Galway hurler Joe Canning announced his retirement from inter-county hurling on Wednesday morning.
The 32-year-old retires as the All-Ireland Championship’s top scorer after breaking Henry Shefflin’s record in the loss against Waterford at the weekend.
Canning broke the record of 27-484 (565) and sits on 27-485 (566) as he steps away from Galway GAA following a 0-9 performance.
The Portumna man helped Galway to three Leinster Championships throughout his career, as well as one All-Ireland title in 2017.
The inter-county veteran also leaves the top level having garnered five All-Stars over the course of his thirteen-year career with his county.
Injuries have hampered the forward in recent years and, after three surgeries in five years, Canning feels he can no longer go on for Galway.
The Galway star told media of his decision to retire this morning at a Bord Gais Energy media event.
“It’s injuries and stuff like that,” Canning said at the event.
“I had a couple of fairly serious ones over the year and even this year alone I tore a hamstring after the Waterford league game and didn’t realise I had it for a few weeks.
“Just a little nick, I’d a partial tear in my thumb as well. My finger, my heel, yeah there are four or five injuries alone this year, niggly ones, so yeah it wasn’t getting any easier for me.
“I just feel the time is right. I don’t want to stay around too long either.
“I think that is a bad way as well, just being there for the sake of it.
“As I said to the lads after the game, Saturday wasn’t the day I was planning to tell them.
“That’s just it, life moves on.”
“I thought it [retirement] might be later on in the year,” he said.
“You were kind of hoping in August time, August 22, All-Ireland that’s your kind of dream isn’t it, but that’s life. As I said, life moves on, that’s just the way it is.
“I am content with it. It wasn’t a thing just because we lost, that’s it. As I said to the boys I wanted to say it then because we will never be in that group again.”
The Portumna star departs the stage as one of the best-ever players to play the game and will be remembered on the level of the likes of Henry Shefflin.
