BEGGAN DIDN’T OWE US AN APOLOGY
Mcmanus: Rory’s been immense for years now, he shouldn’t be sorry for having a shot at glory
CONOR MCMANUS says there was no need for fellow All-star Rory Beggan to apologise for going for glory in the Allireland semi-finals.
The Monaghan duo, along with Karl O’connell, will pick up All-stars this evening after a breakthrough season with the Farney.
But Beggan admitted last week that his season ended on a low when his attempted equaliser against Tyrone dropped short and was cleared.
The 26-year-old goalkeeper said he had a ‘rush of blood’ and ‘immediately regretted’ the long range shot after dashing upfield.
He also admitted that he apologised to team-mates afterwards, but three-time All-star Mcmanus said: “There was no apology necessary. If we were all to take that approach we’d be apologising after every day we went out.
“Rory doesn’t owe us anything. His performances spoke for themselves all year. What he has brought to the team this past six or seven years has been immense.
“We all kick wides or make mistakes in games. And look, if he’d floated that ball over the bar he would have been the toast of Monaghan. It was just one of those things, I wouldn’t have been expecting any sort of apology at all.”
Beggan beat Dublin veteran Stephen Cluxton and Laois’ Graham Brody to the goalkeeper All-star award. He shot 18 points in the Championship from frees and performed a sweeper ‘keeper role that gave Monaghan a vital extra edge. Mcmanus agreed that Beggan is now up there among the top stoppers.
He said: “It’s not even up for discussion, it’s a given. I think everyone knows that. His performances throughout the summer were top drawer. It’s not even up for debate.”
Cluxton can feel hard done by that just two of his five All-stars have come this decade, a period in which Dublin have claimed six Allirelands. But pundit Pat Spillane has already claimed that Beggan is a better ‘keeper than Cluxton and others may agree.
Mcmanus said: “Cluxton has been the benchmark and Rory would have said that himself over the years. Rory has probably learned from him and taken the role and made it his own by really working hard on his game. Is one better than the other? I wouldn’t like to go out without Rory Beggan in our team, that’s all I’ll say.”
Monaghan’s three All-stars, the most they’ve ever got in a season, reflected a breakthrough year. They finished third in the League, beating Dublin at Croke Park, and only lost to Tyrone by a point in the Allireland semi-finals.
But Mcmanus showed what high standards they have in Monaghan now when he described it as disappointing not to win the All-ireland.
He said: “10 years ago we’d never have said that. It’s great that Monaghan are talking and thinking like that now and we’re in that overall conversation where people are talking about All-irelands.
You always want more of that.”