Joe Canning doubles down on Cork hype claim following Dónal Óg Cusack row

But Canning says his relationship with Cusack hasn't been affected.

RTÉ Sport analyst Joe Canning. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Joe Canning has repeated his claim that hype around the Cork hurlers played its part in Saturday's All-Ireland final defeat by Galway.

Canning clashed with fellow RTÉ pundit Dónal Óg Cusack on air following the match, with Cusack taking offence at Canning's suggestion that hype was a factor. Canning had pointed out that trains had been booked out by Cork supporters for All-Ireland final day, a fact Cusack considered entirely irrelevant.

Writing in his Irish Times column, Canning has doubled down on the claim, saying Cork have to cope with more pressure than any other side in hurling.

Canning writes: "The kind of hype that Cork players must deal with is different from everywhere else because no other county has their level of support: 20,000 or more for every home league game, full-houses for every championship match. They probably brought 55 or 60,000 supporters to Croke Park on Saturday, the same as they did for the semi-final last year.

"If you’re a Cork player, there is no way of avoiding that in your everyday life. You must go to work, you must go to petrol station, you must go to the shop, you must walk down the street. Everywhere you go you’re going to meet people who want to talk about hurling.

"They hear about the trains being booked out for weeks in advance. Last week the players would have heard about Ringmahon Rangers pulling out of their FAI Cup match against Bohemians because it clashed with the All-Ireland hurling final. Of course they heard it. All of that adds to the hype. It’s really hard to handle that."

Dónal Óg v Joe Canning. I feel awkward just watching this 😬🤣pic.twitter.com/BlLllTSW1x

— Craic Of The Ash (@CraicOfTheAsh) July 4, 2026

Canning also suggested some Cork players haven't helped themselves in this regard.

"When Alan Connolly was interviewed after Cork played Kilkenny in the National League he said that it was Cork’s goal to win every competition. In another interview later in the year he repeated the same sentiment in slightly different words.

"Something like that would be said in team meetings up and down the country every year, but nobody says it in public because all you’re doing is drawing pressure on yourself.

"Gerry Hussey was Cork’s sports psychologist this year and he worked with us in Galway years ago. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had told the Cork players to look in the mirror every morning and tell themselves they were going to win everything. That’s fine in private, but don’t tell the whole country."

Despite the heated exchange on air, Canning says his friendship with Cusack wasn't affected.

"We’ve been on The Sunday Game a lot together over the last couple of years and we have a very good relationship. Nothing about that changed on Saturday. As soon as we went off air, a whole load of young Galway supporters came down to the front of the Hogan Stand looking for selfies with the two of us and we both went over. There wasn’t another word between us about our exchange on live TV."