Joe Canning named on Galway minor management team

Joe Canning has been named on the Galway minor hurling management team

Joe Canning will take his first step into coaching next year after it was confirmed that he will join the Galway minor management team for 2022.

The Galway minors will be managed by Fergal Healy next year, who served as a selector under Shane O’Neill with the Tribesmen for the past two years.

Craughwell native Healy’s own inter-county career overlapped briefly when Canning came on the scene.

Canning’s involvement with the Galway minors next year would appear to rule out any notion of Canning reversing his decision to retire during the summer after their championship exit to Waterford, and new Tribesmen boss Henry Shefflin will have to plan without him.

Canning’s involvement at the U17 grade is a major boost to the young talent coming through in Galway. The Tribesmen surrendered their crown this year to Cork having won four All-Ireland titles in a row at minor level.

Canning, the Hurler of the Year in 2017 when they ended their Liam MacCarthy Cup famine, enjoyed plenty of success at minor level with All-Ireland titles in 2004 as a 15-year old and again the following year but was denied a third medal in the grade when they were defeated by Tipperary in the final.