Maybe the only constant of Galway's disappointing decade of near misses has been Joe Canning. The Portumna man has had an incredible track record with fitness, which means he's been front and centre for the highs and many lows of Galway hurling in recent years. So close but so far. That's been the Galway way this decade. And so it was today. Except today it's impossible to blame Joe because today injury denied him the opportunity of playing the second half.
Canning has often been a lightning rod for criticism when Galway come up short. It's often justified. He disappeared in the Leinster final this year, to name one match. Today, in the second half, the Galway forwards were given a chance to prove what they could do without Canning. By and large, they stepped up but it wasn't enough. Joe Cooney's goal gave them some breathing room, but when Tipp raised their levels in the last ten minutes, Galway didn't have the nous or the cleverness to find an equaliser. All Canning could do was look on from the bench.
Joe Canning almost in tears as he disappears down the tunnel.. His day is over by the looks of it
— Liam Aherne (@laherne84) August 14, 2016
Those who question the importance of Joe Canning need only look to today. So disappointed for those lads, congrats Tipp. #GalvTipp
— MáireT (@MaireTNC) August 14, 2016
Would Canning have made a difference? Could he have made a made that long free that Conor Cooney missed? It's immaterial now. What's clear is that Tipp were not in the blistering form of the Munster final. Canning's presence would have added an X-factor during those gripping final ten minutes. Galway found an answer 12 months ago. Today they fell short.
Another season ends for Galway without Liam MacCarthy. It's 28 years from Galway's last All-Ireland. Canning will still only be 28 for next year's championship but Galway's All-Ireland hopes feel as far away as they did before they forced Anthony Cunningham out.
