FORMER LIMERICK SENIOR player TJ Ryan will take charge of the county’s U21 hurling side for next season.
Ryan, who won two Munster titles and a National League medal during his senior career, will succeed John Fitzgerald in the position.
Garryspillane club man Ryan has been ratified for a two-year term and he previously served as selector to senior manager Donal O’Grady in 2011. He was one of the candidates to replace O’Grady but the position was ultimately handed to 2005 Cork All-Ireland winning boss John Allen.
Ryan did enjoy success at club management level though this year guiding Cork club Kilworth to county intermediate championship and league honours. He will be joined on the management team by selectors Clem Smith and Peter Finn who have lead Ballybrown and Effin respectively to Limerick intermediate titles in recent years.
Ryan will take over a highly-talented squad with 12 of the 40-man Limerick senior training panel announced by John Allen last month being eligible for selection. That includes emerging stars like Shane Dowling, Declan Hannon and Seanie O’Brien.
Limerick are scheduled to meet Tipperary at the quarter-final stage of next year’s Bord Gáis Energy Munster U21 hurling championship.
