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*Éire Óg’s Manus Doherty works the ball up field from defence. Photograph: Gerard O’Neill
WHEN ÉIRE ÓG claimed the Jack Daly in 2021, Manus Doherty was among their standout players, it led to a breakthrough with the Clare senior footballers and the defender is intent to collect another senior title this coming weekend.
Manus Doherty is a serious young player for both club and county but meet him in the flesh and a laid-back individual is quickly evident. Nothing seems to faze him off the back of an incredible twelve months on the field.
“To be fair it has been an unbelievable twelve months, firstly with the club and then the county. Playing for Paul Madden gave me a chance to get in with Colm Collins and Clare and I haven’t looked back since. I’ve a Jack Daly won, played in front of big crowds and I’ve not only tasted Croke Park but have tasted winning in Croke Park with Clare. All these things make you want success even more and I’m just delighted that I chose gaelic football (over soccer)”
Manus was always set for stardom in some manner, an All-Ireland winning accordion player he represented Clare Youths in soccer narrowly losing an All-Ireland semi-final. He credits one man in particular for his decision to solely opt for football.
“We are a great club, a proud dual club and it’s great to see the success of the hurlers. We all support each other. Paul and Mattie know what they’re doing. There’s so many games that recovery sessions are massive and vital to all of us. I take my hat off to the dual players. They are an inspiration. I played everything and anything growing up but mainly soccer with Avenue and hurling and football with Éire Óg. It was tough playing all three but then I met Michael Neylon and got involved with the Clare Under 20s. To be honest Mikey had a serious impact on me. He is a fantastic football man and I made the decision to just concentrate on football after my time with him and by God it has paid off,” he says with a huge smile across his face.
Éire Óg are improving all the time, Manus feels and he himself admits to being far more comfortable and confident than he did a year ago. “Strength and conditioning is a huge part of the game now. I’ve been lucky that I met Rob Mulcahy with the Clare set up. He is a super coach and he gives us all programs to follow. It has made such a difference to my game. The gym sessions we do give us that extra power to shake a tackle. The conditioning gives us the pace and stamina needed to be bombing up and down the field but I’ve also learned that diet is so important and often overlooked”.
Quickly after this comment, he jokes that he had a McDonalds after the semi-final win over Corofin but opted not to disclose this to Paul Madden.
Dealing with the favourites tag has also not fazed the Clare corner back. “Ennistymon are a serious team and have taken big scalps along the way. They are a fit powerful unit. Yes, we will be favourites because we are the champions but that won’t matter once the ball is thrown in. Last year was amazing. I mean lads go their whole lives looking to win a county title, the older lads lost quarter final after quarter final and I won it at 20 but that just means I want another one at 21″. Asked whether he will collect title number two, Manus’ response with a huge grin is an emphatic “of course”.
Seanie Buckley’s influence as coach is helping the Ennis club’s continued improvement, Manus felt. “We’ve had twelve more months of unbelievable training. Seanie Buckley is a top coach. His knowledge of the game is amazing and training sessions are brilliant. We never do the same drills, it’s always fresh and he has drills for every skill set required. Factor in the lads that are with the county and all that you learn there and I definitely feel we are a better team but that’s what you have to do. You have to improve because the chasing pack certainly will”.
