Canning fitness concern for Tribe

Joe Canning has emerged as a doubt for Galway’s Leinster SHC opener against Westmeath on Sunday after suffering a recurrence of the shoulder injury which sidelined him for most of their league campaign.

Canning took a heavy knock to his shoulder in a training match against Clare on Monday evening.

Canning ruptured his AC joint playing for Limerick IT in the Fitzgibbon Cup in February and missed all of Galway’s scheduled league games but returned for the relegation matches against Dublin.

Galway boss Anthony Cunningham said: “Hopefully, he will be okay for Sunday but we will give him as long as possible to recover.

“He took a heavy knock to the same shoulder that had been injured and it is the sort of injury that can be unsettling,” he added.

Canning did not start against Westmeath last year because of injury but had to be introduced in the second half and helped inspire a late rally which eventually saw off the dogged challenge of Brian Hanley’s men.

Meanwhile, experienced defender David Collins is also facing a race against time to be available for Sunday’s game in Mullingar after suffering an ankle injury against Clare on Monday evening.