GALWAY HURLERS HAVE been handed a huge boost with the news that Joseph Cooney will return home from Australia this week and rejoin Michael Donoghue’s panel ahead of the Leinster championship. 

Cooney moved to Sydney late last year and missed Galway’s entire league campaign, but The42 understands he is expected home in the coming days.

He’s been a key player for Galway since making his debut in 2012, helping the Tribe end a 29-year wait without the Liam MacCarthy Cup two years ago.

The 28-year-old’s return is timely given the injury problems in the Tribe’s forward line of late. Joe Canning recently underwent groin surgery which ruled him out for the provincial campaign, while fellow attacker Conor Cooney suffered an ankle problem in club action earlier this month.

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Joseph Cooney, an All-Star nominee in 2017, only transferred from his native Sarsfields to Michael Cusack’s in Sydney on 22 February. His transfer back to his home club was approved by the Australian side last week and is expected to be cleared by Thursday.

Sarsfields take on Kilnadeema-Leitrim in the Galway club championship on Saturday evening, although it’s unclear at this stage whether Cooney will feature.

It’s understood Cooney plans to return Down Under in the autumn following the conclusion of the All-Ireland SHC. 

The All-Ireland winner’s last game in the Galway jersey came in the Wild Geese Trophy game against Kilkenny in the New South Wales last November. 

Galway’s 2017 All-Ireland winner Jonathan Glynn.

Source: James Crombie/INPHO

Meanwhile, Jonathan Glynn has completed a transfer from his native Ardrahan to New York hurling club Hoboken Guards and football side Sligo.

The 25-year-old is based in the Big Apple but commuted home to line out with Ardrahan and Galway in 2017 and 2018. 

He hasn’t been involved with Ardrahan since last year and will play his club hurling and football Stateside this season. It doesn’t preclude him from lining out with his native county in the inter-county championship.

The42 understands Glynn will travel back to line out with Micheal Donoghue’s side once again for this summer’s Leinster SHC.

Glynn lined out with the New York footballers in the 2016 Connacht SFC but his expected involvement with the Tribesmen this summer rules out that prospect.

New Jersey side Hoboken Guards are the reigning New York senior hurling champions. They defeated Tipperary by 2-29 to 2-24 in last August’s decider to deliver their first-ever crown.

Sligo will compete in senior football ranks in 2019 after winning both the 2018 intermediate league and championship titles. 

Originally published at 16.23

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