MANN’ FOR ALL SEASONS!
CROKES ON CLOUD NINE WITH WIN
PAUL Mannion kicked Kilmacud Crokes to a ninth Dublin SFC title — and a dream double of senior successes for the club in 2021 — but may have played his last game for his county.
Three-time All- Star Mannion wrapped up his Dublin club campaign in style, scoring 0- 4 in the decider at Parnell Park.
Dublin fans were surely licking their lips at the thought of the six- time All- Ireland winner returning to inter- county duty in 2022 after taking a year out.
But Crokes boss Robbie Brennan said after the landmark club success he reckons the 28-year- old is done with Dublin — for good.
Spasm
Brennan hailed Mannion’s performance, particularly in light of a back spasm suffered midway through the game, and shook his head when asked if he expected Mannion to resume his intercounty career in 2022.
“No,” said Brennan. “I think that’s it, I think that’s the last you’ll see of Paul ( playing for Dublin).
“I’d say he’ll answer that question himself, you can have a crack at him there but I would think that’s it.
“What he has done in the game has been absolutely phenomenal, for Dublin and now for Kilmacud.
“I would say he’ll just enjoy his football, that’s my view.
“But Paul might have something different on it.”
Callum Pearson will go down as the gamebreaker, coming off the bench to hit the winning point five minutes into stoppage time.
Subs played a key role for comeback kings Crokes as Aidan Jones struck the point that tied up the game after a tremendous revival.
It was three points in a row from Mannion that got the fightback underway.
On a remarkable afternoon for Crokes, Mannion was the only outfield player that started for his team to actually score.
Goalkeeper Conor Ferris clipped a point from a free and subs Cian O’Connor, Pearson and
Jones notched 1-2 between them.
Mannion’s first point, a beauty from distance off his left foot, was Crokes’ only score in the first half.
St Judes, chasing a first title, set up in containment mode and Crokes found it difficult to break them down initially.
Crokes deservedly trailed
1-1 to 0-1 at half-time.
Alan Connolly sniped the Judes goal after 23 minutes and added a point early in the second-half to leave them 1-3 to 0-1 clear.
Veteran Dublin forward Kevin McManamon was a key figure for Judes, playing in Connolly for the goal.
Gareth Roche’s side remained five points clear with just 18 minutes left.
But they couldn’t push on and were outscored by 1-5 to 0-2 from there until full-time. O’Connor shrugged off Judes midfielder Pat Spillane, son of the Kerry great, before finding the net.
Slipped
That lef t the Glenalbyn men ahead but they slipped back into Judes’ slipstream following points from David Mannix and Brian Coakley.
Crokes sub Jones then levelled it up at 1-6 apiece early in stoppage time and Pearson struck the winner right at the death. He got free down the left after a patient passing move and blasted between the posts from a tight angle.
Manager Brennan hailed the double success.
“Had we won or lost, the club was still going to be going forward in a really good way,” he said. “It just takes that little bit of pressure off.”
The Crokes footballers will play Wolfe Tones of Meath in the Leinster club championship quarter-finals on December 5 in Navan.