TOWARDS THE END of Conor McManus’ Laochra Gael programme, the former Monaghan footballer is seen coaching children with additional needs in his local club, Clontibret.
It’s a moving sequence that comes just after a fascinating exploration into one of the most celebrated careers in Gaelic football.
McManus is one of three coaches along with clubmates Dessie Mone and Conor Boyle, who have also served the Monaghan cause. The organiser, Bernie Boyle, then appears on the screen to explain that 32 children participate in the programme over an eight-week period.
McManus, who retired last year after 18 years of inter-county football, enjoys playing his part in creating an inclusive environment for young GAA players.
“It’s a very humbling experience,” McManus says ahead of his Laochra Gael episode which will be aired on TG4 this Thursday, 22 January at 9.30pm.
“You quickly realise that you don’t really have too many worries in the world when you see what some kids and some families do on a day-to-day basis, and they don’t see it as a burden or an issue.
“They’re just getting on with their lives and they’re coming down to have an evening’s craic at the field. If you can help out in any way with that, I don’t see why you wouldn’t.”
Advertisement
Conor McManus pictured the 2023 All-Ireland quarter-final between Monaghan and Armagh. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
McManus endured a lot of injury trouble throughout his career, and struggled with a chronic hip issue in the latter stages of his time with Monaghan. He won three All-Stars and two Ulster championship titles, but the All-Ireland medal proved elusive for him in the end.
When asked if the coaching work in Clontibret has helped him frame his perspective on the difficulties he encountered in sport, he replies: “I don’t necessarily think that because you would have always had a wider look on things anyway. Obviously in inter-county football, you can get caught up in a bit of a bubble sometimes, but we would have always had kids coming into the dressing room over the years with special needs groups.
“So, you would have always had a good understanding of other people and what they’re dealing with.”
Turning to football matters, McManus says Monaghan’s swift return to Division 1 illustrates the “consistent level of work” being done at senior, U20 and minor level in the county.
McManus during the 2015 Ulster final. Cathal Noonan / INPHO
Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO
Monaghan come into this year’s GAA football league on the back of a defeat to Donegal in the Dr McKenna Cup final last weekend. McManus feels manager Gabriel Bannigan named an experimental team for that game but expects him to stick with a more settled outfit for Armagh’s visit to Clones on Sunday.
“There’s still a lot of experience to come back into that team over the next couple of weeks. And there have been some good new additions there. I would expect to see three or four debutants for the National League come Sunday,” he says.
On the subject of the new football rules which were introduced last year, McManus laments that he has missed out on playing through such innovation. The highpoint of his career coincided with the age of blanket defence systems, which hindered forwards of his quality.
However, he didn’t quite see it that way.
“At the time you weren’t really seeing it as frustrating, it was the challenge that it presented. It probably wasn’t that pretty to play in at times but it always remained a challenge. That’s the way inter-county football should be,” he says.
“It would have been nice if it [new rules] had come in five or six years ago. When you see the game and how it’s been played, I do think it will become even more expansive as the next few years go on. There’s a wee bit more individual brilliance in games now, which you wouldn’t have seen over the years.”
And there are more rules on the way in 2026. One such rule dictates that a penalty and black card will be the result for pulling a jersey to deny a goal-scoring opportunity.
“You see the black card and the deliberate pull down and then there was a way around it whereby you pulled but you stayed on your feet,” says McManus when asked for his thoughts.
“I think they’re just trying to box that off. By the letter of the law, it probably is still a cynical foul and a still cynical play.
“If it’s coming in, it’s just going to tidy up that loophole that was there already. To me, a cynical foul is still a cynical foul. And if it means that, I think it will help the game again.”
McManus being dragged down by Seán Cavanagh during the 2013 All-Ireland quarter-final. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
This point is linked with a pivotal moment in McManus’ career. He was hauled down by Tyrone’s Seán Cavanagh to prevent a goal-scoring chance in the 2013 All-Ireland quarter-final, a game which Monaghan eventually lost by two points.
Related Reads
AFL-bound Kobe McDonald doing 'some magic things' at Mayo training - Moran
Of course, the incident features in McManus’ Laochra Gael and the pair did address it while they were on International Rules duty. He can’t recall the specifics of that conversation but looking back on it now, it’s the outcome of that game that frustrates McManus more than those controversial few seconds.
“It’s something that became more than what it should, purely because of how it was commented on at the time. It’s not something that I think about too much or lose much sleep on,” he says.
“What annoys me more about that is the game as a result, not so much that incident.”
Looking to the future, McManus says he would be interested in pursuing a path into coaching. He has already taken his first steps by working with underage teams in Clontibret over the last decade and was involved with the club’s minor side more recently.
“I suppose now that you’re not as heavily involved in inter-county football it’s maybe something you could look at down the line. I’d feel as if you would need to learn your way and find your own way rather than jumping straight into something like that.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
'You don't have too many worries when you see what some kids do on a day-to-day basis'
TOWARDS THE END of Conor McManus’ Laochra Gael programme, the former Monaghan footballer is seen coaching children with additional needs in his local club, Clontibret.
It’s a moving sequence that comes just after a fascinating exploration into one of the most celebrated careers in Gaelic football.
McManus is one of three coaches along with clubmates Dessie Mone and Conor Boyle, who have also served the Monaghan cause. The organiser, Bernie Boyle, then appears on the screen to explain that 32 children participate in the programme over an eight-week period.
McManus, who retired last year after 18 years of inter-county football, enjoys playing his part in creating an inclusive environment for young GAA players.
“It’s a very humbling experience,” McManus says ahead of his Laochra Gael episode which will be aired on TG4 this Thursday, 22 January at 9.30pm.
“You quickly realise that you don’t really have too many worries in the world when you see what some kids and some families do on a day-to-day basis, and they don’t see it as a burden or an issue.
“They’re just getting on with their lives and they’re coming down to have an evening’s craic at the field. If you can help out in any way with that, I don’t see why you wouldn’t.”
McManus endured a lot of injury trouble throughout his career, and struggled with a chronic hip issue in the latter stages of his time with Monaghan. He won three All-Stars and two Ulster championship titles, but the All-Ireland medal proved elusive for him in the end.
When asked if the coaching work in Clontibret has helped him frame his perspective on the difficulties he encountered in sport, he replies: “I don’t necessarily think that because you would have always had a wider look on things anyway. Obviously in inter-county football, you can get caught up in a bit of a bubble sometimes, but we would have always had kids coming into the dressing room over the years with special needs groups.
“So, you would have always had a good understanding of other people and what they’re dealing with.”
Turning to football matters, McManus says Monaghan’s swift return to Division 1 illustrates the “consistent level of work” being done at senior, U20 and minor level in the county.
Monaghan come into this year’s GAA football league on the back of a defeat to Donegal in the Dr McKenna Cup final last weekend. McManus feels manager Gabriel Bannigan named an experimental team for that game but expects him to stick with a more settled outfit for Armagh’s visit to Clones on Sunday.
“There’s still a lot of experience to come back into that team over the next couple of weeks. And there have been some good new additions there. I would expect to see three or four debutants for the National League come Sunday,” he says.
On the subject of the new football rules which were introduced last year, McManus laments that he has missed out on playing through such innovation. The highpoint of his career coincided with the age of blanket defence systems, which hindered forwards of his quality.
However, he didn’t quite see it that way.
“At the time you weren’t really seeing it as frustrating, it was the challenge that it presented. It probably wasn’t that pretty to play in at times but it always remained a challenge. That’s the way inter-county football should be,” he says.
“It would have been nice if it [new rules] had come in five or six years ago. When you see the game and how it’s been played, I do think it will become even more expansive as the next few years go on. There’s a wee bit more individual brilliance in games now, which you wouldn’t have seen over the years.”
And there are more rules on the way in 2026. One such rule dictates that a penalty and black card will be the result for pulling a jersey to deny a goal-scoring opportunity.
“You see the black card and the deliberate pull down and then there was a way around it whereby you pulled but you stayed on your feet,” says McManus when asked for his thoughts.
“I think they’re just trying to box that off. By the letter of the law, it probably is still a cynical foul and a still cynical play.
“If it’s coming in, it’s just going to tidy up that loophole that was there already. To me, a cynical foul is still a cynical foul. And if it means that, I think it will help the game again.”
This point is linked with a pivotal moment in McManus’ career. He was hauled down by Tyrone’s Seán Cavanagh to prevent a goal-scoring chance in the 2013 All-Ireland quarter-final, a game which Monaghan eventually lost by two points.
Of course, the incident features in McManus’ Laochra Gael and the pair did address it while they were on International Rules duty. He can’t recall the specifics of that conversation but looking back on it now, it’s the outcome of that game that frustrates McManus more than those controversial few seconds.
“It’s something that became more than what it should, purely because of how it was commented on at the time. It’s not something that I think about too much or lose much sleep on,” he says.
“What annoys me more about that is the game as a result, not so much that incident.”
Looking to the future, McManus says he would be interested in pursuing a path into coaching. He has already taken his first steps by working with underage teams in Clontibret over the last decade and was involved with the club’s minor side more recently.
“I suppose now that you’re not as heavily involved in inter-county football it’s maybe something you could look at down the line. I’d feel as if you would need to learn your way and find your own way rather than jumping straight into something like that.”
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Conor McManus GAA Gaelic Football GIVING BACK Laochra Gael TG4