Canning: Galway up against it in semi-final

Former Galway hurler Joe Canning believes only a significant improvement from the Tribesmen will suffice if they are to dethrone All-Ireland champions Limerick in their upcoming semi-final.

Henry Shefflin's side edged past Cork by the bare minimum in today’s quarter-final clash, with the reward a crack at the all-conquering Treaty men.

Galway enjoyed a league win over John Kiely’s side earlier this year, but have only showed in patches the form to suggest that Liam MacCarthy could have a new home in August.

The Rebels squandered a number of goal scoring opportunities and while their late rally wasn’t enough, Canning feels his former team-mates will need to ramp things up considerably if they are to lower Limerick's colours on Sunday 3 July.

"Galway will be up against it. If they perform the way they did [vs Cork], unfortunately, I can only see Limerick winning but I think Galway will be up for it," he told RTÉ Sport’s The Saturday Game.

"You saw in the league earlier in the year, Galway performed and got a result.

"How good Limerick were in the league is a different story.

"You never know. Sport is funny. There hasn't really been that much of a shock this year so why not in the semi-final?"