Everybody knows it’s not easy marking Joe Canning, especially Peter Kelly.
The former Dublin full back was tasked with marking the Portumna man on numerous occasions in the past during his career with the Dublin hurlers and the Lucan club man never enjoyed it, according to team-mate Conal Keaney.
Canning was earmarked to become a star of the game since he was sixteen years old when he started making tracks with Portumna’s All-Ireland- winning club side.
Canning’s initial position for the Galway hurler’s was full forward. It seemed obvious, he was a big man, good in the air. It appeared like it would be best to have him close to goals in order to exploit the obvious goal threat that he has.
More recently, however, Canning has flourished in a more roaming role for Galway, and despite certain Galway fans claiming that he should be left on the edge of the square, this wandering role has reaped dividends for the Tribesmen in recent years.
Canning has an unmatched ability to deliver a killer pass or a long range score. It makes sense to have him as involved in the game as possible.
As well as this, opponents aren’t sure where he is or how to keep tabs on him, and the struggles Peter Kelly endured while marking him show just how tough it is for a back man to keep up with this constant movement.
“I remember when we used to be playing Galway, they used to be throwing Joe in and out and we had Peter Kelly earmarked to mark him no matter where he went but Peter was never comfortable you know, going out and coming back in,” recalled Keaney on the GAA Hour Hurling Show.
“He always said, ‘If I’m full back, I’m full back, don’t keep pushing me in and out because I’ll lose Joe at some stage in this situation,’ recalled Keaney.
That’s the thing about Joe Canning, he’s adaptable to any situation. He’s one of those hurlers who you could play in any position and he’d still look at home.
Keaney went on to claim that Galway should vary their use of Canning against Wexford on Sunday, that they should try him out in the full forward role for a portion of the game.
The Ballyboden St Enda’s club man feels that Wexford wouldn’t be prepared for it and that it could create problems for Davy Fitzgerald’s side.
“He’s been played out around the middle and setting up a lot and doing really well, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him inside a little bit more than usual. I think Wexford are going to set up going along the terms of the way Galway have been playing but what happens if Galway do something different.
“I think, especially, if someone like Joe came in on one of them young defenders, they will be nervous. When the lads outside see Joe in there, they always feed him,” said the 34-year-old.
Listen to the lads’ chat about Canning and more here.
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