He deserved it.
Joe Canning had rightly been hailed as the saviour of Galway hurling from the very moment he burst onto the scene, cutting up the script as a youngster in Portumna.
He hadn’t long to wait to make his senior debut for the Tribesmen, and from that moment onward, the hopes, the expectations of a county, to end a famine, to end years of hurt were placed on his shoulders and they grew, they grew and they grew.
Joe was a sensation. He had everything. It was only a matter of time before he fired the men of the west to All-Ireland glory.
Joe shouldered the hopes, the dreams of many, and he was tasked with delivering, it was all on him.
At times it didn’t work out as planned for Joe. Galway were up against the greatest hurling team of all time in Brian Cody’s Kilkenny. They were beaten for years, they were bullied, they weren’t able to make that crucial step up, they weren’t far off, but they were far enough off.
Like uncle, like nephew! Jack and Joe Canning captured Minor & Senior All Ireland's at Croke Park today. pic.twitter.com/C97GJEPzbP
— sportsfile (@sportsfile) September 3, 2017
Galway received plenty of flak. Joe Canning received the brunt of it along his way. He was called a disappointment. He was called out on not fulfilling his potential.
There were other Galway players who got away scot free, just because of Joe’s profile.
Through it all, Canning never complained, he never spoke out, he never even displayed a hint of a weaning of his commitment despite the criticism that came his way.
He kept putting his head down. He worked his arse off in training, as the physique of the man now shows.
He was there in the bad times, he was there on Sunday when this tribe finally realised their destiny.
Joe lit the touch paper with a scandalous score in the first minute of the game, and he thundered into the first half to give Galway an edge.
The men in maroon around him stood up, he stood up, a county stood up and they’ve got what they deserved.
After the match, Canning was understandably overjoyed with what he and his teammates had just achieved. He must have been delighted for himself, and it was great to see hurling’s greatest personality at the top of the pile.
But true to his character, it wasn’t all about him. It was about his family, his teammates, his county, his fans.
Joe Canning still hasn't had a chance to visit the Galway dressing room yet, but he took time to make two young fans' day at Croke Park. pic.twitter.com/DK4eji5Ni6
— RTÉ GAA (@RTEgaa) September 3, 2017
What a man.
