Joe Canning says people need to stop complaining about hurling becoming too high scoring and enjoy “one of the fastest field sports in the world.”

Teams have been running up scoreboards to an unprecedented level in the Allianz League and inter-county championships in recent years.

Canning's Galway side shared 58 scores with Waterford last week but the 2017 Hurler of the Year believes the skill involved in such high scoring matches should be celebrated. 

“People talk about the 2014 All-Ireland final, the drawn match, as one of the best games that we've ever seen. Do you remember the score in that? 3-22 to 1-28. Do you know what I mean? That's 31 points each. People say that was one of the best games ever, and that's a high scoring game,” the Portumna forward said at the launch of Bord Gáis Energy's new online video series, GAAGAA Box.

“It's kind of a thing that somebody might say it, and then everybody jumps on the bandwagon and goes 'yeah, yeah, yeah, it's getting too crazy, the scores'. Maybe it's just Covid or whatever, that people are getting negative about stuff.

“People seem to give out about things a bit more lately than they ever did. Why look for the negative always, and try and change things when there's no real need to do it? We have one of the fastest field sports in the world. Why not enjoy it while we have it?”

The 32-year-old sat out yesterday's 3-25 to 2-23 win against Cork at Pairc Ui Chaoimh as he recovers from a thumb injury.

“It’s just kind of an old injury, a bit of ligament damage,” he continued.

“It’s in a splint there for two weeks, and I’ll be fine then again. I’ll be fine in two weeks’ time, just a bit of rest more-so than anything.”

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