1. Award winner
Ryan was handed the GAA/GPA hurling player of the league award yesterday in Croke Park. He had produced a series of stunning league displays on route to Kilkenny’s triumph with his scoring contributions particularly eye-catching.
He shot 1-10 in six games from midfield including 0-3 apiece in the semi-final win over Galway and the final victory against Tipperary. Not bad going for a player who has been part of the last two All-Ireland winning panels but has operated on the periphery.
“It’s great to be part of the panel,” admits Ryan. “But if you’re not kicking on to get onto the team, there is a big chance you won’t be part of the panel in the first place. It’s just an ambition to get on the team.”
2. Injuries
The 25 year-old’s progress at senior level was severely stalled by injuries in recent seasons.
“With Kilkenny I got called in after the league campaign in 2011, so the league in 2012 would have been my first campaign. I was available for the first two matches but then I did the cartilage in my knee. I got an operation and was out for another month after that.
“I only came back for the league final and was there with the squad then. So this year was my first year besides the Walsh Cup where I was able to get a debut in the league.:
3. Club glory
Winning the All-Ireland intermediate hurling title with his club Clara in February when they defeated London outfit St Gabriel’s by 1-16 to 0-11 was the perfect springboard for the year ahead for Ryan.
“I managed to keep fit and I was hurling regularly so in that sense, the momentum from last year helped me keep going. But as soon as I got back in with Kilkenny, it was straight back to work.”
Clara players celebrate after their recent All-Ireland victory.
Pic: INPHO/Cathal Noonan
4. U21 experience
Ryan endured mixed fortunes in the U21 grade with Kilkenny. He was part of the side that defeated Tipperary in 2008 to win the All-Ireland title by 2-13 to 0-15 but the following year lined out in the decider where they suffered defeat by 0-15 to 0-14 against Clare in Croke Park.
“There was a lot of U21′s from our club when we won in 2008. I think there was seven on the panel altogether. That was great but then we lost one the year after.”
5. Club representation
Ryan is the first player from his club to get a concerted run at senior level with Kilkenny since Conor Phelan, a member of the 2003 All-Ireland senior winning setup. Phelan came on as a substitute in that final win over Cork but was forced to bow out a few years later after it was discovered he had a heart condition. But he did make a recovery to be part of the Clara squad that won that All-Ireland intermediate crown last February.
6. Midfield rivalry
Michael Fennelly was hugely complimentary towards Ryan when speaking of the progress of the Clara club man recently. But with the likes of Fennelly, Michael Rice and Cillian Buckley competing for places, Ryan appreciates the challenge in nailing down a championship starting spot.
“If you’re marking the likes of Michael Fennelly and Michael Rice at training, it can only help you, if you’re surviving at training against them. The league is over now though and the championship team hasn’t been named so in that sense it’s back to work and back to the drawing board.”
7. Hurling and Education
Ryan works a teacher in St Kieran’s College, the famed hurling nursery in Kilkenny city. Previously he studied at third-level in the University of Limerick and was part of the college’s hurling side that lost out to the eventual champions UCC in the 2012 Fitzgibbon Cup semi-final.
