Kenny: Canning only played as it was final

Galway selector Mattie Kenny revealed Joe Canning and James Skehill wouldn’t have started Sunday had it not been an All-Ireland final replay.

After damaging ligaments in his right knee the week before last, the Portumna star wasn’t fully fit and hadn’t trained for the week prior to the game, while Skehill dislocated his left shoulder in training on Friday night.

Regarding Canning’s setback, Kenny admitted: “He hadn’t trained for the last 10 days. Our medical team had to go fairly hard to get him ready. It wasn’t an impact (injury), it was just something he picked up in training, call it an over-use injury or whatever.

“Up to Saturday evening there was a big doubt over himself and James Skehill. If it wasn’t an All-Ireland final Joe wouldn’t have started, no. Neither would James. It’s just such a big match.”

Admitting the disappointment of defeat had begun to sink in yesterday morning, Kenny conceded Galway’s performance had dipped from the first game.

While not making excuses for the defeat, he insisted Galway were denied a legitimate goal when referee James McGrath blew his whistle prior to Cyril Donnellan netting in 44th minute.

“From where I was standing — we are not complaining about the refereeing — that was a legitimate goal. Even if he (McGrath) had the whistle blown momentarily before that, the goal should be allowed to stand.

“It was a legitimate goal. Pulling it back for a free is no advantage. If you blow the whistle a split second earlier, I feel the goal should stand.”

Kenny believes hurling needs a proper advantage rule, which affords the fouled player to take a shot before play is called back for a free.

“I think if a person is in the motion of scoring and a foul is committed, they should see how play develops before they blow the whistle

“If advantage doesn’t come, then they get the free. I think that’s something can be looked at. But we are not blaming the referee for the result.”

The Galway management team will sit down and review the game today. As much as Walter Walsh’s inclusion gave the Galway management something to think about, Kenny argued that Kilkenny showed more appetite.

“Kilkenny upped their intensity on the day, no doubt about that. I suppose if we were playing them tomorrow we’d say we’d have to match that intensity, more work-rate and more desire to get on the ball than Kilkenny. These games are not really won and lost on tactical battles, they are won and lost on desire to get on the ball.”

After Sunday’s game, captain Fergal Moore gave a rousing speech in the Galway dressing room about next season and Kenny sees the 30-year-old as one of the experienced players who will continue to have a major role to play in the county’s fortunes. “Our experienced guys are still young enough to continue on for the next two or three years. We are under no illusions of the work we’ve got to do. We’ll meet the guys in a couple of weeks time and we’ll be setting out winter programmes for them to be working on their own.”