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'There's more important things in life than sport' - Joe Canning hails Davy Fitz return

Canning says the real victory was seeing the Clare boss return to the sideline after a recent health scare.

GALWAY ANSWERED THE critics on Sunday by dumping Clare out of the All-Ireland SHC quarter-final with a commanding six point win.

Joe Canning Morgan Treacy / INPHO Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO

But Joe Canning admitted afterwards that the real victory was having Clare boss Davy Fitzgerald back fighting fit on the sideline.

Fitzgerald had a health scare during the week and underwent a minor heart procedure just days before Clare’s biggest game of the season.

Canning, who posted 1-8 in a dominant display, was keen to put things in perspective after Galway’s 2-17 to 0-17 win at Semple Stadium yesterday.

“I don’t know if we proved a point, we just won a quarter-final and that’s all we had to do,” Canning told RTÉ Sport.

“What was said about us in the last couple of weeks, we had to answer that, but there’s more important things in life than sport.

“We’re amateur players at the end of the day and our health is our wealth, so it was great to see Davy on the line again today. That’s what it’s all about about.

“We only play this game for a hobby, that’s all it is. I went through it myself with my mother last year and my dad at the moment, so as long as people are healthy on the sideline. It’s great to see Davy and we wish him the best in his recovery as well.”

Galway move into the last four of the All-Ireland series where they’ll face a rejuvenated Tipperary in a repeat of last year’s semi-final. The Portumna sharpshooter was at a loss to explain why pundits were so critical of his side in the wake of their most recent defeat to Kilkenny.

“We got to an All-Ireland final last year and we’ve lost a Leinster final to probably the best team that’s ever played the game,” he said.

“We know we’re competitive. We made eight mistakes that cost scores the last day in the Leinster final against Kilkenny and they punish you.

“We live to fight another day and we’ve a tough one against Tipperary in the semi-final.”

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