Canning inspiring the next generation

Seán Canning takes a simplistic view of the county’s hurling landscape.

For Roscommon to improve and grow, consistently competing in the Christy Ring Cup is vital. Therefore, the Pádraig Pearses clubman feels that enjoying an extended stay in hurling’s third-tier competition is essential as last year’s Nickey Rackard Cup champions prepare to get their campaign underway against Derry in Find Insurance Celtic Park today (Sunday) at 3 p.m..

“To improve Roscommon hurling in general, Roscommon need to be in the Christy Ring. You can’t complain about it, you have to rise up to the level of it. All it can do is improve players by playing at a higher level, so I am very happy to be up there.

“To improve Roscommon club hurling and get more lads to play dual, that is a big problem at the moment. We can’t get lads who want to play both, which is possible as much as people say it isn’t,” he noted.

Canning has managed to juggle both codes for Pádraig Pearses who competed at the business end of both club campaigns last season. So, how does he do it?

“I was probably very lucky with having Dad (Frank) as my football manager. He would have managed Portumna to win an All-Ireland hurling final in 2014. He knows what it takes to win.

“We got to a replay of the county (football) final last year. We got beaten in the hurling semi-final and ultimately didn’t get to where we wanted to be. But he was very understanding. Everyone on the hurling side has been very good to me. The key thing is managements being able to talk to each other and get on.

“You are not a machine. You are human at the end of the day. You can’t train every night of the week.

“I wouldn’t say it is mentally draining or anything like that. If you want to do it, it is very possible to do it. It is just going to take that bit more time. You are going to be in the club more evenings, but I don’t really want to be anywhere else anyways, so it doesn’t bother me.

“I am trying to say it to younger lads in the club who are really good footballers to try and keep them hurling. You can do both,” he noted.

Growing up with the surname Canning — being a nephew of Galway hurling greats Joe and Ollie Canning — would lead people to believe that Seán experiences greater scrutiny than most. But, for the 22-year-old, his surname has never carried a burden.

“I’ve never really felt the pressure. I was always told to go out, express myself, and do my best. If I wanted to play football, hurling, rugby, soccer — whatever sport I wanted to play — there were no issues at home. Once I was happy that was the main thing.

“I suppose having your Dad as a manager for a senior football team when you are expected to be winning senior county finals or competing, there is probably a small bit more pressure. Some games you would be thinking you should be out there, but I knew when I was playing, I deserved to be. It was good that way. I never felt the pressure from sport at home.

“When Dad was manager, football was left outside the door when you went home. There was no talk about it, and that was the way it had to be or else there would be rows every evening. It was an unspoken rule I guess you could call it,” Canning laughed.

Canning, who is studying Agricultural Science at TUS Midlands, admits that the Nickey Rackard Cup final success was a special moment for a number of reasons.

He hopes that the victory can be used as a source of inspiration for young hurlers across the county. It also holds a more personal meaning for him.

“I suppose winning my first county final with my club against Roscommon Gaels a few years ago will always be my biggest highlight. The Rackard would be a close second to that.

“It was obviously really nice to win in Croke Park in front of my family, including my grandfather (also named Seán) who passed away late last year. I was chatting them after the match, which was brilliant.

“It would be a nice memory to have. My grandad saw Ollie and Joe winning up there, and my cousin Jack, so it was nice for him to see me win up there and show I am able to do it on a big day. It was an exceptional result, as we were massive underdogs against Mayo.

“It was great for Roscommon hurling to show young lads that we are able to go up to Croke Park and win, and that we are at a higher level now. Hopefully, if some lads were up there or watching at home and thought ‘right I want to play hurling with Roscommon’, to get that into the young lads’ heads too helps,” he noted.

Those young hurlers could certainly do far worse than follow Canning’s lead.