Galway great Joe Canning retires: 'No one in the history of hurling struck a sliotar cleaner'

One of the greats of the game, Canning was the championship's top scorer of all time, surpassing Henry Shefflin's record in last weekend's qualifier defeat to Waterford.

Joe Canning of Galway scores his 8th point of the game, making him the all-time top scorer in senior hurling championship history during the defeat to Waterford at the weekend. Picture: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Galway great Joe Canning has confirmed his retirement in the wake of the westerners' exit from the All-Ireland hurling championship.

The 32-year-old informed his team-mates of his departure after Saturday's All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Waterford and broke the news publicly this afternoon.