EASY RESTS THE head of Paul Mannion.
Ten days out from the most important game of his young career, he stands on the line and watches his Kilmacud Crokes clubmates play a challenge match.
Not a care in the world.
“No airs or graces,” Crokes selector Ray Cosgrove says when asked it is like to work with Dublin’s 20-year-old hotshot.
“Just there on the side of the field kicking ball around with the subs, as casual as you could be, as if there was nothing happening this Sunday.
“That’s just what he is. He’s so grounded and level-headed.”
After showing himself to be completely at ease in the league, Mannion’s first senior Championship has been explosive by anyone’s standards. He has scored 3-6 in five games so far this summer, seamlessly taking the point-scoring yoke off Bernard Brogan’s shoulders and appearing to relish the challenge along the way.
INPHO/Ryan Byrne
His standout performance came in the Leinster final against Meath where he finished with a brilliant 1-4 and was just pipped to man of the match by Ciaran Kilkenny, the architect of most of Dublin’s best moves.
He showed a glimpse of his soccer heritage too that day. His goal on 60 minutes was pure instinct, a throwback to the touches which earned him his place on the Ireland schools team not so long ago.
“He’s phenomenal,” Cosgrove says without a hint of exaggeration.
I was lucky enough to play with him last year. I don’t think he realises how much ability he has.
Worryingly for Mayo — and for the rest of the country — it looks like the best is yet to come.
“I think we’ve seen glimpses of it at the tail end of the national league when he got a couple of goals,” Cosgrove continues.
“From being involved as a [Kilmacud] selector this year with him, he hasn’t been quite ruthless enough, I’ll be honest.
I think if he was to take the bull by the horns a little bit more… he’s been very unselfish, releasing other guys.
“He probably looks up to the likes of Berno and feels an onus to play second fiddle to him at times. But I tell you, he’s more than capable of putting on a big show on Sunday.”
INPHO/James Crombie
Asking Cosgrove to pick out Mannion’s best quality leads to a lengthy list of compliments.
“His reading of the game. He makes runs, he runs into space, he’s so quick, but he’s deadly accurate.
“He’s accurate from 40 yards out the field. And I don’t think that we’ve quite witnessed that yet.
If he was to cut loose on Sunday, Chrissy Barrett or whoever is picking him up will have their hands full.
Crokes team-mate Mark Vaughan is just as effusive in his praise for a youngster who, he says, will be the ‘real deal.’
“I’ve seen him playing and he’s probably one of the best players I’ve ever seen, one of the best players I’ve ever played with.
“When he turns, he’s gone and that’s it. You’re going back to speed, it’s pretty much the unmarkable trait.
If you don’t have the speed against him you just can’t put a guy on him. You’ve to alter your whole team to mark someone like him.
“He’s probably one of the best level-headed guys I’ve seen for such a young lad. He came in, there was no talk about him. The first couple of games he did a massive job.”
INPHO/Morgan Treacy
“He’s definitely going to be the real deal,” Vaughan adds. “You can see it in our club games. There was no fear of him ever not standing up to be counted.
“Any free, he wants to take it. There’s fight between him and me now to take frees in our side but he’s one of those guys that just will go in, never go around saying too much.
“He’s a quiet enough guy, but when he’s on the ball, if you’re on the other team you just fear him.
He’s one of the most naturally talented guys I’ve ever seen kicking the ball.
