Former Dublin star Paul Mannion has admitted it was “tough” to watch his team-mates go down in February’s dramatic All-Ireland final defeat to Kilcoo after he was forced out through injury.
An knee injury sustained in the Leinster win over Laois champions Portarlington brought his club campaign to a premature end, with Mannion needing surgery on a knee problem early in the New Year.
“Of course (it was difficult to watch the final), it was just so unlucky the timing of the injury but looking on at the final and seeing how well the lads did it filled me with a lot of pride and the club as well.
“The reception we got back here after we had lost was amazing as well, so yeah it was a tough couple of games to watch,” Mannion said, at an the announcement of Beacon Hospital as Crokes’ new main club sponsor.
“All kind of things go through your head, what if this happened or what if that happened but I have learned to park those thoughts because you drive yourself mad thinking about those what ifs, and not just what if I was around – what if something else happened.
“I spent the first week two weeks going through all that in my head and eventually you just need to move on and accept these kind of things happen in sport and that I have also been on the other side of those kind of results many times myself.
“So just accept it move on and hope for better days really.”
Elsewhere, Dublin’s minor footballers made it two wins from two in the Leinster Minor Football Championship on Saturday, with a 2-15 to 0-4 victory over Laois at Parnell Park.
Kilmacud Crokes’ Joe Quigley starred for Dublin shooting 1-8 (5f) as Dave Reynolds’ side dominated. Dublin led by 0-10 to 0-2 at half-time thanks to Quigley’s impressive shooting, alongside good scores from David Mulqueen, Ryan Mitchell and Clyde Burke. Quigley and Mulqueen added further scores in the second half, before the home side struck two late goals. Next up for Dublin is Westmeath on Wednesday, April 20.
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