Paul Mannion hungry for All-Ireland success with Kilmacud Crokes

Last season’s Dublin hurling final brought together Na Fianna and Kilmacud Crokes in a thrilling encounter won by the Stillorgan side in extra time. It was also notable for the respective jersey sponsors, the Mater Private (Na Fianna) and Beacon Hospital for the eventual champions.

The footballers added their county title and went all the way to February’s All-Ireland final.

The focus at Thursday’s official launch of the Beacon sponsorship in Kilmacud Crokes was very much on the club and its status as the largest in Ireland and the presence of both it and the hospital in the community of south Dublin.

Players were on hand to assist with the press call, including their most famous representative Paul Mannion, whose opting out of intercounty activity last year after six All-Irelands and three All-Stars was felt keenly by Dublin.

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It is a subject he makes clear from the start that he won’t be talking about, preferring instead to take questions on his club career, which was completely disrupted by injury in last December’s Leinster semi-final.

The required knee surgery kept him out of the provincial final and the All-Ireland stages, which culminated in a devastating defeat by Kilcoo in extra time thanks to a last-minute goal.

It was impossible not to speculate on the difference Mannion would have made and few would feel that it hadn’t a good chance of overturning a one-point deficit.

His recovery from the injury has been straightforward and by his own assessment he’s “close to 100 per cent” and hopes to return to training soon. In fact his physio reckoned that had the club final taken place on its traditional St Patrick’s Day date, Mannion would have been able to play a role.

“The recovery time as been pretty quick. My leg shrank a little bit there when I had the brace on and wasn’t moving it, but within two or three weeks of exercising and rehabbing you get that back. There’s loads of lads that have come back from much, much more severe injuries.”

He was proud of the team’s resilience in coping with his absence and doesn’t feel the All-Ireland defeat will prove demoralising.

“I don’t think it will have any kind of negative impact. In fact, I think it’s only made lads more hungry for an All-Ireland win. I know it’s definitely made me more hungry as well because for a long time we were dead and buried in the Dublin championship.”

He spoke briefly about life outside the intercounty bubble and the difference it makes.

“Yeah it does. It’s well-documented the commitment and time that goes into playing inter-county football. Sometimes when you’re in that it can be a bit of a bubble. I’ve enjoyed being outside that a little bit and being able to spend more time and focus on the club and on other things. It’s been a nice time.”

He’s also asked about Dublin’s other prematurely retired footballer, Jack McCaffrey, a contemporary as they came up through the development squads, and who stepped away in 2020, a year before Mannion. Is he also happy with his decision?

“I think so, you never know what’s going through Jack’s head. I think he’s off to Africa this summer for another few months there. He’s a bit of a free spirit, he just goes where the wind takes him. He seems to be doing well. I met him in Manchester a couple of weeks ago for a United-City game – it didn’t go too well. He’s in great form, loving life.”