Galway call young gun Canning to face Cork

YOUNG Portumna wizard Joe Canning will make his first senior appearance for Galway in Sunday’s Allianz NHL semi-final clash with Cork at Limerick’s Gaelic Grounds.

One of the most talented underage players to emerge in recent times, Canning will play at full-forward in a team that shows three changes from the side that defeated Limerick in the final qualifying game. Fergal Moore, who was ill for that game, returns at left full-back in place of Shane Kavanagh. Damien Hayes is preferred to Kerrill Wade at right corner-forward, while the inclusion of Canning sees Ian Tannion moving to left corner-forward with Niall Healy taking over the left half forward berth from Anthony Callinan.

But the spotlight will be firmly focused on Canning, who has won two minor, one U21 and two All-Ireland club senior championship medals as well as a Fitzgibbon Cup medal with Limerick IT.