Joe Canning: ‘Live my life for a week or two and you’d love to get back to your own life again’

Canning feared he cracked a bone in his wrist against Waterford. At the break, he said he told the Galway medical team: ‘Listen, this is probably going to be my last game so could you strap it up and I’ll take a few paracetamol and I’ll try to stay on for as long as I can.’

Joe Canning. Picture: David Fitzgerald

Joe Canning says he hopes the pressure of being a public figure and having to present the image of a “perfect person” will go away following his retirement.

The 32-year-old hurling icon surprised Galway supporters by calling it quits just days after shooting to the head of the all-time Championship scoring charts with 0-9 against Waterford.