ALREADY THIS WEEK, fellow parishioner of The 42 Declan Bogue has broken down how the 2018 All-Ireland final was a pivotal turning point for both Galway and Limerick hurling, and how two counties went in completely different directions after one puck of a ball separated them eight years ago.

The mental and emotional baggage of past events is never easy to put away, and expect even more conversation about that topic next week, when Kerry prepare to face Mayo.

Such has been the speed of evolution of the game, however, that in strictly hurling terms, most would see events of that 3-16 to 2-18 match as irrelevant, but Pádraic Mannion doesn’t quite subscribe to that view.

Back then, he took up station on the right wing of the Galway defence, picking up Tom Morrissey initially and then Gearóid Hegarty later in the game, for spells at a time.

As was their style, the two Limerick men dropped out to midfield quite frequently, hoping to create space for Graeme Mulcahy and Seamus Flanagan in behind, but Mannion held his ground, usually dropping back to try and offer cover in front of his full-back line.

This year he’s been doing largely the same thing, and when it comes to defensive play, he says that nothing about what he’s doing is any different to how he played when current Galway manager Micheál Donoghue was in his first stint at the helm of the Tribesmen.

“I was thinking about this recently enough, that when they (Donoghue, and coach Francis Forde) came in in 2016, that the things that they had taught me and coached me then, I’m still playing to them principles today. They had such an impact on me,” Mannion said recently.

“I think the use of the ball has probably changed a lot with every team, teams are using the ball a lot better trying to be more efficient, but defensively, and I’m just speaking for myself, I don’t think I’ve changed a whole lot really.”

Neither does he buy into the idea that defences are more packed than before, or that Galway have been the ones to take that movement one extra step.

“Maybe players are so fit now that they’re able to go up and down more?” he suggests.

Mannion celebrates the semi-final defeat of Cork. Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO Tom O’Hanlon / INPHO / INPHO

“There was a phase there where teams kept dropping off puck outs and getting loads of bodies back and letting teams go short, and it’s nearly gone back to the way now where teams are pushing up which leaves more space.

“At certain times there’s more space at the back now than there was, but I think people have latched on to the thing of picking certain plays and you will see all the bodies back, but if you look at it at a puck out, there’s no one back, everyone’s pressed up.

“So I think it’s getting blown up a little bit. Even the last day (Limerick vs Clare), teams push up and let the puckout long but then at certain times they’re back as well. I think it’s a little bit over-talked about in my opinion.”

Where Galway’s tactical transformation was revealed to much of the country in its full glory was the Leinster final win over Dublin, a game where the westerners broke their eight-year drought when it came to provincial titles.

Some argued that getting their hands on silverware would be transformative for this Galway panel, but Mannion’s belief was that it was achieving something as a group, regardless of the reward, was the most significant aspect.

“I was just so delighted for the group to win a big game together, and to get a few days together after being successful because we haven’t had that in a long time,” he said.

“Looking back, it probably was big for us to win it, to get through a big game, but, with the younger lads, they’re so happy-go-lucky, they just go out and play. They just love hurling and the bigger the crowd, the better.”

“Winning the Leinster final and winning the last day, it just brings the group so tight together. You look forward to going training and just meeting up and the bond you have gets tighter. It’s a great time.”

Check out the latest episode of The 42′s GAA Weekly podcast here