Robert Ryan (born 23 October 1961) is an Irish former hurler. At club level he played with Borris-Ileigh and at inter-county level was a member of the Tipperary senior hurling team. Ryan captained Tipperary to the All-Ireland SHC title in 1989.

Early life

Born in Borrisoleigh, County Tipperary, Ryan was raised in a family that had a longstanding association with hurling. His father, Tim Ryan, and his uncles, Ned Ryan and Pat Stakelum, won All-Ireland SHC medals with Tipperary between 1949 and 1951.[1] Ryan attended Templemore CBS and was part of the school's senior hurling team that beat St Flannan's College to win the Dr Harty Cup title in 1978.[2] He later claimed an All-Ireland Colleges SHC medal after a 2-11 to 1-04 win over St Peter's College in the final.[3]

Club career

Ryan began his career at juvenile and underage levels with the Borris-Ileigh club before eventually progressing to adult level in 1978 as a member of the club's junior team. He claimed his first silverware in 1981 when Borris-Ileigh beat Roscrea by 1-14 to 0-12 to claim their first Tipperary SHC title in nearly 30 years.[4] Ryan collected a second winners' medal in 1983 when Borris-Ileigh reclaimed the title after a 0-17 to 1-11 defeat of Loughmore–Castleiney.[5]

After a three year hiatus, Borris-Ileigh were back as Tipperary SHC winners in 1986 with Ryan collecting a third winners' medal after the 0-14 to 0-07 win over Kilruane MacDonaghs.[6] He later added a Munster Club SHC medal to his collection after Borris-Ileigh beat Clarecastle to claim their inaugural provincial title.[7] Ryan was at left wing-back when Borris-Ileigh subsequently defeated Rathnure by 2-09 to 0-09 in the 1987 All-Ireland club final.[8]

Inter-county career

Ryan began his inter-county career with Tipperary during a two-year tenure at minor level in 1978 and 1979. He immediately progressed to the under-21 team in 1980 and ended his debut season in that grade with an All-Ireland U21HC medal after a 2-09 to 0-14 win over Kilkenny in the final.[9] It was the first of two consecutive winners' medals for Ryan, as he was also involved when Kilkenny were once again beaten in 1981.[10]

Ryan joined the senior team during the 1980-81 National League campaign. Tipperary hurling was going through a barren period for the first few years of Ryan's senior career, however, he won an All-Star award in 1986.[11] Ryan won his first Munster SHC medal after a 4-22 to 1-22 extra-time defeat of Cork in 1987.[12] He added a National Hurling League medal and a second consecutive Munster SHC medal to his collection the following year.[13] Ryan later lined out at wing-back in the 1-15 to 0-14 defeat by Galway in the 1988 All-Ireland final.[14] He ended the season with a second All-Star award.

Ryan was appointed team captain in 1989 and claimed a third successive Munster SHC medal that year. He later won his first All-Ireland SHC medal after captaining the team from centre-back to a 4-24 to 3-09 defeat of Antrim in the 1989 All-Ireland final.[15] Fox ended the season with his third All-Star award in four years.

After surrendering their titles in 1990, Ryan won a fourth Munster SHC medal in five seasons after a 4-19 to 4-15 defeat of Cork. He later claimed a second All-Ireland SHC medal after again lining out at centre-back in the 1-16 to 0-15 defeat of Kilkenny in the 1991 All-Ireland final.[16] His brother, Aidan, lined out at midfield in the victory.[17] Ryan won a fifth and final Munster SHC medal in 1993. He retired from inter-county hurling following Tipperary's defeat by Galway in the 1993 All-Ireland semi-final.

Inter-provincial career

Ryan's performances at inter-county level resulted in his selection for Munster in four Railway Cup campaigns between 1984 and 1991.[18] He claimed his first winners' medal in 1984 after Munster's 1-18 to 2-09 win over Leinster, before winning a second Railway Cup title in 1985.

Honours

Templemore CBS
Borris–Ileigh
Tipperary
Munster
Awards

References

  1. ^ O'Sullivan, Jim (5 April 2008). "Tributes pour in for Tipp legend Stakelum". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  2. ^ "'I'd be as happy as I was 39 years ago' - Tipp's Our Lady's chase Harty Cup history". The 42. 16 February 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  3. ^ "From 1978 Harty Cup final goal poacher to All-Ireland hurling winning coach". The 42. 27 March 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  4. ^ "Borris-Ileigh embraces a big day like no other Tipperary club". Irish Examiner. 5 January 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  5. ^ "Through triumph and tragedy, Borris battle on". Irish Examiner. 23 November 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  6. ^ "Talking Points: Is Tipp's north division set to become a bearpit again?". Irish Examiner. 22 October 2022. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  7. ^ "Munster final has all the ingredients for battle royale". Irish Examiner. 23 November 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  8. ^ ""We definitely didn't appreciate the extent of what we achieved at the time" - says Borris' 1987 captain Mick Ryan". Tipperary Live. 16 January 2020. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  9. ^ "Tipperary profile". Hogan Stand. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
  10. ^ "Under-21 hurling". Munster GAA website. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  11. ^ "New Book recalls Tipp's hurling famine in a different light". The Nenagh Guardian. 16 June 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  12. ^ "Famine ending trip to Killarney to be remembered 30 years on". The Nenagh Guardian. 5 July 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  13. ^ "Senior hurling". Munster GAA website. Retrieved 15 February 2025.
  14. ^ "8 classic memories from Galway and Tipperary's senior hurling championship rivalry". The 42. 14 August 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  15. ^ "Tipperary's 1989 heroes will be honoured by the GPA on the eve of this year's All-Ireland senior hurling final". Tipperary Live. 25 June 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  16. ^ "Rivalry seeking renaissance". Irish Independent. 17 August 2002. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  17. ^ "Ryan family". Hogan Stand. 30 August 1991. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
  18. ^ "Railway Cup Hurling". Munster GAA website. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Ryan_(hurler)
No tags for this post.