Micheál Donoghue won’t be rushing Joe Canning's return

Galway hurling boss Micheál Donoghue will not be putting Joe Canning under any pressure to help Galway return to Division 1A as the Portumna star makes his way back from a serious hamstring injury.

Canning sustained a torn hamstring as Galway exited last season’s All-Ireland championship to Tipperary last August, but fears he might miss a large chunk of this season have eased after he made excellent progress in recent weeks.

Canning himself admitted he was within a centimetre and a half of having his career ended by the injury, and almost five months on Donoghue remains coy about when his star man will return.