Real honour for McManus

Those who attend the Real Madrid v Shamrock Rovers friendly at Tallaght Stadium next Monday will have an opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the millionaires of the world game, but few will be closer than Meath match official Reuben McManus. A carpenter who works in the Air Corps, McManus has been chosen as one of the linesmen (assistant-referee) for what is the glamour friendly of the season so far between the jet-setting Galacticos and the home-based Hoops at Tallaght Stadium. The Real Madrid side, who recently spent over €90 million on signing Ronaldo from Manchester Utd, are expected to include a slew of superstars in their team to take on the Hoops. The Spanish giants have a long list of big name players in their squad this season including Kaka (who won"t be playing on Monday), Ramos, Karim Benzema, Raul and Arjen Robben, to name just a few. The match which will be shown live on Sky Sports will be refereed by Alan Kelly who was recently appointed to the top rank of FIFA officials while the other line will be patrolled by Martin Moloney from Kildare. The 34-year-old McManus is in his fourth year as a National League official, but he was still surprised to get the call up for this high-profile encounter. 'I have aspirations to get the FIFA badge, but I expected that one of the linesmen already with the badge would get a match like this,' he told the Meath Chronicle. 'It is a great statement of confidence by Pat Kelly who appoints the officials for all the games, including this big friendly. 'There are eight linesmen in the country with FIFA badges and when the fixture came out there were fellows saying 'I wouldn"t mind getting that game." I didn"t expect it, but it"s great to get a call to be involved in a game like that.' McManus, who is from Navan, started his refereeing career in the NECSL and also took charge of games in the Meath & District League and the Leinster Senior League. He attended the Referees" School of Excellence for two years and graduated along with 28 others. From that group, nine officials, which included McManus, were selected for National League games. A few years ago McManus refereed an u-17 international game between Ireland and Slovakia. Over the past few seasons he has been a linesman for a number of high-profile National League clashes including last term"s League Cup final between Derry City and Wexford Youths. He was on the line for a Setanta Cup tie between Derry City and Linfield at Windsor Park and enjoyed the 'special' atmosphere generated in that clash. He was also on duty for a friendly between the Republic of Ireland B side and Nottingham Forest at Dalymount Park. He says a linesman must have high levels of fitness and concentration with the current offside law demanding that they must keep their eyes on the action every second. 'When you look at two of the best strikers in the National League, Jason Byrne and Mark Farren, they are constantly moving, constantly in and out, in and out, if you"re not concentrating 100 per cent you could get it wrong,' he said. McManus will be focused and alert on Monday evening as the Galacticos of the world game take on the Hoops.