MOUNT LEINSTER RANGERS manager Tom Mullally has hailed the “special talent” that is Joe Canning ahead of this afternoon’s AIB All-Ireland senior club hurling final at Croke Park.
But Mullally has revealed no specific plan to shut down the Galway hitman at GAA HQ.
Throughout a landmark season, Mount Leinster Rangers have relied on their own skills and abilities against much-vaunted opposition.
En route to Leinster glory, the Carlow champions accounted for a Ballyboden St Enda’s side with a host of Dublin stars, including Conal Keaney and Paul Ryan, in their ranks.
Oulart-the-Ballagh’s reputation counted for little in the provincial decider as the Wexford champions were sent packing by rampant Rangers.
And while an All-Ireland senior semi-final represented uncharted territory for MLR against Liam Watson and Loughgiel Shamrocks, the 2012 champions had no answers in Newry.
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The final step for MLR is a joust with three-time Tommy Moore Cup winners Portumna – and that man Canning.
But Kilkenny native Mullally insists that he won’t be tinkering a tried and tested formula to put the shackles on the roving hitman.
Mullally explained: “I don’t think so, not for us. Joe Canning is a special talent and is surrounded by special talents within the Portumna team.
“I think it’s a case of we have to see where our own approach takes us first. Obviously, Joe is going to have an impact on the game, irrespective of what we do and what tactic we use.
“We can be blinded by looking at Joe Canning as well and forget about our own performance or we can go and say, look, let’s see where this goes. Our biggest thing is to make sure that once we turn up on the day, that we’re ready to go.
“I’ve often found with finals that they take on a life of their own and you can’t predict what’s going to happen. Joe Canning could put ten goals past us in the final and that could that might very little down to a poor performance from our side, it might be more down to genius.”
Tom Mullally celebrates after the Leinster final win. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Since Mullally arrived in Mount Leinster Rangers in 2006, spectacular success has been achieved. MLR were crowned All-Ireland intermediate champions in 2012 and are now one step away from the biggest prize of all.
And Mullally, whose brothers Paddy and Richie played for Kilkenny, admitted: “I do feel that the group that was there was going to come and that things were going to happen.
“I just happened to be lucky enough to fall into the pit at the right time as such, from my point of view. I’m not undervaluing my role in it either – where you have leaders, they live on the edge as well.
“Sometimes we do go over the edge at times. Performances at the highest level and being up there means that you can be on the edge and step over at times. That’s where we step in a little bit”.
He added: “I don’t think there are egos there, not that I can see. I see a genuinely ambitious group – we’ve been fortunate enough this year, we have had luck on our side as well, we appreciate that and understand that but to get where we are, we would have needed that anyway.”
How will Mount Leinster Rangers try to stop Joe Canning in Croke Park today?
MOUNT LEINSTER RANGERS manager Tom Mullally has hailed the “special talent” that is Joe Canning ahead of this afternoon’s AIB All-Ireland senior club hurling final at Croke Park.
But Mullally has revealed no specific plan to shut down the Galway hitman at GAA HQ.
Throughout a landmark season, Mount Leinster Rangers have relied on their own skills and abilities against much-vaunted opposition.
En route to Leinster glory, the Carlow champions accounted for a Ballyboden St Enda’s side with a host of Dublin stars, including Conal Keaney and Paul Ryan, in their ranks.
Oulart-the-Ballagh’s reputation counted for little in the provincial decider as the Wexford champions were sent packing by rampant Rangers.
And while an All-Ireland senior semi-final represented uncharted territory for MLR against Liam Watson and Loughgiel Shamrocks, the 2012 champions had no answers in Newry.
The final step for MLR is a joust with three-time Tommy Moore Cup winners Portumna – and that man Canning.
But Kilkenny native Mullally insists that he won’t be tinkering a tried and tested formula to put the shackles on the roving hitman.
Mullally explained: “I don’t think so, not for us. Joe Canning is a special talent and is surrounded by special talents within the Portumna team.
“I think it’s a case of we have to see where our own approach takes us first. Obviously, Joe is going to have an impact on the game, irrespective of what we do and what tactic we use.
“We can be blinded by looking at Joe Canning as well and forget about our own performance or we can go and say, look, let’s see where this goes. Our biggest thing is to make sure that once we turn up on the day, that we’re ready to go.
“I’ve often found with finals that they take on a life of their own and you can’t predict what’s going to happen. Joe Canning could put ten goals past us in the final and that could that might very little down to a poor performance from our side, it might be more down to genius.”
Since Mullally arrived in Mount Leinster Rangers in 2006, spectacular success has been achieved. MLR were crowned All-Ireland intermediate champions in 2012 and are now one step away from the biggest prize of all.
And Mullally, whose brothers Paddy and Richie played for Kilkenny, admitted: “I do feel that the group that was there was going to come and that things were going to happen.
“I just happened to be lucky enough to fall into the pit at the right time as such, from my point of view. I’m not undervaluing my role in it either – where you have leaders, they live on the edge as well.
“Sometimes we do go over the edge at times. Performances at the highest level and being up there means that you can be on the edge and step over at times. That’s where we step in a little bit”.
He added: “I don’t think there are egos there, not that I can see. I see a genuinely ambitious group – we’ve been fortunate enough this year, we have had luck on our side as well, we appreciate that and understand that but to get where we are, we would have needed that anyway.”
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AIB GAA Club Action danger man GAA Hurling Joe Canning Mount Leinster Rangers