T. J. Ryan (hurler)

T.J. Ryan
Personal information
Native name
T. S. Ó Riain (Irish)
Born (1974-05-09) 9 May 1974
Knocklong,
County Limerick, Ireland
OccupationSales director
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Sport
SportHurling
PositionLeft Corner Forward
Club
Years Club
1991–2009
 Garryspillane
Club titles
Limerick titles 1
College
Years College
 University College Galway
College titles
Fitzgibbon titles 0
Inter-county
Years County Apps (scores)
1994–2006
 Limerick 40 (5-59)
Inter-county titles
Munster titles 2
All-Irelands 0
NHL 1
All Stars 0

T. J. Ryan (born 12 November 1974) is an Irish hurling manager, selector and former player. At club level, he played with Garryspillane and at inter-county level with the Limerick senior hurling team.

Early life

Born and raised in Knocklong, County Limerick, Ryan attended the local national school.[1] He later attended the Presentation De La Salle Secondary School in Hospital and played hurling in all grades during his time there, including in the Dr Harty Cup.[2] Ryan later studied agricultural science at University College Galway and played on the university's Fitzgibbon Cup team, however, he left after two years without taking his degree.[3]

Club career

Ryan began his club career at juvenile and underage levels with the Garryspillane club. He won a Limerick U21BHC medal in 1995, when he and his brother Donie Ryan scored 2–09 in the 5–13 to 0–07 win over Monaleen in the final.[4]

By that stage, Ryan had already lined out at adult level. He was in goal when Garryspillane beat Ardagh by 4–12 to 2–07 in a replay to win the Limerick IHC title in 1990.[5] Ryan claimed a second Limerick IHC medal after a 1–10 to 0–11 win over Mungret/St Paul's in 1996.[6]

After winning the Limerick SBHC title after an extra-time defeat of Knockainey in 2004, Ryan was at wing-forward when Garryspillane won their first ever Limerick SHC in 2005, after a 2–15 to 2–12 win over Kilmallock in the final.[7] [8][9] He played his last senior club game in September 2009 in a 1-15 to 1-09 relegation play-off defeat of Tournafulla.[10]

Inter-county career

Ryan first played for Limerick during a two-year stint with the minor team. He was wing-forward when the team was beaten by Tipperary in the 1991 Munster MHC final.[11] Ryan later spent three consecutive years with the under-21 team, but ended his underage career without silverware.[12]

Ryan was just 18-years-old when he made his senior team debut in a National Hurling League game against Cork in October 1993.[13] He made his Munster SHC debut against the same opposition in June 1994. Ryan won his first Munster SHC later that year, following a 0–25 to 2–10 win over Clare.[14] He lined out at corner-forward in Limerick's 3–16 to 2–13 defeat by Offaly in the 1994 All-Ireland SHC final.[15]

Two years later, Ryan won a second Munster SHC medal after beating Tipperary by 4–07 to 0–16 in a replay. Limerick later qualified for the 1996 All-Ireland SHC final, with Ryan once again lining out at corner-forward, however, Wexford won the game by 1–13 to 0–14.[16][17] He added a National League medal to his collection in 1997.[18]

Ryan continued to line out with Limerick for much of the following decade. He served as team captain in 2004 and 2006.[19][20] Ryan announced his retirement from inter-county hurling in July 2006.[21]

Inter-provincial career

Ryan's performances at inter-county level resulted in him being selected for the Munster inter-provincial team. He won his first Railway Cup medal as a non-playing substitute in 2000, before claiming a second successive title in 2001, after lining out at corner-back in the 1-21 to 1-15 win over Connacht in the final.[22][23]

Management career

Ryan was an unsuccessful candidate for the Limerick senior team's manager post in September 2010, however, he became a selector, alongside former teammates Ciarán Carey and Pat Heffernan, under Dónal O'Grady.[24] The new management sought to restore order to the team, following on from a year in which the players went on strike and refused to play. Limerick went on to win the National Hurling League Division 2 title in 2011, following a 4–12 to 2–13 defeat of Clare in the final.[25]

The Limerick management team broke up after one year and Ryan moved to the club scene as manager of Kilworth. He guided the team to the Cork IHC title in October 2012, after a 2-15 to 2-13 win over Kanturk.[26]

Ryan was appointed manager of the Limerick under-21 team in November 2012 and spent one season in charge.[27] In November 2013, Ryan was named as the joint-manager of the Limerick senior hurling team, alongside former boss Dónal O'Grady. He took over as manager in his own right in April 2014, when O'Grady stepped away when the Limerick County Board falsely claimed at a meeting that the co-managers had "apologised for the abysmal" displays of the team during the National League.[28][29] Ryan stepped down as manager in July 2016.[30][31]

Ryan returned to club management with Garryspillane. He guided the team to the Limerick PIHC title in October 2018, after a 2–12 to 0–12 win over Bruff in the final.[32] Ryan later served as trainer of the St Thomas' team that won three consecutive Galway SHC titles between 2018 and 2020.[33]

Honours

Player

Garryspillane
Limerick
Munster

Management

Kilworth
Garryspillane
St Thomas'
Limerick

References

  1. ↑ "Limerick v Tipperary SHC preview - TJ Ryan in manager's hot seat". Limerick Live. 29 May 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  2. ↑ "Harty Cup: De La Salle Hospital out". Limerick Leader. 20 October 1990. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  3. ↑ "TJ Ryan interview: Podcasting, his playing career and intercounty management". Irish Examiner. 16 July 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  4. ↑ "Garryspillane bounce Monaleen in 21 decider". Limerick Leader. 11 November 1995. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  5. ↑ "'Bouncers prove best". Limerick Leader. 27 October 1990. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  6. ↑ "Up the bouncers after great win". Limerick Leader. 16 November 1996. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  7. ↑ "Bouncers rebound in style to land title". Irish Examiner. 30 August 2004. Retrieved 27 May 2026.
  8. ↑ "Carroll's just reward". Irish Times. 17 October 2005. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
  9. ↑ "Long wait over for Garryspillane". Irish Examiner. 17 October 2005. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
  10. ↑ "Limerick great Ryan retires". Hogan Stand website. 13 September 2009. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  11. ↑ "Barrett Tipp minors' ace". The Cork Examiner. 8 July 1991. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  12. ↑ "Cork's honour after rip-roaring clash". The Cork Examiner. 24 July 1993. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  13. ↑ "Champs shocked!". Irish Press. 18 October 1993. Retrieved 29 May 2026.
  14. ↑ "Senior hurling". Munster GAA website. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  15. ↑ "Kirby fearful over Limerick's lack of firepower". Irish Examiner. 12 June 2009. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  16. ↑ "A player-by-player guide to Wexford's All-Ireland 25 years on: 'We laughed as much as we hurled'". Irish Examiner. 1 September 2021. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
  17. ↑ "Limerck: where broken dreams are a way of life". Irish Examiner. 15 August 2009. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  18. ↑ "Limerick county final day to honour 25th anniversary of 1997 hurling league title victory". Limerick Leader. 30 October 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  19. ↑ "Captain by accident, leader by nature". Irish Examiner. 28 May 2004. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  20. ↑ "Ryan determined to learn lesson from defeat". Irish Independent. 5 May 2006. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  21. ↑ "Limerick skipper Ryan retires". Irish Examiner. 26 July 2006. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  22. ↑ "Railway Cup hurling". Munster GAA website. Retrieved 20 April 2025.
  23. ↑ "Munster deluge swamps Connacht". Irish Independent. 12 November 2001. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  24. ↑ "O'Grady gets the green light". Irish Examiner. 23 September 2010. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  25. ↑ "Limerick on the rise". Irish Independent. 1 May 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  26. ↑ O'Callaghan, Therese (15 October 2012). "Kilworth finally end years of anguish". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  27. ↑ "TJ Ryan appointed Limerick U-21 hurling boss". Limerick Leader. 15 November 2012. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  28. ↑ Moynihan, Michael (21 April 2014). "Shock for Limerick as O'Grady quits post as coach and co-manager". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  29. ↑ "TJ Ryan to stay on as Limerick manager". GAA website. 23 April 2014. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  30. ↑ "Limerick confirm they will be looking for a new hurling manager for 2017". Irish Independent. 11 July 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  31. ↑ "Banner blitz signals end for Ryan". Irish Independent. 11 July 2016. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  32. ↑ "Garryspillane get the better of Bruff in Limerick Premier IHC final". Irish Examiner. 20 October 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
  33. ↑ "TJ Ryan dismisses links with Charleville job". Irish Examiner. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2026.
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