Gardiner: Canning has raised the bar

Joe Canning’s senior career with Galway thus far has been bookended by meetings with Cork and John Gardiner was on the scene for both.

It all started four years and four months ago when the young Galway forward made his bow in a leaguesemi-final at the Gaelic Grounds. He scored four points that day, the first a pull off the ground and another from a sideline cut.

Last Sunday’s tally ended at 11, four from play, but Canning’s increased maturity as a player went beyond the numbers. It encompassed his defensive duties and a physique that no longer carries the hint of baby weight.