The wild west

Portumna and Loughrea will meet on Sunday in the county senior hurling championship final. Much delayed by the controversy surrounding the alleged assault of a referee after one of the semi-finals, there may yet be another few dirty strokes pulled in anger.

These two wildly successful clubs are the Stadler and Waldorf of Galway sport – but the last time they met in county final the neighbourly rivalry boiled over into a graphically violent affair with Portumna’s young star – the game’s brightest talent – sufferring appalling injuries.

Last summer, After I asked Canning about his WWE “you-can’t-see-me” celebration, we spoke about that ordeal. Shrugging his shoulders, he admitted a reunion was on the cards but insisted any revenge would be earned with the sliotar.

And then he fired a few penalties at my head.