It is nearly ten years since Joe Canning burst on the scene, but one of the most talented players of his generation looks back most fondly on his time with his club.
Of course, it is lucky for Joe that he has been present during the most successful period in Portumna’s history with their three All-Ireland titles coming in the past in the past seven years, but it has been a long road since he started playing with the club as a seven-year old.
“I started playing with the U-10 side when I was seven, but things have moved on a lot since then. They start playing at U-6 level now and there is a Kindergarden level for four and five-year olds as well.”
With his own playing commitments Joe himself has not had the chance to get involved in the coaching side of things at underage, but his family is still heavily involved and lends his support whenever possible.
“Unfortunately I wouldn’t have the time to train them. I try and go to as many U-6 and U-8 games as possible as I have nephews playing and my brother Ivan is coaching them at the moment.”
Joe Canning with one of his many scores in club colours
In a household with four brothers and a sister who have all enjoyed distinguished club and indeed inter-county career themselves, it was inevitable that even from an early age Joe was going to follow suit.
“There is a bit of an age gap between myself and my next brother, so they were always playing at a high level between the club and county when I was growing up. I was always going to the games and jealous in a way of what they were doing and it was just a way of life for me at the time. You just wanted to be like them as anybody looks up to their brothers and sisters.”
Though senior success with Galway has been limited to a Leinster title last year and went agonisingly close to toppling Kilkenny in the final, the ace forward has enjoyed a huge amount of success with both LIT – he was named full-forward on the Fitzgibbon Cup team of the century last year – and also Portumna, he concedes there is no team spirit quite like that at club level.
“In the club, you know the lads from when you are knee-high, whereas in college you know the lads for three or four years while at inter-county, while it seems you are together almost 24/7 for a while, at the same time, you might not know their families that well.”
“Within the club you know the family of every fella you are playing with and there is that bit of a closer bond that you can’t get anywhere else.”
Portumna will be hoping to add to their recent haul of silverware and with one of the most lethal hurlers in the country in their ranks, it would be a brave man to bet against that happening.
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