Padraic Mannion thrilled with the return of 'a slight bit of normality'

Galway's Padraic Mannion with Dublin's David Treacy. Picture: INPHO/Oisin Keniry

Galway hurling captain Padraic Mannion admitted he struggled for motivation during the post-Christmas lockdown but is now relishing a return to action.

A teacher in St Cuan’s College, Castleblakeney. Mannion is also delighted to be back in the classroom and the restoration of ‘a slight bit of normality.’

The 28-year old, heading into his second season skippering the Tribesmen, said that short days, bad weather and the general uncertainty just made the latest lockdown difficult for everyone.

He revealed: “The novelty wore off me around January. I actually enjoyed the first lockdown as that bit of time and the weather was nice. I think around January and February there the novelty definitely wore off and it got a bit tougher to be motivated.

"It was just the lack of a structure. Then we were off school as well, it is just great to be back, back at Kenny Park and back to school and a slight bit of normality coming back.

“I suppose it was better to put the county first just the way it panned out and the split season is definitely a positive.

I think all club and county players are definitely in favour of it. It’s great that some good can come out of it.

Though disappointed by the decision, Mannion understood the rationale behind why the GAA was not granted elite status sports in early spring.

The Ahascragh-Fohenagh star said: “Inter-county players have to get up and go to work. You can’t be in your own pods, I think that’s the reason why and that’s fair enough, we train probably like professionals in a way, but safety comes first. We have to kind of swallow our pride a bit with it.”

Now the full focus is on a quick return to action and an opening league game away to Westmeath next Saturday when a series of new rules come into play, including the sin-bin for pulling down a player who has a goal chance.

“I don’t think I have pulled too many lads down,” said Mannion, when asked how it might impact on his game. “It is just a slightly different way of thinking. It will probably be a case of lads stepping off a little bit. I know people complain that the scores went so high, teams hitting 27 or 28 points all the time because lads are standing off.

“It will probably increase that if anything. You won’t get a lad to turn you and be forced to pull him down and take your sin bit. As a defender, I’d always be thinking of how to try and get to the ball first anyway.

That won’t change. But you just may have to work on being better at tackling now and better at standing up your man. It’s just another challenge for a defender.