LEINSTER CHAMPIONSHIP:WITH EXPECTATIONS on Galway hurling approaching something of all-time high, their main task now is to try to dampen them. No surprise then that Ollie Canning talks about Saturday's Leinster championship opener against Wexford with considerable caution, highlighting Galway's injury concerns and the fact they've never actually beaten Wexford in the championship.
It is true Galway aren’t exactly injury-free, and Canning himself is still unsure of starting due to an ankle complaint picked up in training 10 days ago.
Against Wexford in the championship, they have lost six and drawn one of their encounters – the last of which was the All-Ireland semi-final of 1996, the year Wexford went on to win the title.
Canning, though, has extra reason to be cautious, given he made his senior debut in that 1996 defeat, appearing as a late substitute at corner forward.
These days Canning is better known as a corner back, yet still recalls Wexford’s ability to significantly raise their game.
Galway will start as favourites, partly based on winning the National League at the start of month – the same day Wexford won Division Two.
“They’re not going to fear us,” says Canning, “and we’re not going to fear them. It will be two teams going hell-for-leather for 70 minutes, and league results won’t matter. The team that performs best on the day will win.
“But Wexford are a very proud county. Look back at the stats. They’ve turned Galway over in their last few championship meetings.
“We’ve just been looking forward to this first game. That’s all that’s in our minds at the moment. We had a good league, concentrated on that while it lasted, then got a couple of rounds of club games. Now all full focus is on Wexford, and Nowlan Park. We’ve been focusing on our own game, to get that right on the day, and if we do we’ll be there or thereabouts.”
Canning’s fitness may not be decided until later in the week, but among those definitely ruled out is Fergal Moore, out for the year with torn ligaments in his ankle.
“That’s devastating for him personally,” says Canning, “but it’s a big blow for Galway as well, losing a player who’d be on most county teams.
“We still have a couple more niggling injuries, a long list, but hopefully we’ll have everyone else back to full health before Sunday.”
Free-taker Ger Farragher and wing back Donal Barry also sat out training last Saturday, and manager John McIntyre may not risk starting them.
After beating Laois in the Leinster quarter-final last year, Galway came very close to toppling Kilkenny in the Leinster semi-final – and Canning believes this is the sort of early championship schedule Galway have always wanted.
“People say it’s a big advantage now for Galway being in Leinster. I don’t see it like that. I see it just as Galway starting off the championship at the same time as everyone else, and that’s all we wanted for years. Other years we were coming in against teams who already had maybe one great game under their belts, maybe beaten in another, so we were meeting them after they had had two solid games, and that was a definite disadvantage. We gave Kilkenny a good rattle early in the year, made mistakes that day, coughed up an easy goal, but if we can eradicate those kind of mistakes we’re capable of matching anyone that’s out there.”
Nevertheless, Galway haven’t won the All-Ireland since 1988 – despite all their underage success.
“At the beginning of the year, when the Galway management and panel meet, we set goals for the year, but we’re not going around saying we’re going to do this, or do that. We just work hard, do the best we can do. We probably show glimpses of what we’re capable of, but don’t back it up with the kind of consistency you need at this level.
“I don’t really have an answer to that. All I can say is Galway are working hard at the moment. We made progress last year, got caught by Waterford, but credit to them for that, they stayed with us all through the game. We should have put that game away earlier but we didn’t do it. That’s something we have to work on, starting with Wexford.”
This Week's Fixtures
TODAY
Leinster JFC quarter-finals: Meath v Kilkenny, Páirc Tailteann, Navan, 7.30, P Daly (Westmeath); Wexford v Cavan, Wexford, 7.30, E Craul (Wicklow); Louth v Longford, Drogheda, 7.30, D Maher (Westmeath); Kildare v Dublin, Newbridge, 7.30. P Kneel (Louth).
SATURDAY
Leinster MFC Replay: Dublin v Kildare, Parnell Park 3.0.
Leinster SHC quarter-final: Wexford v Galway, Nowlan Park, 7.0, J Sexton (Cork).
Ulster SHC quarter-finals: Derry v London, Casement Park, 2.30, O Elliott (Antrim); Down v Armagh, Casement Park, 4.0, G Duffy (Antrim).
Ulster MFC quarter-final: Monaghan v Armagh, Pairc Esler, 7.0.
SUNDAY
Ulster SFC quarter-final: Donegal v Down, Ballybofey, 2.0, J McQuillan (Cavan).
Connacht SFC quarter-final: London v Roscommon, Ruislip, 3.0, C Reilly (Meath).
Munster SHC quarter-final: Cork v Tipperary, Pairc Ui Chaoimh, 4.0, B Kelly (Westmeath).
Leinster SHC quarter-final: Antrim v Offaly, Parnell Park, 3.30, A Stapleton (Laois).
Ulster MFC quarter-final: Donegal v Down, Ballybofey, 12.0.
Munster IHC quarter-final: Cork v Tipperary, Pairc Ui Chaoimh, 2.0.
