CONOR McManus has officially announced his retirement from inter-county football after 17 seasons with Monaghan.
The prolific Clontibret clubman – regarded by many as the best footballer his county produced and certainly one of the best forwards ever to play the game – hoped to play this season but hip problems have forced him to call it a day.
A committed performer of the highest class, ‘Mansy’ bows out with two Ulster Championship medals and three Allstars. He owes his county jersey nothing.
“He would play on if he could,” said Monaghan manager Gabriel Bannigan.
“He has tried everything in the background but basically his hip has deteriorated again and, to be fair to the man, he can’t walk a couple of kilometres without serious pain. Unfortunately, ‘Mansy’ won’t be back, so it’s the end of an era.
“Without a doubt we are losing, not just one of Monaghan’s greatest ever, but one of the greatest ever to play the game so it’s a sad day.”
Bannigan, who took over as Monaghan manager from Vinny Corey after he stepped down last year, served as a county selector for the past two seasons. He saw first-hand the commitment McManus had to make to turn out for his county.
The final act for the Clontibret maestro was against Galway at Pearse Stadium last year and he scored with his final kick – a fitting way for him to leave the stage.
“I’ve seen what ‘Mansy’ has put himself through,” said Bannigan.
“All the trips over to see specialists, all the different procedures, the various injections, the different training programmes, the pain that he’s gone through…
“I’ve seen what he has done to play for as long as he has, and lesser men would have been finished five or six years ago. He gave Monaghan 17 seasons, 17 incredible seasons and he’s one of the all-time greats.
“In Monaghan obviously he’s particularly special but up and down the country he would be recognised as one of the best ever to play the game.”
