Dub Mannion gone for year

The Dublin senior footballers have been dealt a blow ahead of their 2015 preparations with the news Paul Mannion is set to be unavailable for the coming year.

The Kilmacud Crokes player left Ireland on Wednesday morning for a year to study in Beijing as part of his course in UCD.

He has won All-Ireland senior, U21 and minor titles, along with provincial honours.

Crokes’ senior manager Conor Deegan says Mannion will be a major loss to club and county.

“Paul is a phenomenal footballer and a fantastic lad,” Deegan said.

“From a club perspective to lose a player of that quality it’s just devastating. It’s a very strong word, but from a playing point of view it is devastating, not only that but he is a great lad around the place.

“He is a huge loss for Dublin obviously also. Paul wasn’t too far away this year. It’s a loss all round, but look, it’s his education and it’s only a year and I’m sure he can put it down to experience.”