McManamon on verge of Dublin return
Kevin McManamon
Kevin McManamon is on the verge of a return to action with the Dublin footballers following shoulder surgery in November.
McManamon will return to full-contact training with the Dubs this week, but will sit out Saturday’s high-profile Allianz League opener against Kerry at Croke Park.
The St Jude’s man, who missed Dublin’s entire O’Byrne Cup campaign, says the trip to Mayo on February 6 is a more realistic return date.
“I got it (the shoulder) tidied up before Christmas so I am slowly getting back, but it will be another few days so this weekend might be a few days too early,” he said at the launch of the Allianz Football Leagues in Croke Park.
“I’m nearly home, back doing full contact this week.”
McManamon initially suffered the injury in 2014 and carried it through most of last year’s All-Ireland winning camopaign.
“It was at me and I got a knock in the All-Ireland quarter-final against Fermanagh and that made it a lot worse so I was strapping it up for the last eight weeks of the year and just getting through club games.
“There was no real gym work done or anything like that and there hasn’t been in six months so I am just getting back into it.”
The 29-year-old, who came on as a half-time sub in the All-Ireland final win over Kerry last September, admits he is looking forward to getting back into training after an extended winter break.
“Absolutely, yeah, there was a bit of a reset on the first of January and we got back into it,” he says.
“I loved the break and all that but I love the atmosphere around the group of players, just getting back, working hard and trying to improve again.
“It’s part of us now at this stage so it’s nice to be back.”
Pictured at the launch of the 2016 Allianz Football League is Dublin’s Kevin McManamon. Division 1 champions Dublin face Kerry in the curtain-raiser under lights in Croke Park this Saturday, while Cork welcome Mayo to Páirc Uí Rinn on Sunday.
