IT WAS FAR from ideal Christmas TV viewing.
Limerick’s Lauren Ryan sat down to rewatch her side’s All-Ireland junior ladies football final defeat to Down over the festive period.
It wasn’t easy. Breaks were required, and there were a few tears.
But there were plenty of lessons to take into 2024, too.
“I watched it pretty soon after and then you have a bit of reflection time, and you watch it back a couple of weeks later,” she tells The 42 ahead of the Treaty’s Division 4 Lidl National League opener against Wicklow.
“It’s not the All-Ireland final Christmas Day watch that you want. Not that day, it was over Christmas, but you look back and think what could have, should have, would have [happened]. You’re watching thinking, ‘Why didn’t we give that pass?’ We conceded the goal halfway through the second half and when you’re on the pitch, you felt like there was no time left, but watching back, we had loads of time and we we panicked with the countdown clock.
“Croke Park is the loneliest place in the world when you don’t win. It’s a feeling that I’ll keep with me, I never want to feel that way again. But it’s such an experience to play here — you want to get the win, that’s what we’re aiming for this year.”
It all starts again today. While All-Ireland glory is “endgame,” other silverware is being targeted too after separate near misses in the league and Munster B championship.
Former selectors Michael Quilligan and Sean Kiely are at the helm after the departure of Graham Shine, with the majority of the group going again. Two-time All-Ireland winner Mairead Kavanagh is due back after pregnancy, while a number of talented minors have broken through.
There are no inter-county dual players in the set-up this year, with most throwing their lot in with football. Ryan herself could well have been one, though in a different discipline.
She played hockey alongside Gaelic football growing up, following in the footsteps of her mother Janet. She threw her lot in with Limerick two years ago though, amidst increasing commitments on both fronts.
“My mom would have played hockey growing up,” she says. “My brothers would have played GAA and she would have wanted her say on things so she brought me to play hockey!
“She brought me into a hockey field when I was seven or eight and then I just played all through school and college. The schools in Limerick city would all play hockey.
“I actually stopped playing Gaelic football when I was probably about 15, 16. I played hockey for Ireland for a year, so I just couldn’t commit to playing both. I loved it, it’s such a nice sport, it’s so exciting.
“It just became too much trying to play the both and now I’ve swapped again. When I left college, I came back to playing football. There’s no hockey team in my local area so it’s nice to be able to come home and play with your club friends.
“I just got the love back for football again. I’m happy with my decision, definitely.”
Ryan did an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry in University College Cork, and is now undertaking a Masters in Speech and Language Therapy closer to home in University of Limerick.
She’s preparing for her final placement at the minute, having worked in paediatrics before and is now set for a hospital or disability setting anywhere in the country, before completing her studies in May.
The Adare defender never played college football with her focus on hockey at that time, having won three caps with the Ireland U16s in 2016.
The grá remains, and she keeps a close eye on her former club Catholic Institute and the Ireland women’s national team who have captured the imagination since their stunning World Cup exploits.
“I remember watching it in a pub in Lahinch,” Ryan recalls. “The pub was full watching it and people hadn’t a clue what was going on but loved it.
“I would have played with Roisin Upton. She went to Cresent, she plays with Catholic Institute. She’s a huge idol. She has been to the Olympics and everything, which is just fascinating. She’s an incredible athlete so she’s a huge role model definitely.”
Ryan lauds another renowned Limerick figure in JP McManus. She works in Adare Manor part-time and sees the impact the billionaire beneficiary has across the local area, county and country.
Before Christmas, McManus hit the headlines when news broke that he would give every GAA county board in Ireland €1 million to be shared equally among all codes.
“It’s incredible what he does for local communities and everything,” Ryan concludes.
“That was just big profile. Under the radar, whenever we’re having fundraising events, the McManus family will always get behind what we’re doing. They are incredible to have in the country and just in your local area. The Pro-Am last summer was just incredible. I think there was about €40 million raised and all of that goes to local and national charities.
“I don’t think you can say bad words. What he does is just incredible. He puts his money where he wants, he’s donating to good causes, grassroots levels…
“Some clubs will be able to do really nice things with that money that they might not have been able to if they didn’t have access to it. It’s huge.”
