time, you will eventually get some uncalled for hit off the ball. Alot of it is pretty much gamesmanship and needs to be present in the games. They are tough sports. But when players overstep the mark, such as the Canning incident, or when Stephan O'Sullivan (from Skellig Rangers in Kerry) was rushed to St James in Dublin after another incidentin Kerry over the Summer, the guilty players should be banned for life from the sport in my view. Such drastic action is required to stamp it out. No body minds the "rough and tumble" type stuff. But when players are targeted thuggishly and violently, then the GAA have to take action and remove these so-called players from the sport. It is in the sports best interest.

Aido c

Look, its more than Joe Canning thing, its a whole cultural thing within the GAA, maybe even a sociological thing within Ireland.

They cannot make up their mind what they want.

They need to decide, for once, is this game contact, or non contact. This halfway house thing is leaving the whole sport looking like muppets. Even the Aussie's cannot seem to figure out what we are doing...

If they want non contact, take out the culture of violence straight away. RTE, ditch the warrior's with the drums advertising, tell every muckers who wants to shout at a young player 'will you get up and hit him' please do not attend. If any ref, see's any player on the ground, they should stop the game, consult with their officials and investigate what put him there. Get rid of all the big players, full stop, we dont need them anymore, they should all go play rugby. Then they need to bring in the rules to to have the rules alot more like soccar.


If they do want contact, fine, give it expression, introduce physical tackles, let all the players diffuse their pent up energy, then protect the players with rules, armor (like the yanks), more ref's or what ever works..

This, whole thing that you are supposed to do one thing, while hit him a belt off the ball or a 'bunny' punch, just makes us all look like messers

Kojak

This thing about Canning getting 8 stitches is a load of crap - he never got any stitches, and that's a fact.

I'm not saying that the stamping incident wasn't bad, but much of this west Brit sensationalist reporting on the county final is not what happened and is more akin to Sky Sports than accurate GAA journalism.

If it was such a bloodbath/war etc. why did Portumna go up to Loughrea on the following night to congratulate Loughrea on their victory???

The media has painted a picture of the final that just wasn't true - it was rough and tough. This, IMO, was done as a way of selling more papers for their respective organisations.

John McIntyre of the Connacht Tribune is the only journalist, AFAIK, who has had done a logical and clear-headed analysis on this final. A fine example for these other sensationalists.

cson

Kojak wrote:

This thing about Canning getting 8 stitches is a load of crap - he never gotany stitches, and that's a fact.

John McIntyre of the Connacht Tribune is the only journalist, AFAIK, who has had done a logical and clear-headed analysis on this final. A fine example for these other sensationalists.

Yes he did get stitches, i know him well and he had stitches the next day and his lip had to be glued. Aside from this, if he had'nt any stitches that according to your view would make stamping on his head allowable, hey if he doesn't get hurt its all right?

John McIntyre was a shining beacon of hypocrisy for the Connacht. The week after the match he was damning in his view of the county final, thuggery, violence etc. Yet a week later an almost road damscus like moment has him seeing what he wanted to see, lashing out at media coverage of the event despite the fact he was in the same bandwagon the week before. One word. Hypocrisy.

Its not just Galway that this violence is, its endemic all over the country but nothing is done about it. Hell Portumna recieved far stiffer punishments than loughrea in light of the county boards findings. Stamping on someones head is apparently worth four weeks of a ban while speaking of your disgust at the incident is worth 12. Doesnt add up, but then Galway County Board seem incapable of any positive action towards anything. Its almost 20 years since Galway won the All Ireland, dont be surprised (especially with the attitude of some) if its another 20 before they win it again.

nightpark

cson wrote:

Stamping on someones head is apparently worth four weeks of a ban while speaking of your disgust at the incident is worth 12. Doesnt add up.

I think you should really check a few facts before saying what the Loughrea player got suspended for, the fact is the Loughrea player did not get four weeks for stamping on someones head. Also the Portumna player did not get any stitches which has been well dicumented over the last week or so in all of the media. I appreciate that it may not be good for the game if Joe Canning does not play again but he did not get any stitches and it has not been proven that was stamped on.

padi89

nightpark wrote:

and it has not been proven that was stamped on.

By whom ? The county board....well thats a laugh, with their cop out over the whole affair.The FACT is it DID happen ,not more than 30ft away from me.The difference is on the TV coverage you see the Loughrea player turn around run towards JC and put the foot down on him.The problem is their is a another player blocking the view of where the foot makes contact ,so this is why its "not proven".A two year old would be able to point out where the foot goes next.....:rolleyes:

jules101

Quick question after reading this thread. I have never seen a hurling match but I was just wondering why players can do such barbaric acts in Hurling but a bit of push and shoving in the IR and the GAA isn't happy?
It seems strange because what you are saying happened to Canning is far worse then anything any aussies or Irish did in the IR game.

LCstudent123

does any one know where i can see footage of the incident. are there any videos of it. thanks

keane2097

LCstudent123 wrote: »

does any one know where i can see footage of the incident. are there any videos of it. thanks

Ninja thread bump :pac:

Diabhal Beag

There was no need to bump a near 3 year old thread

lmnk

woah im shocked the way people was talkn! :eek: i can't really remember the match but as a cappi man i think people is goin a bit far. i know a few was dirty and i think they went over the top tryin to keep canning down ,which ye know yerselves the did but jesus will ye think about the other lads that act went out to do their town prowd just as prtumna did and then to have people calling them ''thugs'' ,im not saying what they did was right but for a few mens mistakes yer calling the whole team thugs.for some reason i think if it happend to any other player their wouldnt have been so much uproar?! i dono sure, its done and over with now,it'l be interesting to see when they play in a county final again!

An Citeog

lmnk wrote: »

woah im shocked the way people was talkn! :eek: i can't really remember the match but as a cappi man i think people is goin a bit far. i know a few was dirty and i think they went over the top tryin to keep canning down ,which ye know yerselves the did but jesus will ye think about the other lads that act went out to do their town prowd just as prtumna did and then to have people calling them ''thugs'' ,im not saying what they did was right but for a few mens mistakes yer calling the whole team thugs.for some reason i think if it happend to any other player their wouldnt have been so much uproar?! i dono sure, its done and over with now,it'l be interesting to see when they play in a county final again!

Daysha

Professey Chin

Daysha wrote: »

HI MA!!!

Mossy Monk

lmnk wrote: »

woah im shocked the way people was talkn! :eek: i can't really remember the match but as a cappi man i think people is goin a bit far. i know a few was dirty and i think they went over the top tryin to keep canning down ,which ye know yerselves the did but jesus will ye think about the other lads that act went out to do their town prowd just as prtumna did and then to have people calling them ''thugs'' ,im not saying what they did was right but for a few mens mistakes yer calling the whole team thugs.for some reason i think if it happend to any other player their wouldnt have been so much uproar?! i dono sure, its done and over with now,it'l be interesting to see when they play in a county final again!

nicewaytoresurrectathread.iknowyouincludedsomespacesbutyourpostreadlikethistome.

keane2097

ibtl?

Mossy Monk

keane2097 wrote: »

ibtl?

Yes. You were IBTL.