McManus: Critics will get reply out on field
What his fellow county man and RTÉ pundit said about McManus and his teammates after their heavy Leinster quarter-final defeat to Wexford in Tullamore almost got as little an airing in the camp.
It was referred to just once after the dust settled and the panel met in a bloodletting session.
His words about them being ill-disciplined and drinking too much didn’t inspire them to beat Monaghan.
They did that themselves.
“I know people could say we used the stuff said about us but we couldn’t have asked any more from the lads in what they said themselves and what they did after it, from the youngest to the oldest,” says McManus.
“There was a consensus there that we did an injustice to ourselves and we wanted to right it. We’re after putting in 100-plus sessions this season. We went through it all in detail that night and it was more than just a debriefing.
“This group of players don’t need external motivation. If you’ve been around Offaly for the last few years you’d know there’s not much of it around.
“You look at our numbers at matches, we only have a few loyal supporters. This is a really committed bunch of players. Yes, we were annoyed about some of the things said about us but we knew it wasn’t true.”
Offaly didn’t return to training for 10 days after exiting the Leinster SFC.
“We were in a fragile state. I don’t think anyone could have faced a football let alone a training session,” admits the Tubber man. It gave players and management time to reflect on just what happened. Not using the ample possession in the second half. Not taking the goal chances. Letting Wexford in for those couple of goals.
“If we weren’t going to learn then we were never going to learn so I suppose it was do-or-die situation, which rallied us,” recalls McManus.
Why May 27 happened McManus doesn’t know. In the build-up to the game, captain Niall McNamee said in these pages they were in the best shape ever.
His older teammate concurs. “In all my years playing for Offaly, it was one of the worst defeats ever in that we had prepared so well. Personally, I felt as good as ever and I know most of the lads felt the same. Challenge matches were going well for us and I still can’t explain the display.”
McManus’ performance against Wexford came in for some stinging criticism on Newstalk, where analysts Colm Parkinson and David Brady questioned his ability to play top level football in his 18th season in Offaly senior colours.
The 34-year-old wasn’t aware of the flak but he doesn’t mind.
“After the Wexford game, Newstalk could have said we were all over the hill,” he laughs. “If they were at any of the league matches they might think again. I know myself if things weren’t going right for me or if I thought for one second that I was only in there because I was there for so long ... lads know themselves. I know myself. Plenty of league games went well for me, some didn’t.
“I have been there for 17 years. There’s nothing different in me except age.”
As much as Offaly’s tails are up, McManus has reason to be cautious about a trip to the Gaelic Grounds after his experience in 2002, when the home side won 3-9 to 2-7.
As he recounts: “They played us after the famous replay against Kildare. We went down the following week and expected to win well and they scored three goals and we were beaten after 15 minutes. I know how good Limerick can be when they want to.
“We beat them by a point in the league down there so there won’t be much between the sides.”
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