Football

Antrim boss Darren Gleeson will run the rule over Neil McManus ahead of Joe McDonagh Cup final

Antrim boss Darren Gleeson speaks to reporters at Corrigan Park yesterday, as the Saffrons prepare for their Joe McDonagh Cup final date with Kerry at Croke Park. Picture by Hugh Russell
Antrim boss Darren Gleeson speaks to reporters at Corrigan Park yesterday, as the Saffrons prepare for their Joe McDonagh Cup final date with Kerry at Croke Park. Picture by Hugh Russell Antrim boss Darren Gleeson speaks to reporters at Corrigan Park yesterday, as the Saffrons prepare for their Joe McDonagh Cup final date with Kerry at Croke Park. Picture by Hugh Russell

ANTRIM boss Darren Gleeson will run the rule over Neil McManus in the lead-up to their Joe McDonagh Cup final showdown with Kerry, but admits it would be “a brave decision” not to play the Cushendall ace.

McManus hasn’t featured since tweaking his hamstring in the opening seconds of the Saffrons’ Division 2A final victory over the Kingdom in Tullamore back on October 18.

In his absence Antrim have maintained their impressive form, winning three and drawing one in a successful McDonagh Cup campaign that has brought them to the December 13 decider at Croke Park

It had been expected that McManus might play some part in last weekend’s clash with Meath but, with a final spot already secured, Gleeson opted to hold him in reserve.

However, the ex-Tipperary goalkeeper insists the 32-year-old remains very much in his thoughts ahead of the Kerry game.

“We could’ve played Neil last weekend, it just wasn’t the right time for him,” said Gleeson at yesterday’s press event, held in Corrigan Park.

“Neil would be a starter in every county. Circumstances have kept him out with injury, but we’ll just have to assess where he is. Neil is a talisman within the county so, if he’s available to play, it’d be a brave decision that he’s not playing.

“But we’ll have to look at his form when he comes into training tonight, Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday… he’s got lots of opportunities to prove that he is 100 per cent right. And if somebody like Neil is 100 per cent right, it would be hard to leave him off.

“The extra seven to 10 days will be a bigger shove onto him again, so Neil will be available for selection on Sunday week – as will all the other injury concerns. We’re really happy how they’re progressing and we’ll have a full deck to play with.”

Indeed, one of the features of Gleeson’s first year in charge – even in a season so heavily disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic – has been the wealth of options available across the board.

The fight for starting 15 places is as competitive as it has been in years, and that ability to replace like for like in so many positions could prove decisive once more as the Saffrons bid to finish 2020 on a high.

“There’s times when some of those lads are on the bench for tactical reasons, and Sunday week might bring that as well. You might be surprised that a player isn’t on and their form has been good – it’s for what we need to do on the day.

“The talent is there in Antrim. There’s even more talent coming through that you’ve seen in the Joe McDonagh, and it’s just a pity the way the U20 Championship went this year that we didn’t get to see a bit more of that talent that is coming.”

Antrim have edged Kerry in all three meetings between the counties so far this year, though all have been hugely competitive affairs. And Gleeson doesn’t expect Kingdom boss Fintan O’Connor to make widespread changes in a bid to end that winless run.

“I don’t think you can change your game-plan completely in two or three weeks,” he said.

“You can set out to do one or two little changes that might upset a team, but I don’t think you can go away from your game-plan.

“Are Limerick going to go into the All-Ireland final next week and play two high wing-forwards? I don’t think so. Are Kerry going to come out and change their set-up? I don’t think dramatically.

“Same for us. It’s 15 months we’re at this now, you’re not going to change that just to be smart.”