Canning heads Galway hurlers list of wounded
Date Published: {J}
STEPHEN GLENNON
A quintet of players, which includes All-Star Ollie Canning, remain serious injury concerns for the Galway senior hurling management team ahead of their Leinster championship opener against Wexford in nine days time.
Already this week, Galway manager John McIntyre had to cancel Tuesday evening’s training session due to the staggering number of injuries incurred over the last fortnight – instead opting to do a recovery pool session and video analysis with the squad in the Salthill Hotel.
In all, 21 of the 33 players were nursing injuries of varying degrees of severity, although some of these ailments have begun to clear up as the week progressed. However, Portumna duo Canning (ankle) and Kevin Hayes (hamstring), Castlegar pair Ger Farragher and Donal Barry (both dead leg) and Mullagh’s Conor Dervan (dislocated thumb) are in a race to be fit for the Wexford clash in Nowlan Park on May 29.
No doubt, of the quintet, corner back Canning’s absence would be the most crippling blow as Galway have already lost defender Fergal Moore to injury for the year. Canning’s loss would certainly limit the management’s options in the full-back area.
A number of additional players could also be ruled out of the trial match at Kenny Park, Athenry this Saturday morning (11:30am), which is part of Galway Hurling’s Open Day. These players include Niall Healy (Achilles tendon), Damien Hayes (knee), Eanna Ryan (ankle) and Richie Cummins (calf), while Ardrahan duo Pat Holland and Iarla Tannian will also miss the game as they are club-tied.
Thankfully, though, a plethora of players – namely Damien Joyce, Colm Callanan, Joe Gantley, Eugene McEntee, Adrian Cullinane, John Grealish and Finian Coone – should be able to take part after recovering from knocks picked up recently.
“The team management is not playing silly beggars with the Galway hurling public in relation to our injuries,” said a concerned McIntyre. “That is the reality of the situation, but time is on the side of a number of these players to be ready for the Wexford game.
For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.