Joe Canning retiring from Inter county Hurling

Lost Ormond · 28-07-2021 12:45pm #1

BREAKING: Galway star Joe Canning has retired from intercounty hurling.

Canning informed media at a press event in the last few minutes, citing injuries. He had informed team mates of his decision in the wake of their defeat to Waterford.

https://twitter.com/depboyle/status/1420349293777629186

FintanMcluskey · 28-07-2021 12:51pm

His point in injury time versus Tipp in 2017 was one of the best ever

Was privileged to witness him playing

LuckyGent88 · 28-07-2021 12:53pm

An all time great. Will be disappointed with only one all Ireland though. But what a career he has had.

C__MC · 28-07-2021 12:55pm

All time great

His goal v kk in 2012 think it was the drawn game was magic

Butson · 28-07-2021 1:00pm

One of the greatest hurlers ever.

Billy Ocean · 28-07-2021 1:05pm

Best of luck to him, gave everything to his county and im sure will continue to do so for his club. 1st of the group to emerge in 2007-08 to retire with TJ, Richie Hogan, Horgan and Callanan still involved right now.

Coneygree · 28-07-2021 1:05pm

He won't go down as the greatest of all time due to lack of Senior All Irelands compared to other greats, but he's the best player to ever play the game, and there's absolutely nothing you could say to convince me otherwise. No show like a Joe show.

PTH2009 · 28-07-2021 1:08pm

One of the all time greats for both club and County

From a Waterford perspective we beat him many times in the Championship but he got the big one at our expense in 2017

kksaints · 28-07-2021 1:14pm

Fantastic hurler. Gave us many a hard time especially in the three matches in 2012. At least he got a well deserved All Ireland in 2017.

Cluedo Monopoly · 28-07-2021 1:15pm

Best hurler I have ever seen. Even though great players don't always make great managers, I hope he goes into management - I think he has the brains and ruthlessness for it. End of an era.

limerickabroad · 28-07-2021 1:27pm

Best of luck to him, and truly the end of an era . . . I would have thought he might have had one or two more years, but not to be . . .

My abiding memory of him will be going down to the local field in rural west Limerick in 2011, and watching every child in the place trying to do the reverse handpass off the hurley, after he had sold John Gardiner a beauty in the GG the previous week. Was such a glorious thing to see!

seligehgit · 28-07-2021 1:27pm

Wonderful hurler.

An all time great and always appeared to be a exceptionally nice guy.

nklc · 28-07-2021 1:48pm

Great hurler but more importantly for me a great entertainer on the field with some of his brilliant touches

puzl · 28-07-2021 1:49pm

I honestly think he is the most naturally talented hurler I've ever seen play.

The guy started with the minors when he was 15. I remember seeing him cut sidelines over the bar when he was still playing minor.

His ability to slip his opponent a dummy with slight of hand was always mesmerising... he'd make a motion as if he was throwing the ball out in front for a solo and it'd be gone underarm and laid off to his teammate... always so fluid.

A true genius, he'll be missed.

cson · 28-07-2021 2:14pm

This news hit hard enough! I grew up playing with Joe and he gave us some phenomenal days out for Portumna and Galway. The reason I joined Boards in fact was to call out some clowns on here after Loughrea had kicked the shite out of him as a 17 year old in the 2006 county final. No doubt in my mind the 'attention' he's gotten throughout his career has knocked a year or two off it, not worth it as an amateur.

An absolute joy to watch and he achieved everything in the game, his scoring record and sideline cut record will be hard bet.

As big a profile as he got, always there for the club too - one of the great things about the GAA.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URQ7zDK83dg

Sunny Disposition · 28-07-2021 2:14pm

Very surprised by this, I thought he had a few years left. One of the best hurlers I ever saw, brilliant natural ability. A huge loss to Galway.

Mars Bar · 28-07-2021 2:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117673350#Comment_117673350

I was in the stand on that side and saw it happen and it was unbelievable! Dunno how my dad missed it when he was beside me.

Rows Grower · 28-07-2021 2:22pm

Wish him all the best in his retirement, he was the best hurler I had the pleasure to watch and always looked forward to seeing him play. He set a great example to the youngsters how the game should be played, never any dirty play and sporting in defeat.

formerlyET · 28-07-2021 2:32pm

A great club and inter county hurler.

Saw him score the miracle point.

Saw him limping off injured with a hamstring strain and clip over a sideline on the way to the bench in a Fitz game.

For anyone who thinks he has only one senior All-Ireland, think again.

We live in a time of truly exceptional players and Canning, in his prime, is up there with the best of the best forwards for me.

He is in the conversation with DJ, Eoin Kelly, Shefflin, and Callanan.

Robert2014 · 28-07-2021 2:33pm

One of the very best. I think when he started inter-county he had 2 of the best performances ever vs. Cork and Waterford but was let down by others. Then everyone expected him to deliver these performances every day. Finally got there in 2017 after taking the team over the line in the semi-final with Tipp. Would have thought that maybe he could be used as a super-sub role if he wanted to stay involved. Imagine the lift the team and supporters would get to him to come in with 20 minutes to go but may be he didn't want that.

Good luck to him in the future

formerlyET · 28-07-2021 2:34pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117673720#Comment_117673720

Injuries

HildaOgdenx · 28-07-2021 2:43pm

I can still see him standing on the pitch with the Keadys, as the cup was being presented, on the day of THAT All Ireland, (2017) a beautiful gesture, and a real touch of class.

I wish him every good wish for the future.

sergioaguero · 28-07-2021 2:52pm

one of the best ever, still not as good as DJ though

castletownman · 28-07-2021 3:03pm

One of the best I have ever seen, and certainly the most talented.

I know it's natural to draw comparisons with TJ given their careers intersect, but for me Joe wins that debate hands down. Scored some of the most outrageous scores ever seen in the game, is the best sideline cut taker of all-time, and in the top echelon of free-takers ever too. His highlight reel is insane. Had some pressure on his shoulders too considering he was THE marquee player for Galway for many years when some of his contemporaries would have had a better supporting cast.

Would love to see him win a few more county titles again.

westcork67 · 28-07-2021 3:14pm

The best - the fact he was with some average Galway hurling teams, and then an underperforming one, in no way takes from the fact that he is the most talented hurler ever. Eoin Kelly, DJ , Shefflin and TJ are the modern greats for me but Joe tops the lot!

The Golden Miller · 28-07-2021 6:16pm

Best player I've ever seen, a level above the rest. If GAA was a worldwide sport, he would of been our only truly world class player.

Guys like Shefflin are some of the best hurlers ever, for a relative comparison with football, would have the like of Shefflin as someone like Zidane. Canning would be that level better, the Cruyff or Maradona level. Just a special player.

Simply put, does things other players cant. Some of the stuff he pulled off defied physics

threeball · 28-07-2021 8:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117674988#Comment_117674988

Agree. The goal he scored v KK a few years back where he caught a sliothar hit 80yards on the pivot and stuck it in the net from a ridiculous angle was just outrageous. Best score I've seen in any code. Due to poor camera angles it doesn't get the recognition it deserved as I doubt I'll ever see a better score.

Beechwoodspark · 28-07-2021 8:40pm

Top 3 best ever no doubt. All the best for the future

Hammer Archer · 28-07-2021 9:09pm

The only player that made a hand pass that's still talked about a decade later. An absolute joy to watch from a very early age.

cson · 28-07-2021 9:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117675419#Comment_117675419

The sideline cuts too - I reckon the only reason they did away with the 2pt trial was that Galway would have had an unfair advantage with him!

Swamp_Cat · 28-07-2021 10:05pm

Thanks for all the entertainment over the years & best of luck to him & his family in whatever he chooses to do. He more than earned the right to call it a day. Class thru & thru

sportsfan90 · 29-07-2021 11:22am

As a Cork man I was there when Joe scored the 2-12 against us in 2008, and for the backward handpass in 2011, and all the minor & under 21 matches.

What an incredible player he is, a privilege to watch him play! My only regret is that I didn't go see him play as much later on in his career. Selfishly I hope he changes his mind and is back next year and I'll make it my business to get to a few Galway matches.

The Golden Miller · 29-07-2021 4:56pm

Didn't check the Galway thread, but the comments on this thread seem very low, for the greatest operator of the ash we've ever seen.

Words can't really describe his brilliance, left you in awe. Didn't see the likes of Christy Ring, but you'd be hard pushed to believe anyone was ever better than Canning. Truly phenomenal, a class above the other greats he was that good. Never seen anything like him, a freak

Davys Fits · 29-07-2021 5:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117679407#Comment_117679407

Would you use this forum to measure the appreciation of JC? If its twitter or facebook or whatever forum you post on to wish Joe the best then once is probably enough. Anyways Good luck Joe and thanks for the memories.

JP Liz V1 · 29-07-2021 5:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117673356#Comment_117673356

+ 1

blue note · 30-07-2021 11:34am

What a player. I haven't seen one better than him anyway.

One of the few players that you knew all about before he even played senior. Because at that age I think he'd already won county, provincial and all Ireland with the club and minor and U21 with the county! Maybe a Fitzgibbon too? Some collection of medals to have at any age!

But he really was a hurler who could do anything. Remember when goals from frees were a thing? Joe was top of the pile here. Sidelines obviously - someone shared a stat with me the other day. He retired having scored something like 27. Next highest is Aussie was 9. The quality of ball he'd send in to his team mates, his ability to take on the pressure scores and get them. And some outrageous goals.

Oddly, I thought his HOTY win was a bit of a joke. Gearoid McInerney was the unanimous winner on the Sunday game and then not nominated. But they nominated two Waterford lads to make sure there wasn't a split in the Galway vote. I don't think there was any year where he was the best player. But he'd get my vote for hurler of the decade.

MfMan · 30-07-2021 12:28pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117682112#Comment_117682112

He would have been a more worthy winner in 2018, arguably his best season of all. It would have been a travesty though for him not to have won it at all.

blue note · 30-07-2021 12:44pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117682432#Comment_117682432

I don't think it would. Poty is an award for a single year, not a career. Although it's not always treated that way.

To me it devalues the award and the all stars when they fudge them to get a guy in. And anyone who saw Joe play will know how good he was. With or without a hoty.

The_Kew_Tour · 30-07-2021 5:57pm

He was better than Shefflin and DJ.

He had no weakness. Deserved more but by all accounts he got some flack at club games.

the kelt · 30-07-2021 6:09pm

The best I’ve seen, ahead of Carey and Shefflin imho

WindWarrior · 30-07-2021 10:13pm

Legend of the game

PTH2009 · 31-07-2021 3:03am

https://youtu.be/KyKg2Nmg4NE

one of the great Joe Canning performances but **** me did Cork milk that win. Swear they won the All Ireland with the way they were celebrating

tobothehobo · 31-07-2021 12:35pm

Canning was one hell of a player but off the pitch seemed like a good guy.

My nephew was at the ploughing championships a few years ago and canning hurlys had a stand with Joe signing hurls for customers.

My nephew bought one, got it signed and went about their day. Long story short it was stolen on him. he went back very upset to buy another one. This was a few hours later but Joe noticed and remembered him asked what was wrong and when he heard the story gave my nephew a free hurl.

I think it was a genuine and classy thing to do.

Joe Canning retiring from Inter county Hurling

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