Neil McManus was the closest thing to unplayable in the first half of the Ulster club hurling semi-final between Ruairí Óg Cushendall and Slaughtneil.
The retired Antrim forward racked up an incredible tally of 1-5 from play as he dragged his club back into the game after a fast start from Slaughtneil.
The Derry kingpins got their noses in front towards the finish once again, leading by three points with injury time just up but then McManus defied them once again.
The 36-year-old forward collected the break from a set piece forty yards out from goal before shooting from distance, defying a number of Slaughtneil bodies to send the game to extra-time.
Sensational from Neil McManus. The Ulster Club SHC semi-final is heading for extra time
📺 @rte2 & @rteplayer pic.twitter.com/mFmqWLamMs
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) November 16, 2024
McManus carried on his brilliant display in the additional period, opening with an inspirational early score but eventually, powered on by the likes of Conor Coyle, Ruairi Ó Mianáin and Fionn McEldowney in defence, and Jack Cassidy and Brendan Rogers up front, Slaughtneil broke away.
The 12-in-a-row Derry champs ended up winning out by five, on a remarkable final scoreline of 1-36 to 3-25, booking their place in the final in a fortnight's time against Down champs Portaferry.
It was the first time RTÉ showed an Ulster club hurling game live and it didn't disappoint, with Davy Fitzgerald and Chrissie McKaigue on punditry duty.
The newly appointed Antrim hurling manager Fitzgerald was particularly impressed by McManus' 3-9 tally, saying that he'll try to drag him out of retirement.
Fitzgerald has already recruited the Cushendall ace as a performance coach in his backroom team but going off this display, he admitted with a laugh that he's having second thoughts.
"He'd certainly make you think, he might be going back playing now," he laughed.
"It's what he brings to the whole thing," the Clare man added.
"I couldn't figure out why Cushendall didn't pull the second guy out in beside him. They could use him even more."
"This guy is hard to beat in the air. He's their go-to guy. I just feel they needed to go more route-one in on top of him."
McManus, Pat Bennett, Arron Graffin and recent Antrim U-20 manager Paudie Shivers complete the Antrim management team, with McManus telling RTÉ about his role recently.
"[I am] performance coach because I'm still playing for my club [Cushendall] and I intend to do that to the best of my ability over the next few years," he said.
So a performance coach wouldn't be as intensive as a time commitment. It's something I've been doing with different teams and individuals over the last year, it's where my real interest is."
