Gearóid Ryan

Gearóid Ryan
Personal information
Irish nameGearóid Ó Riain
SportHurling
PositionRight Half Forward
Born26 August 1988
Nenagh, Ireland
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
OccupationPlumber
Club(s)
YearsClub
2005-Templederry Kenyons
Inter-county(ies)
YearsCountyApps (scores)
2009-Tipperary22 (2-23)
Inter-county titles
Munster titles2
All-Irelands1
NHL0
All Stars0

Gearóid Ryan (born 26 August 1988) is an Irish hurler who currently plays as a midfielder for the Tipperary senior team.[1]

Ryan made his first appearance for the team during the 2009 National League and has become a regular player over the last few seasons. During that time he has won one All-Ireland winners' medals and two Munster winners' medals. He has ended up as an All-Ireland runner-up on one occasion.

At club level Ryan is a one-time county intermediate championship medalist with Templederry Kenyons.[2]

Playing career

Club

Ryan plays his club hurling with the Templederry Kenyons club and has enjoyed much success.

In 2008 the club claimed the North Tipperary title following a 0-17 to 1-10 defeat of Newport. It was Ryan's first silverware with the club. The Kenyons club later reached the county intermediate championship decider where Newport provided the opposition once again. The result was simlilar with Ryan adding a county intermediate title to his collection following a five-point victory.[3] Ryan finished off the year by collecting a North Tipperary under-21 title.[4]

Minor, intermediate and under-21

Ryan first came to prominence on the inter-county scene as a member of the Tipperary minor hurling team in 2005.[5] He enjoyed little success in his debut season, however, Tipperary reached the All-Ireland decider via the "back-door" in 2006. Three-in-a-row hopefuls Galway provided the opposition, however, Tipp powered to 2–18 to 2–7 victory.[6] It was Ryan's sole All-Ireland medal in that grade.

Ryan subsequently joined the Tipperary under-21 team. He won a Munster medal in this grade in his debut season following a controversial one-point defeat of Clare. Tipp later reached the All-Ireland, however, Ryan's side were defeated by Kilkenny.[7]

Ryan also enjoyed two unsuccessful seasons with the Tipperary intermediate hurling team.[8][9]

Senior

Ryan made his senior competitive debut for Tipperary in a National Hurling League game against Cork in 2009. He made his championship debut against the same opposition later that same season, however, he remained on the periphery of the team.

By 2010 Ryan made his way onto the Tipperary starting fifteen. After losing to Cork in the first round of the championship, Tipperray regrouped in the qualifiers and went on to reach a second successive All-Ireland decider. Kilkenny, a team chasing an unprecedented fifth successive championship, provided the opposition and a great game was expected. Tipperary got off to a great start which was bolstered by an early Lar Corbett goal. He subsequently completed a hat-trick of goals and Tipperary had a fourth by Noel McGrath to deny Kilkenny's drive-for-five and secure a remarkable and convincing 4-17 to 1-18 victory.[10] It was Ryan's first All-Ireland winners' medal.

Tipperary returned as provincial kingpins once again in 2011. A 7-19 to 0-19 trouncing of Waterford in the southern decider gave Ryan his first Munster medal.[11] For the third successive year, Tipperary faced off against Kilkenny in the All-Ireland final, however, on this occasion Kilkenny were slight underdogs going up against the new champions. Kilkenny started quickly and never surrendered the lead in the 2-17 to 1-16 victory.[12]

In spite of an indifferent National League campaign, Tipperary were regarded as potential All-Ireland champions once again. A 2-17 to 0-16 defeat of Waterford in the provincial decider gave Ryan a second successive Munster medal.[13] Tipperary later faced a humiliating 4-24 to 1-15 defeat by eventual champions Kilkenny in the All-Ireland semi-final.[14]

Honours

Team

Templederry-Kenyons
Tipperary

References

  1. ↑ "Senior Hurling Panel". Tipperary GAA website. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  2. ↑ "My Club and i: Geroid Ryan". GAA.ie. 25 September 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  3. ↑ "Hurling History". Templederry Kenyons GAA website. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
  4. ↑ "Battling Templederry Shock Champions". Tipperary Star. 2008-11-24. Retrieved 7 September 2010.
  5. ↑ "Minor team named". Hogan Stand website. 30 March 2005. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  6. ↑ "Tipp break Galway hearts in MHC final". RTÉ Sport. 3 September 2006. Retrieved 3 November 2008.
  7. ↑ "RTÉ Sport: Kilkenny 2-13 Tipperary 0-15". RTÉ Sport. 15 September 2008. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  8. ↑ "Tipp intermediate side named". Hogan Stand website. 5 June 2007. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  9. ↑ "Tipp name IHC side". Hogan Stand website. 22 July 2008. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  10. ↑ "RTÉ Sport: Tipperary 4-17 Kilkenny 1-18". RTÉ Sport. 5 September 2010. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  11. ↑ "Tipp show appetite for destruction". Irish Times. 10 July 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  12. ↑ "RTÉ Sport: Kilkenny 2-17 Tipperary 1-16". RTÉ Sport. 4 September 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
  13. ↑ Clerkin, Malachy (16 July 2012). "Clinical Tipperary complete first task". Irish Times. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  14. ↑ Moran, Seán (30 August 2012). "Kilkenny trample over Tipp tradition". Irish Times. Retrieved 30 October 2012.