McManus just wants to keep playing on

ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE:IN THESE days of training bans and player burn-out, Ciarán McManus stands out like a beacon of longevity. At age 35 and now into his 16th consecutive season with Offaly, McManus doesn't just manage the increasing demands of senior football, but rather embraces them. If anything, he's as fit now as he was starting out.

Some people would say the Allianz Football League – and particularly Division Three – is no country for old men, but, for McManus, age is simply a number, and as long as he feels he has something to contribute he’ll keep playing on. By the looks of him, there’s no end in sight.

“I’m certainly lucky I didn’t pick up any serious injuries, like the cruciate, or leg breaks, anything like that,” he says. “But I just don’t switch off either. I do take up something different in the winter, cycling, running, swimming, whatever, just to freshen the head. And these days we do get the break in November and December.

“Unfortunately for Offaly, the break has been a lot longer than that for the past few years.

“I get plenty of encouragement too from the other lads. There’s a good buzz there, and my social life is the craic with the team, the training. As long as that enthusiasm is still there, I don’t even question why I’m still there. You just want to keep playing on.”

According to the record books, McManus made his championship debut in 1996, against Louth. He says he had no doubts about returning for another season, although Offaly’s relatively kind draw in the Leinster championship may well have been a factor.

For now, he’s focused on helping Offaly in their drive for promotion – an opening win over Cavan sent them on their way, before last weekend’s defeat to Wexford stalled them – and Sunday’s trip to Limerick is suddenly a pivotal game. “Yeah, we’re under some pressure now, but we knew all along we had four away games so that was always going to be a key factor. Everyone seems to be beating each other in the division, but our target is still to get promotion from Division Three so it’s not gone yet.”

According to one insider, Offaly haven’t won a league match outside O’Connor Park for three years now: “It’s a stat that’s there and we have to change it,” he says. “We have ambitions; things are going well in training; we’re doing a lot of work in the gym this year which we probably didn’t do collectively before for the last couple of years.

“Unfortunately, last year with work commitments or otherwise lads were forced to go away, which is a problem for all counties at the moment. So we were short lads, but we’re fortunate that they’re available for us this year.

“There’s a lot of young lads there that people haven’t seen yet, young (Bernard) Allen and (Graham) Guilfoyle and a few more so they’re all a great addition as well. They were there or thereabouts last year and they’re starting to move up the ranks. It’s getting stronger. I do believe Offaly are on the right track. The results are slightly inconsistent, fair enough, but that’s what happens when you’re trying to develop a squad.”

McManus admits that the GAA training ban certainly helps the so-called older players like himself, but then he’s happy to train away during that period anyway: “I do look after myself, but it’s not difficult to do that, if you want to stay up there.”

Eamonn O’Hara, Padraig Joyce, they’re still playing, in great shape. So the break helps the older players. But I think the game has moved on, and players are more open to looking after themselves. Like Ken McGrath in Waterford, too.

“It’s all in the head, really. I’m still enjoying it. I feel I’m making a contribution. You still make mistakes. But when you make mistakes now they say it’s because you’re older. Make a mistake as a younger player and it’s tolerated. But then you are supposed to learn from experience.

“I was lucky enough to be there in the good times. A lot of the lads weren’t there. Bar Division Three, I have nearly every title. Okay an All-Ireland is still elusive, but I’ve got a league title, and a Leinster title, a Sigerson and Railways Cups, all those sort of things. All those memories keep you going, that Offaly can get back there, and that’s what you want.”