Canning 'shocked' at awards double

Before a crowd of 30,082 in the heat in the middle of a championship summer, Joe Canning warmed Galway hearts with a magnificent haul of 2-12 in an All-Ireland qualifier against Cork, just three points shy of his side's overall tally.

On Friday night, the 20-year-old was once again cast into the limelight as he picked up the Young Hurler of the Year and a GAA All-Star gong.

Canning and his Tribesmen colleagues eventually succumbed to Cork by 0-23 to 2-15 on that Saturday afternoon at Semple Stadium, as the Rebels progressed to an All-Ireland quarter-final.

It has been a whirlwind year for the Portumna clubman, with 2008 marking his debut year in the senior championship.

The Limerick IT student confessed that he was amazed to receive two awards at Friday's GAA All-Stars ceremony.

"I'm delighted and shocked to be honest it was a bit surreal and it hasn't really sunk in yet," Canning said.

"I'm still in a bit of a daze really that I got one never mind two. I wasn't expecting it at all."

A modest Canning concedes that these awards could not have been achieved but for the work and assistance of not only his fellow Galway players, but also his club-mates in Portumna.

"A lot of hard work went in all year. I'm accepting these on behalf of the rest of the panel and the rest of my club-mates as well who pushed me that bit extra during the year and helped me to achieve this.

"I'd just like to say thank you to all of the lads as well. It's because of them that I received them."

And he believes that the awards were some consolation for a disappointing year which also saw Galway lose the National League final to Tipperary.

"We promised great things and didn't deliver. That's what we have to work on for next year.

"To get these awards is nice and it makes up in a small way for the bad year we had."

Canning was honoured as part of a selection which saw All-Ireland champions Kilkenny pick up nine awards, NHL and Munster champions Tipperary received three accolades and Cork and Waterford picked up one All-Star each.

He is delighted to be in such prestigious company.

"Yeah, it's nice to be on a team like that," Canning enthused.

"You'd only love to hurl with them at some stage alright. Hopefully we can do that sometime but it's kind of a bit surreal.

"It hasn't sunk in either that you are picked on the same team as all of them great hurlers."

And this year's on-field action is not over for the young forward, who finished second in top scorers list for the 2008 All-Ireland championship behind Waterford's Eoin Kelly.

Canning is hopeful that Portumna can retain the Galway SHC title at the start of next month, as the quest for Connacht and All-Ireland club honours gains pace once more.

"We have two weeks to go now until the club final in Galway. I'm just looking forward to that now and can't wait to meet either Gort or Loughrea in that final."