Every year the hurling championship has special moments.
Game after game there are points scored that are beyond belief.
Points in hurling are like pizza, even when they’re not good they’re still good.
But for all the scores the dubious points panel on the GAA Hour narrowed it down to four nominees for Point of the Year.
Conor Lehane vs Tipperary
Cork weren’t meant to be a force to be reckoned with this year but then the opening round of the Munster Championship came.
It was supposed to be a mismatch, Tipperary were the flawless All-Ireland champions and Cork were a team in transition but it didn’t turn out that way.
Conor Lehane scored 10 points that day, it was a stunning display from him and from Cork but there was one moment in particular.
Just 14 minutes into the game and after receiving an Anthony Nash puckout, Lehane scored an absolutely stellar point and the tone was set as Cork went on to win by four.
Conor Cooney vs Wexford
This was always going to be a tricky encounter for Galway, Wexford looked like a side that weren’t going to be beaten.
Under Davy Fitzgerald, they gained promotion from Division 1B to 1A but it all geared towards their tie against Kilkenny.
What a clash is was as Wexford booked a date with league champions Galway.
If it wasn’t for Conor Cooney they might have stood a chance but they didn’t, the Galway player won Man of the Match and that was helped by an absolute stunner of a point where he went to go on his left, balanced it on the hurl and stuck it over on the right.
Pure class.
Austin Gleeson vs Cork
Here's a #ThrowbackThursday to just a few months back! Remember this incredible Austin Gleeson point for @waterfordGAA vs Cork? #CORKvWAT pic.twitter.com/SI3JzXGBTX
— The GAA (@officialgaa) August 10, 2017
When you talk about Austin Gleeson you are talking about the most skilful player in all the land, it’s hard to dispute that.
By his own high standards, the Waterford man may not have had the best year of his career but it was still full of magic because, well, he is magic.
Poor Cork have had to bear the brunt of that twice this year, one was his goal against them in the All-Ireland semi-final but the other was his crazy point.
Slide-chop the ball-get up-score
That is all that needs to be said.
Joe Canning vs Tipperary
This was the crucial moment from yesterday's All-Ireland Hurling Semi-Final – look back at Joe Canning's late point in this GAANOW clip! pic.twitter.com/Epdt8f4nFl
— The GAA (@officialgaa) August 7, 2017
After winning the league the nation started to think ‘could this be it?’
They overcame any challenge that came their way in 2017 but it was against Tipperary where the real test began, they had consistently been the team to beat Galway over the last few years.
When the game was 74 minutes deep the Galway hurling golden boy and soon to be Player of the Year Joe Canning received the ball 50 metres out and pressured by blue and yellow jerseys but it didn’t stop him.
Galway made the All-Ireland final.
Winner
As beautiful as Austin Gleeson’s score was there was only ever one winner.
Straight away you knew it was going to be one of the moments that will be remembered in Galway for years to come.
Joe Canning is the winner of the 2017 Wooly Award for Point of the Year.
Have a listen to the full debate below on the Wooly Awards special of the GAA Hour.
