ONE of the leading contenders to replace Eamonn Ryan as Cork ladies senior football team manager has expressed his interest in the post.
Shane Ronayne worked alongside Ryan for the last two years and also guided Cork outfit Mourneabbey to an All-Ireland senior club final appearance before Christmas.
Ronayne also masterminded O’Connor Cup glory in 2012 for UCC and is a previous Cork U16 team manager.
He’s also a teacher at Coláiste Dun Iascaigh in Cahir and in his time there, Ronayne has overseen four All-Ireland titles (three girls and one boys).
Ronayne is also a former Cahir senior men’s team manager and he’s also been in charge of the Tipp ladies intermediate team (2008), as well as the minors and U16s.
Another of Ryan’s former assistants, Noel O’Connor, is also understood to be a contender to succeed the 10-time All-Ireland winning boss but Ronayne has thrown his hat firmly into the ring.
He said: “I’ve told them (Cork ladies board) that I’m interested and people around the county know that I’m interested. I’m flattered to be linked with it.
I know the set-up and the players and I also know the underage, club and colleges set-ups in Cork.”
Ronayne acknowledged that whoever takes over from Ryan faces a massive challenge following a magnificent decade of success for the Rebelettes.
And while he’s reluctant to use the word ‘transition,’ Ronayne believes that Ryan’s departure to the Cork footballers alongside Peadar Healy will signal a period of “huge change.”
Ronayne added: “It’s a huge change because they (players) are so familiar with Eamonn’s ways, the way he does things and approaches everything, his mannerisms, everything he brings to the whole thing.
“It’s a massive change for whoever goes in there, whether that’s me, Noel O’Connor or somebody else. It will take a while for everybody to adjust – it’s a shock to the system that he’s gone.
The day he rang me to tell me he was gone, I was still surprised.
“But it was too good an opportunity to turn down and Eamonn owes Cork ladies football nothing.
“He’s a big addition to the footballers with his expertise and as Peadar (Healy) has said, they’re all a bit green but Eamonn’s been around the block and doesn’t get too excited or upset about things.
“That will be missed from the Cork ladies set-up because he always brought that calmness even if things did go a bit wrong.
“He’s been through it all and life experience is one of the big things that he brought to the job. The way I’d look at it, whoever takes over isn’t Eamonn Ryan and people will have to get used to that.
“You wouldn’t know either, maybe some players will step away. The buzz word ‘transition’ isn’t one that I like using but it could end up being like that for whoever takes over.
“It will be such a massive change. Some players are there 10 years, some five or six and there will be a bedding-in period. The league will be a hard slog.”
