Canning: we had a point to prove

THE HAPPY chaos of a winning dressing-room. Ollie Canning was leading the team in their victory song. Damien Hayes was dedicating the club title to his mother, in hospital awaiting dialysis (“We’ll be calling in to the hospital in Galway with the cup before her fourth session,” he said).

A calm Joe Canning was fielding the questions flying towards him with the assurance of a veteran.

A second All-Ireland club championship in three years surely meant Portumna would be eyeing back-to-back titles, right?

Canning’s raised eyebrow suggested hostages to fortune wouldn’t be on offer.

“Every team wants to win their county championship first, we’ll take it one game at a time.

“But we were taking a lot of flak in Galway that we were a one-hit wonder, winning the All-Ireland once. We had a point to prove today, that it wasn’t a fluke we won it the first time.

“Now we’ve won it twice in three years, it’s up to others to say if we’re a great team or not – if we say it you’re not going to believe us.”

Did he think his side’s goal after half-time decided the game?

“No, they got a goal not long after we got ours, and they brought it back. But against a team like Birr you can never be comfortable even if you’re 20 points up, and they came back at us — we had to tag on the few points.”

That first-half point from his own 45 was a huge effort – the furthest he’d ever scored from?

“I don’t know, I didn’t step it going back in, but I was lucky enough, the wind was behind me and it got over.”

The youngster’s trophy cabinet is already groaning – the two club medals, minor and U21 All-Ireland medals – but there’s one notable addition which would complete the set.

“Everyone’s dream is to win a senior All-Ireland with the county, there’s no better day – but it’s sweeter with your club, because you’re with all the people you grew up with and the community that you know.

“I knew nearly everyone out there in the stand, congratulating me – with Galway you might know five or 10.”

Of course, that was the opening we needed, and immediately the question was asked – are we likely to see Canning play senior for Galway this season? The big youngster slipped it as though it were a clumsy corner-back.

“We’ll see, I’m going to celebrate with the club now and we’re back with the club in about a month for the Galway championship.

“We’ll see in the future if I’m back with Galway or not.

“I don’t think this win has sunk in yet. These occasions don’t come around that often, I was lucky enough to be involved a couple of years ago and lucky enough again today.”

It’s not often you have to correct Joe Canning, but he’s wrong about that. As Mae West almost said, luck has nothing to do with it.