Joe Canning team talk inspires Galway

A pre-finals pep talk from All-Ireland hurling hero Joe Canning has helped Galway Golf Club return to today’s AIG Barton Shield decider at Carton House, where they will bid to avenge last year’s defeat to Warrenpoint.

The Connacht champions will go toe to toe with their Ulster rivals over the O’Meara course today (11:30am), thanks to the Tribesmen’s four holes victory over Tralee in the foursomes matchplay contest, which saw Joe Lyons and Luke O’Neill defeat Darren O’Sullivan and Eoghan O’Donnell by one hole before Ronan Mullarney and Liam Power beat Fergal O’Sullivan and Rory Hill by three holes in terrible conditions as rain fell throughout yesterday’s play.

Lyons, a veteran of Galway’s 2007 Barton-winning team, is one of three members of the 2017 panel who experienced a four holes defeat at Warrenpoint’s hands 12 months ago, and also the previous year’s final defeat to Royal Dublin. This is not a three-in-a-row for which to aspire.