FORMER WEXFORD FOOTBALLER Matty Forde is thinking back over his inter-county career, and his mind settles on a memory from the 2008 season.
It’s the Division 3 final against Fermanagh, and the game has gone to extra-time in Parnell Park. Wexford, chasing their first major senior title since 1945, have a new manager, Waterford man Jason Ryan.
As the break of extra-time arrives, Forde finds himself battling a crisis of confidence. He was happy with his performance in the first half of regulation play but, by his standards, he feels his form abandoned him in the second half.
Ryan notices that his marquee forward is in distress and comes over to put out the fire.
“Just get your hands on the ball,” he says, offering Wexford’s 2004 All-Star a boost to take into the second half of extra-time.
And with those words propping him up, Forde goes on to kick four points to bring his final tally to 1-7 in a 3-15 to 0-20 victory for Wexford.
It gets even better as the year progresses. In Ryan’s first year at the wheel, Wexford go on to contest the Leinster final for the first time since 1956 and finish the season as All-Ireland semi-finalists. Their first in 63 years.
Matty Forde celebrates scoring a goal during the Division 3 final against Fermanagh in 2008. Morgan Treacy / INPHO
Morgan Treacy / INPHO / INPHO
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Forde first spotted his former manager in Ballygunner colours last November, guiding them to victory against Éire Óg Ennis of Clare in the Munster final. He didn’t realise that Ryan was in charge of one of the best club hurling teams, but wasn’t surprised to see him running the line either.
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Like many relationships forged through sport, communication has faded over the years, with just the odd message flowing over and back between them. But Forde has never forgotten Ryan’s influence on his career and continues to hold him in high regard.
And since Ryan lives close to the Ballygunner grounds, he can see why the 12-in-a-row Waterford champions would turn to him in their quest to add a second senior All-Ireland to their 2022 success.
“If he’s living in the parish, you’d be mad not to avail that kind of knowledge and expertise,” says Forde.
Ryan was just 31 when he was named as the Wexford football manager for the 2008 campaign. He had just managed the Clongeen club to their first-ever Wexford senior title, and word quickly spread about his effective mentoring style.
But Ryan was a rookie at this level, and still playing football for Waterford in 2007. Nervous about the impending step-up in grade, he chose to meet the Wexford players individually rather than as a collective.
However, Forde and Ryan already knew each other. Sort of. They had recently faced each other on the pitch while representing their respective counties. The league meeting between Wexford and Waterford the previous year would become a humorous memory between the two.
“We lost to them in 2007 down in Dungarvan,” Forde says explaining further, “And he was playing. I remember laughing with him in the years after that we don’t even remember him playing.”
The timing of Ryan’s appointment was crucial for Forde who was considering his future with the Wexford footballers at the time. He was struggling with injuries and felt a decline in his performances since making his senior bow in 1999.
Matty Forde after scoring a goal against Armagh in the 2008 All-Ireland SFC quarter-final. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Forde can’t recall the particulars of his individual meeting with Ryan. He didn’t see a Leinster final against Dublin in their future, nor could he imagine contesting the All-Ireland semi-final with eventual champions Tyrone.
Scoring 1-5 in a man-of-the-match display against Armagh in the All-Ireland quarter-final probably didn’t seem within reach either. And yet, Ryan made that all possible.
Almost 20 years on from that conversation, it’s the enthusiasm in Ryan’s demeanour that Forde remembers above all else.
“He’s the most enthusiastic person at training every night. It’s one thing I try to take from him doing my own bit of coaching. At whatever level it is, you need to be the first one there. You need to be the most enthusiastic. If you’re coming in a bit down in the mouth, lads will see that.
“He’s literally buzzing around the place the whole time, it just never stops. You add in all his coaching knowledge, his coaching experience, his attention to detail is just unbelievable.
“He’d nearly tell you what they [the opposition] had for breakfast.”
To illustrate that point further, Forde references a club game with his side Kilanerin from around 2015 or 2016. Ryan is a well travelled manager who has fulfilled roles at club and inter-county level. And on this occasion, he was leading the line for Forde’s opponents Taghmon-Camross.
“He was roaring on the sideline from minute one to minute 60. He never stopped.
“He just encouraged lads the whole time. We beat them that day. He came over after the match and shook hands. I said, ‘Jeez, I didn’t even realise you were here, I never heard a thing out of ya.’ He just started laughing.”
****
Jason Ryan celebrates after Ballygunner's Munster final win over Éire Óg Ennis. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
Ballygunner are a dominant side at county and provincial level, winning four of the last five senior Munster titles, and six in total. But despite their obvious strength, All-Ireland senior glory has not followed to the same extent.
The semi-final stage has proven particularly tricky. Prior to Ryan’s arrival, the club had lost four out of their five All-Ireland semi-finals. It’s a run that stretches back to 2002 when they lost to Galway’s Clarinbridge. Kilkenny’s Ballyhale Shamrocks defeated them twice in 2019 and 2022 while another Galway team, St Thomas,’ had their number in 2023.
Ballygunner’s only green tick in an All-Ireland semi-final was against Derry’s Slaughtneil in January 2022 on the way to mounting the summit for the first time.
Under Ryan’s watch, Ballygunner shook off that semi-final hoodoo last month when they overpowered St Martin’s of Wexford in the second half, returning to Croke Park with a nine-point win.
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Ryan pictured with Kieran McGeeney in 2013. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Already, Forde can see where his former manager is applying the finishing touches that Ballygunner have been missing.
“If you’re going into a team that’s perennial losers, then the only way is up. But here’s a team that’s on the cusp of winning an All-Ireland most years, [and] he has to see himself as being the difference in that.
“You don’t need to change things massively. There’s a couple of little tweaks here and there, but it’s just adding a little bit to it. I think he’s proven that already, regardless of what happens this weekend.”
Ryan took over Ballygunner on the back of two years with the Wexford hurlers, working under manager Keith Rossiter. And that’s just a flavour of his impressive coaching CV. Along with his five years managing the Wexford footballers, he also worked with Kildare under Kieran McGeeney before later taking over as manager. The Cork footballers brought him in on a consultancy basis.
Away from GAA, he served a term with Wexford Youths as a strength and conditioning coach under Shane Keegan.
Many GAA clubs across hurling and football have turned to Ryan at different stages too. All-Ireland success in Croke Park this weekend would be a significant milestone moment for him. But it’s also just the latest step in a career that continues to leave a lasting impression.
“He’s so into learning and evolving,” says Forde who remains thankful for the lasting impression that Ryan left on his time with Wexford.
“He has a wealth of experience at this stage. He’s someone that’s certainly not going to sit on his laurels and think that whatever he did last year was going to be good enough this year.
“I think if he’s in Ballygunner again next year, and I don’t doubt he will be, I think you’ll see probably evolving again.”
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The well travelled manager chasing All-Ireland glory after a lifetime of never standing still
FORMER WEXFORD FOOTBALLER Matty Forde is thinking back over his inter-county career, and his mind settles on a memory from the 2008 season.
It’s the Division 3 final against Fermanagh, and the game has gone to extra-time in Parnell Park. Wexford, chasing their first major senior title since 1945, have a new manager, Waterford man Jason Ryan.
As the break of extra-time arrives, Forde finds himself battling a crisis of confidence. He was happy with his performance in the first half of regulation play but, by his standards, he feels his form abandoned him in the second half.
Ryan notices that his marquee forward is in distress and comes over to put out the fire.
“Just get your hands on the ball,” he says, offering Wexford’s 2004 All-Star a boost to take into the second half of extra-time.
And with those words propping him up, Forde goes on to kick four points to bring his final tally to 1-7 in a 3-15 to 0-20 victory for Wexford.
It gets even better as the year progresses. In Ryan’s first year at the wheel, Wexford go on to contest the Leinster final for the first time since 1956 and finish the season as All-Ireland semi-finalists. Their first in 63 years.
****
Forde first spotted his former manager in Ballygunner colours last November, guiding them to victory against Éire Óg Ennis of Clare in the Munster final. He didn’t realise that Ryan was in charge of one of the best club hurling teams, but wasn’t surprised to see him running the line either.
Like many relationships forged through sport, communication has faded over the years, with just the odd message flowing over and back between them. But Forde has never forgotten Ryan’s influence on his career and continues to hold him in high regard.
And since Ryan lives close to the Ballygunner grounds, he can see why the 12-in-a-row Waterford champions would turn to him in their quest to add a second senior All-Ireland to their 2022 success.
“If he’s living in the parish, you’d be mad not to avail that kind of knowledge and expertise,” says Forde.
Ryan was just 31 when he was named as the Wexford football manager for the 2008 campaign. He had just managed the Clongeen club to their first-ever Wexford senior title, and word quickly spread about his effective mentoring style.
But Ryan was a rookie at this level, and still playing football for Waterford in 2007. Nervous about the impending step-up in grade, he chose to meet the Wexford players individually rather than as a collective.
However, Forde and Ryan already knew each other. Sort of. They had recently faced each other on the pitch while representing their respective counties. The league meeting between Wexford and Waterford the previous year would become a humorous memory between the two.
“We lost to them in 2007 down in Dungarvan,” Forde says explaining further, “And he was playing. I remember laughing with him in the years after that we don’t even remember him playing.”
The timing of Ryan’s appointment was crucial for Forde who was considering his future with the Wexford footballers at the time. He was struggling with injuries and felt a decline in his performances since making his senior bow in 1999.
Forde can’t recall the particulars of his individual meeting with Ryan. He didn’t see a Leinster final against Dublin in their future, nor could he imagine contesting the All-Ireland semi-final with eventual champions Tyrone.
Scoring 1-5 in a man-of-the-match display against Armagh in the All-Ireland quarter-final probably didn’t seem within reach either. And yet, Ryan made that all possible.
Almost 20 years on from that conversation, it’s the enthusiasm in Ryan’s demeanour that Forde remembers above all else.
“He’s the most enthusiastic person at training every night. It’s one thing I try to take from him doing my own bit of coaching. At whatever level it is, you need to be the first one there. You need to be the most enthusiastic. If you’re coming in a bit down in the mouth, lads will see that.
“He’s literally buzzing around the place the whole time, it just never stops. You add in all his coaching knowledge, his coaching experience, his attention to detail is just unbelievable.
“He’d nearly tell you what they [the opposition] had for breakfast.”
To illustrate that point further, Forde references a club game with his side Kilanerin from around 2015 or 2016. Ryan is a well travelled manager who has fulfilled roles at club and inter-county level. And on this occasion, he was leading the line for Forde’s opponents Taghmon-Camross.
“He was roaring on the sideline from minute one to minute 60. He never stopped.
“He just encouraged lads the whole time. We beat them that day. He came over after the match and shook hands. I said, ‘Jeez, I didn’t even realise you were here, I never heard a thing out of ya.’ He just started laughing.”
****
Ballygunner are a dominant side at county and provincial level, winning four of the last five senior Munster titles, and six in total. But despite their obvious strength, All-Ireland senior glory has not followed to the same extent.
The semi-final stage has proven particularly tricky. Prior to Ryan’s arrival, the club had lost four out of their five All-Ireland semi-finals. It’s a run that stretches back to 2002 when they lost to Galway’s Clarinbridge. Kilkenny’s Ballyhale Shamrocks defeated them twice in 2019 and 2022 while another Galway team, St Thomas,’ had their number in 2023.
Ballygunner’s only green tick in an All-Ireland semi-final was against Derry’s Slaughtneil in January 2022 on the way to mounting the summit for the first time.
Under Ryan’s watch, Ballygunner shook off that semi-final hoodoo last month when they overpowered St Martin’s of Wexford in the second half, returning to Croke Park with a nine-point win.
Already, Forde can see where his former manager is applying the finishing touches that Ballygunner have been missing.
“If you’re going into a team that’s perennial losers, then the only way is up. But here’s a team that’s on the cusp of winning an All-Ireland most years, [and] he has to see himself as being the difference in that.
“You don’t need to change things massively. There’s a couple of little tweaks here and there, but it’s just adding a little bit to it. I think he’s proven that already, regardless of what happens this weekend.”
Ryan took over Ballygunner on the back of two years with the Wexford hurlers, working under manager Keith Rossiter. And that’s just a flavour of his impressive coaching CV. Along with his five years managing the Wexford footballers, he also worked with Kildare under Kieran McGeeney before later taking over as manager. The Cork footballers brought him in on a consultancy basis.
Away from GAA, he served a term with Wexford Youths as a strength and conditioning coach under Shane Keegan.
Many GAA clubs across hurling and football have turned to Ryan at different stages too. All-Ireland success in Croke Park this weekend would be a significant milestone moment for him. But it’s also just the latest step in a career that continues to leave a lasting impression.
“He’s so into learning and evolving,” says Forde who remains thankful for the lasting impression that Ryan left on his time with Wexford.
“He has a wealth of experience at this stage. He’s someone that’s certainly not going to sit on his laurels and think that whatever he did last year was going to be good enough this year.
“I think if he’s in Ballygunner again next year, and I don’t doubt he will be, I think you’ll see probably evolving again.”
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GAA Gaelic Football Hurling insight Jason Ryan Matty Forde Wexford GAA