By Cian O'Connell

It has been an action packed six month spell for Padraic Mannion.

Now firmly established as a Galway senior, Mannion also served the NUIG Independent.ie Fitzgibbon Cup cause in the spring and hurled in an AIB All Ireland Intermediate Club decider for Ahascragh-Fohenagh, who were defeated by Carrickshock at Croke Park.

Crucial matches have been on his agenda since February, but Tony Keady's recent influence as Ahascragh-Fohenagh trainer won't be forgotten.

"Yeah, we were very lucky with the club last year, we finally got up senior after I think it was our fifth semi-final in a row and our third county final in five years," Mannion says. "So it was well time for us to get up.

"Then we went on and won the Connacht final and won the All-Ireland semi-final. It was a great day to play in Croke Park with your club back in February, even though we weren't successful. It was a proud day for the parish. 

"After that, then, we had new management, Tony Keady becoming involved, and the last week or two have been tough for a lot of people in the club.

"It brought us back down to earth fairly quick after the high of the semi-final against Tipp. But look, it's something that we can learn a lot from, the way he wore the jersey and he wore it with a smile on his face. 

"And he left the jersey in a great place, and that's definitely something we're trying to do now. Tony and his family will definitely be on our minds when we take to the field on the third."

Mannion is delighted that he was involved in a team trained by Keady. "He was with the 21s, but I really got to know him personally and his family this year," Mannion reflects.

"I'm really honoured that I did get to know him, because of the way he wore the jersey with a smile on his face and he really embraced the big occasions and he really enjoyed them.

"It put it into perspective, coming up to a game like that, that you don't see all the hype as a negative really. You can enjoy it and embrace it, and enjoy the occasion as well as focussing on the hurling."

With Keady there was always an element of fun according to Mannion. "We have a gym there in Ahascragh beside the pitch and Tony would be laughing at me when I’d be in there before training I don t think they had too much of that in their day," Mannion laughs.

"There are big changes when you consider the amount of games you play now versus then it would be a lot.

"I would be slagging him about how few game they played to win their All-Irelands and he said back to me with a grin - "10 or 12 games is better than 10 years of shite."

"Things have changed a lot in the last 30 years, but the principles have stayed the same.

"Embrace the big occasion and let your hurling do the talking. Work hard to get the better of your man all the time. You can always go back to the roots of the game and they are the same. The basics don't change.”

Off the pitch Mannion is currently doing a Masters in Education. He completed a degree in Civil Engineering, but is enjoying the teaching route. "I always had teaching in the back of my mind as it is a nice career," Mannion admits.

"I have been doing my hours in St Cuan's over the past year and it is a lovely school. A really tight knit community with only about 300 students there and it is a lovely place to work.

"Being off for the summer as a teacher does allow you to really go at hurling or football over the summer months and it is an advantage of the job, however it is a profession that I really enjoy and the first year at St. Cuan's was very enjoyable."

That is something Keady quietly taught Mannion about embracing occasions and finding joy in the journey.