Joe Canning

No delays, no subterfuge, no dummy teams, no effort to conceal the inevitable. At last the moment has arrived.

There was a time when Ger Loughnane might have sought to provide some stealth for an asset like Joe Canning on the cusp of his first ever full senior match for his county.

Loughnane may not have introduced the concept of the dummy team, but he has certainly embellished it in the past as a primary weapon in the preparation for a major game.

Fergal Hegarty was Niall Gilligan's 'wooden horse' for Clare's 1997 All-Ireland final with Tipperary. The following summer the established Mike O'Halloran and Conor Clancy were the cloaks of cover for Brian Quinn and Alan Markham in a Munster semi-final against Cork.

Last year Loughnane took the tactic to a new level when he only informed his own Galway players just seconds before the throw-in for their qualifier game against Clare in Ennis as to what the actual team lay-out was. It backfired badly.

This time there may have been a temptation to hold Canning in reserve because that is what's normally done with debutants at this level, especially 19-year-old debutants.

And the thought might have crossed Loughnane's mind to parachute him -- Gilligan style -- into the Gaelic Grounds for Sunday's first league semi-final against Cork.

But what would be the point in all of that? Why disguise the inevitable? Why keep him wrapped in cotton wool for another second when he has shown the ability absorb pressure at every grade he has stepped up to in a much-documented career?

Convinced

An internal match over the weekend that pitted Canning between Damien Hayes and Iarla Tannian convinced Loughnane that the only route to take was the most direct one. So, late on Monday night Loughnane declared his hand earlier than ever before in the week of a match. He named Canning at full-forward beside his Portumna sidekick Hayes and Tannian. The early declaration and the absence of condition or secrecy is a statement in itself that Galway are prepared and ready.

Hurling fans beyond Galway should be excited at the prospect of Canning finally pulling on a maroon jersey at senior level. It's been a while coming.

Conor Hayes tried to tempt him into the squad in the summer of 2006 as he chased a third successive All-Ireland minor medal, a pursuit that ultimately failed when Tipperary hammered Galway in the final.

Last year the spectre of that 2006 Galway senior final that Portumna lost to Loughrea was always in the air as Canning resisted invitations to cross the threshold, citing travel as a preferred summer option.

But once the All-Ireland club championship was wrapped up and a second medal in three years was in his pocket, he was always going to turn to the ultimate challenge in an already decorated career.

Rarely, if ever, has an inter-county hurler or footballer made a debut under the weight of such a bulging profile.

What other young star could expect contracts from a leading sportswear company (adidas) and a leading isotonic drinks provider (Powerade) without ever pucking a ball in an inter-county senior match?

He has the CV to pack out any profile he carries after impressive club and college campaigns this spring.

Perked

His selection has perked up the mood in Galway even more in advance of Sunday's meeting with Cork as the last man to manage an All-Ireland winning senior team in the county observed.

"It's the right time to start him. Galway need their best available team out against Cork and Joe Canning will be part of any Galway team," said Cyril Farrell.

"He's coming off the back of a successful club campaign, he's flying and he has no injury worries. Why wouldn't he take the shortest route to the team?"

Farrell feels he's the best he has seen in Galway since Joe Cooney and nominally describes him as "our Henry Shefflin."

"It might be seen to be putting unnecessary pressure on Joe, but he's well used to it. He's a relaxed sort and I feel hurling in general should look forward to seeing such a great practicioner in action.

"He's a great team player too. People question his pace for senior hurling, but he'll always find enough room to strike off either side. That's the instinct he has."

Fergal Moore returns to the defence after missing the Limerick game, while Fergal Healy has been confirmed as Galway captain, taking over from Alan Kerins who had been holding the armband in David Collins' absence as he recuperates from a bad ankle ligament injury sustained in last year's inter-provincial final.

Galway (SH v Cork) -- J Skehill; C Dervan, T Og Regan, F Moore; A Cullinane, J Lee, G Mahon; K Hynes, R Murray; G Farragher, F Healy, N Healy; D Hayes, J Canning, I Tannian.