Leinster SFC Final/Interview with Ciaran McManus: Ian O'Riordan talks to the veteran Offaly midfielder ahead of Sunday's Leinster final against Dublin, a 82,300 sell-out

A star footballer in Croke Park promoting a new sponsorship deal three days before one of the biggest games of his career. And it's not just a photo opportunity. Ciarán McManus does several rounds of interviews without appearing to repeat himself.

Given what's at stake in Sunday's Leinster football final most players involved would probably be wrapped in cotton wool at this stage, definitely staying well away from the media. The difference here is that McManus clearly doesn't believe in any media hype. If he did he'd be on the verge of a nervous breakdown by now.

Renowned as one of the fittest, most committed and determined footballers in the game (he frequently supplements his training with five-mile runs and spends €80 a week on fruit) McManus has also had his critics. RTÉ analyst Joe Brolly made it personal after Offaly's win over Westmeath back in May, while fellow analyst Paul Curran recently directed his criticism straight at the team.

"Sure what can I do?" says McManus, when asked if Brolly's comments hurt him. "Sure I can't put a media ban on him. I've actually made a point of not looking at the TV anymore. As long as I'm happy with my performance and so is the team and the management and my family then why should I care what anyone else thinks?"

Curran's comments that Offaly "wouldn't even keep the ball kicked out to Dublin" didn't seem to faze McManus either: "Sure it was only a bit banter, part of what the GAA is all about. And you'd always have players going through the local papers to see what was said about them or their mother, or whatever . . ."

The only business that interests McManus is what happens on the pitch on Sunday. With every one of the 82,300 Croke Park tickets now sold, that's enough to occupy his mind.

"One of the things we've been trying to do is to explain to the younger players what it will be like playing in Croke Park in front of a crowd like that. From the moment you burst on to that field you can't hear anything, and especially if Dublin get a run at you. Never mind trying to hear the sidelines, you won't be able to hear the player 10 yards in front of you.

"We got a taste of that against Kildare a few years ago when they had about 50,000 people in the stadium and had a good run on us, scoring six points in succession. That's one of the things we've been preparing for."

The expectations, though, couldn't be more contrasting. Dublin are looking to become the first team in 11 years to retain the Leinster title and start as heavy favourites. Offaly are looking for their first title since 1997.

McManus attempts to explain why Offaly surprised many (including themselves) and got this far. "A small bit of luck, first of all. Especially in the first round, which maybe we didn't have for the last couple of years. Offaly have also brought in quite a few younger players over the last couple of years, so in ways this is really the coming of age for this team.

"Playing Division One of the league helped as well. People say one of the turning points for us was the Dublin game (where Offaly were convincingly beaten) and that's probably true. We took a good look at ourselves after that one, and maybe realised that it wasn't just a manager's thing, but a players' thing as well.

"But still I didn't expect to be waiting nine years to get back into the final. Certainly having been in the final in 1997 you expect to be back every two or three years, and that wasn't so."

It wasn't through lack of trying. Offaly endured several close calls in the early rounds of the Leinster championship in recent years, including a two-point loss to Dublin in 2001, two replay defeats to Kildare and that crushing defeat to Laois a year ago.

"We definitely had our share of narrow defeats over the years, one or two points, and that does get into the psyche. The hardest one was probably last year, when we had Laois beaten and they got a goal in injury-time. But any game you lose like that is devastating, and all that catches up on you, and maybe makes you more nervous in tight games, say if you're only one or two points up with a few minutes left to play.

"Once we got over Westmeath this year I think a lot of that pressure disappeared. The whole spirit of the team seemed to be lifted, and we really enjoyed the training, having a lot more craic. And we haven't been feeling any pressure at all. That's the same for Sunday."