Joe Canning 'optimistic' about Galway's championship hopes

OPTIMISTIC: Galway legend Joe Canning is optimistic about Galway's championship hopes this year. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

Galway great Joe Canning reckons they don't have to end their wait for a Leinster hurling title in order to challenge for this year's All-Ireland.

It's five years now since Galway lifted the Bob O'Keeffe Cup with Kilkenny currently gearing up for a four-in-a-row assault in Leinster.

There was nothing from a patchy National League campaign to inspire huge confidence in Galway, who will open their provincial account against Wexford on Saturday, though local legend Canning has 'optimism'.

The 2017 All-Ireland winner pointed to the fact that Galway have consistently pushed Limerick hard in recent seasons and argued that they don't necessarily need to win Leinster to have a say in the MacCarthy Cup race.

"I don't think Galway lost an All-Ireland semi-final to Limerick last year because they'd lost the Leinster final," said Bord Gáis Energy ambassador Canning. "I don't see the correlation between that. I wouldn't say that's any reason. So is it essential for them this year? Listen, was it essential for Limerick to win the league? Not necessarily.

"Was it essential for Waterford to win the league last year? Obviously not with the Championship afterwards, with how things went. Some teams probably need a bit of confidence. Silverware is always good but if you're telling me later in the year that we've lost Leinster but we've won an All-Ireland with Galway, what would you take?"

Boss Henry Shefflin used 33 different players throughout Galway's National League campaign which yielded wins over Wexford, Clare and Westmeath and losses to Cork and Limerick.

Padraic Mannion was the only player that started every game and Canning conceded that they may not know their best team just yet.

"I don't think we've got probably our first 15 out in the league," said the former Hurler of the Year. "I don't think he had everybody because Cathal Mannion was missing for a good bit, Daithí Burke was missing for a good bit. And they'll definitely be starters.

"So I don't know if he's got his first 15 playing together this year yet but I don't think he was too far away in one or two matches either.

"I'd say there'll be one or two surprises. But it depends on how training is going too. If lads are putting up their hand then I presume they'll get game time. I'd say most people in Galway could maybe name 12 guys and there could be three lads that are in or out then."

Canning said the big positive for him about Galway as they approach the summer is that they've run Limerick so close.

Asked if there are reasons to back Galway for the All-Ireland, he said: "I'll put it to you this way, the last two games they have played against Limerick, they were level at 70 minutes both times. Go back to 2020, the semi-final, we were level at 71 minutes I think and they got the last three scores. Last year, we were level at 70 minutes and they got the last three scores. So Galway are not too far away."