TJ RYAN ADOPTED the Steven Gerrard mantra – ‘we go again’ – after yesterday’s pulsating win for his Limerick team in the Munster hurling semi-final.
Ryan’s first championship day out as Limerick senior hurling manager unfolded like a dream as he saw his team snatch glory with a late scoring spree.
But Ryan shifted his post-match focus to the final on July 13th as he sought to calm the celebratory mood that engulfed their camp. Borrowing a line from the Liverpool captain helped him make his point.
“We’ll go back to the training ground now. We go again. It’s a bit like Liverpool! There’s going to be a week’s break for a round of the club championship. After that we’ll have a three-week lead in to a Munster final which I’m looking forward to already.
“Look, it’s good for Limerick hurling and the record in Thurles, going back to ’73 or whatever, it was always going to be difficult. Tipp, in fairness to them, have a fantastic team as well and I admire their forwards.
“I seen them in the League semi-final and League final. They are a good side and I suppose, from our point of view, to beat them today is sweet, no doubt about it.”
It’s been a tumultuous introduction to inter-county senior management for Ryan with his managerial sidekick Donal O’Grady departing in April while the league did not yield the promotion prize that Limerick craved. But Ryan saluted the Limerick players for their response to him.
“When the shenanigans started a number of weeks ago it was easy to say it was a kind of a Limerick thing. But in fairness to the lads they kept their powder dry, they didn’t say anything and they gave me a great response and I’ll be forever indebted to them for that.
“The response of my players and to my management teams who have put in a huge effort over the last number of weeks all I can say is a big thank you to them.”
And Ryan hailed the character of his players as they demonstrated just why they were crowned Munster champions last year.
“We were maybe going on about it for the last couple of weeks the fact that we were still Munster champions and that crown was still with us. Maybe people had dismissed it, even some of ye here – I’m talking about Tipp and Clare Munster finals and stuff.
“The lads took that and defending champions in all sports are usually hard to beat. We brought that to the table. Winning takes talent, which the lads showed last year; repeating it takes character. I thought we showed tremendous character.”
