Ollie Canning
Encyclopedia
Oliver 'Ollie' Canning is an Irish
sportsperson. He plays hurling
with his local club Portumna
and was a member of the Galway
senior inter-county team from 1996 to 2010.
, County Galway
in 1977. He was educated locally and from an early age he showed a great interest in hurling
. Canning later attended the Dublin Institute of Technology
(DIT) where he studied mechanical engineering. Here he played on the college hurling team, winning a Fitzgibbon Cup
title in the mid-1990s. Canning currently works with Western Postform Ltd. a leading manufacturer of fitted furniture, kitchens, Lab & School furniture & built in wardrobes in Ballinasloe which is in county Galway
. Ollie is an older brother of Joe Canning
, another Portumna hurler who is tipped for greatness in the coming years.
with his local Portumna
team. He enjoyed some success at underage level and won a senior county championship medal in 2003. It was the club's first county triumph. This was later converted into a Connacht
club hurling title. Two years later in 2005 Canning won his second county championship title before once again claiming a provincial club medal. On St. Patrick's Day, 2006 Portumna defeated Newstownshandrum
to win the All-Ireland
club final. A third set of county and provincial medals followed in 2007 and he received the Tommy Moore cup as captain of the club side when they were successful again in the All-Ireland club championship of 2008. Portumna defeated Offaly champions Birr
on that occasion.
minor hurling panel. He played in the All-Ireland minor final in 1993, however, Galway were defeated on that occasion by Kilkenny
. The following year Canning's side bounced back and defeated Cork to capture the All-Ireland
title. Two years later Canning was a member of the GAlway under-21 panel as the county captured the All-Ireland
title in that grade.
That same year Canning earned a call up to the Galway senior team. He was a member of the panel as the county won the National Hurling League
. Later that summer he made his senior championship
debut as a substitute against Wexford
in the All-Ireland semi-final. Canning retired from the inter-county scene for almost two years after this but returned as a forward before moving in to the corner-back position in 2000. That year he won his first National League medal on the field of play. In 2001 Galway reached the All-Ireland final for the first time in eight years. Tipperary
provided the opposition on that occasion, however, Galway were unable to withstand the Tipp attack and lost the game by three points. In spite of this Canning's performance in the championship earned him his first All-Star
award. Galway's hurlers faced a lean period following this, however, Canning's performances earned him a second All-Star award in 2003. Two years later in 2005 Galway were back on top. The team defeated Kilkenny in a thrilling All-Ireland semi-final before later meeting Cork in the All-Ireland final. Unfortunately Canning ended up on the losing side in an All-Ireland final for the second time, however, he did win a third All-Star award. Following Galway's exit from the 2006 championship
Canning decided to retire from inter-county hurling.
In the 2008 National League
Canning's brother, Joe, made his long-awaited senior debut. Shortly after this Ollie Canning announced that he was coming out of retirement to rejoin the Galway senior hurling team. He captained the Galway team in 2008 and 2009, and won a fourth All Star in 2009.
In July 2010, following Galway's elimination from the All Ireland Championship, Canning retired from inter-county hurling for a second time.
in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He captured two Railway Cup medals in 1999 and 2004.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
sportsperson. He plays hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
with his local club Portumna
Portumna GAA
Portumna GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the town of Portumna in County Galway. The club is almost exclusively focused on hurling.-History:...
and was a member of the Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
senior inter-county team from 1996 to 2010.
Early & private life
Ollie Canning was born in PortumnaPortumna
Portumna is a market town in the south-east of County Galway, Ireland, on the border with County Tipperary. The town is located to the west of the point where the River Shannon enters Lough Derg. This historic crossing point over the River Shannon between counties Tipperary and Galway has a long...
, County Galway
County Galway
County Galway is a county in Ireland. It is located in the West Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the city of Galway. Galway County Council is the local authority for the county. There are several strongly Irish-speaking areas in the west of the county...
in 1977. He was educated locally and from an early age he showed a great interest in hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
. Canning later attended the Dublin Institute of Technology
Dublin Institute of Technology
Dublin Institute of Technology was established officially in 1992 under the but had been previously set up in 1978 on an ad-hoc basis. The institution can trace its origins back to 1887 with the establishment of various technical institutions in Dublin, Ireland...
(DIT) where he studied mechanical engineering. Here he played on the college hurling team, winning a Fitzgibbon Cup
Fitzgibbon Cup
The Fitzgibbon Cup the championship for top division of university hurling in Ireland. It is administrated by the Higher Education committee which is part of the Gaelic Athletic Association...
title in the mid-1990s. Canning currently works with Western Postform Ltd. a leading manufacturer of fitted furniture, kitchens, Lab & School furniture & built in wardrobes in Ballinasloe which is in county Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
. Ollie is an older brother of Joe Canning
Joe Canning
Joe Canning is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Portumna and has been a member of the Galway senior inter-county team since 2008....
, another Portumna hurler who is tipped for greatness in the coming years.
Club
Canning plays his club hurlingHurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
with his local Portumna
Portumna GAA
Portumna GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the town of Portumna in County Galway. The club is almost exclusively focused on hurling.-History:...
team. He enjoyed some success at underage level and won a senior county championship medal in 2003. It was the club's first county triumph. This was later converted into a Connacht
Connacht Senior Club Hurling Championship
The Connacht Senior Club Hurling Championship was an annual hurling tournament played between the senior hurling clubs in Connacht contested from 1970 until it became defunct after the conclusion of the 2007/08 season due to the predominance of the Galway champions coupled with a lack of meaningful...
club hurling title. Two years later in 2005 Canning won his second county championship title before once again claiming a provincial club medal. On St. Patrick's Day, 2006 Portumna defeated Newstownshandrum
Newtownshandrum GAA
Newtownshandrum GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the small village of Newtownshandrum in County Cork, Ireland. The club, situated in half a parish of about 800 people, was founded in 1896 and is almost exclusively concerned with the game of hurling.In senior hurling...
to win the All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Hurling Championship is an annual hurling tournament played between hundreds of senior hurling clubs in Ireland. The Tommy Moore Cup is awarded to the winners. The current champions are Clarinbridge...
club final. A third set of county and provincial medals followed in 2007 and he received the Tommy Moore cup as captain of the club side when they were successful again in the All-Ireland club championship of 2008. Portumna defeated Offaly champions Birr
Birr GAA
Birr GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club located in the town of Birr in County Offaly, Ireland. The club is almost exclusively concerned with hurling and are one of the most successful club hurling teams in the country.-Honours:...
on that occasion.
Inter-county
In the early 1990s Canning's hurling talent was spotted and he quickly joined the GalwayGalway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
minor hurling panel. He played in the All-Ireland minor final in 1993, however, Galway were defeated on that occasion by Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland and is responsible for Gaelic Games in County Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
. The following year Canning's side bounced back and defeated Cork to capture the All-Ireland
All-Ireland Minor Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Minor Championship is an annual competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1928 for competitors under eighteen years of age in the game of hurling played in Ireland.The series of games are played during the summer months with the All-Ireland final...
title. Two years later Canning was a member of the GAlway under-21 panel as the county captured the All-Ireland
All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of hurling played in Ireland...
title in that grade.
That same year Canning earned a call up to the Galway senior team. He was a member of the panel as the county won the National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
. Later that summer he made his senior championship
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
debut as a substitute against Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
in the All-Ireland semi-final. Canning retired from the inter-county scene for almost two years after this but returned as a forward before moving in to the corner-back position in 2000. That year he won his first National League medal on the field of play. In 2001 Galway reached the All-Ireland final for the first time in eight years. Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
provided the opposition on that occasion, however, Galway were unable to withstand the Tipp attack and lost the game by three points. In spite of this Canning's performance in the championship earned him his first All-Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
award. Galway's hurlers faced a lean period following this, however, Canning's performances earned him a second All-Star award in 2003. Two years later in 2005 Galway were back on top. The team defeated Kilkenny in a thrilling All-Ireland semi-final before later meeting Cork in the All-Ireland final. Unfortunately Canning ended up on the losing side in an All-Ireland final for the second time, however, he did win a third All-Star award. Following Galway's exit from the 2006 championship
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....
Canning decided to retire from inter-county hurling.
In the 2008 National League
National Hurling League 2008
The 2008 National Hurling League was a hurling competition contested by 34 GAA county hurling teams, 33 from Ireland , and London from England.-Format:...
Canning's brother, Joe, made his long-awaited senior debut. Shortly after this Ollie Canning announced that he was coming out of retirement to rejoin the Galway senior hurling team. He captained the Galway team in 2008 and 2009, and won a fourth All Star in 2009.
In July 2010, following Galway's elimination from the All Ireland Championship, Canning retired from inter-county hurling for a second time.
Inter-provincial
Canning also lined out for ConnachtConnacht GAA
The Connacht Council are a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Connacht.-Constituent counties:*Galway*Leitrim*Mayo*Roscommon*Sligo-Special counties:...
in the inter-provincial hurling competition. He captured two Railway Cup medals in 1999 and 2004.