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ROAD TO CROKER: Calmness in face of Limerick storm

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(From left) Colin Ryan; selector Louis Mulqueen; Clare captain Pat Donnellan.

Colin Ryan is savouring the atmosphere of an All-Ireland semi-final on both sides of the border, writes Peter O’Connell

 

 

TEACHING maths at Salesian College in Pallaskenry, Clare free-taker Colin Ryan is accustomed to making immediate deductions. Place him in front of a media gathering at the All-Ireland semi-final press night and the Newmarket man displays the calmness of thought required in the classroom and when standing over crucial frees. Eloquent and not afraid to give vent to his informed opinion, Ryan isn’t likely to lend a motivational headline to Limerick either.

Supporters might not be so circumspect with their views, however, particularly given the links between the competing counties.

“They’re only in the road. I’m sure there’ll be great craic going up on the train on Sunday. Limerick won’t be long letting the Clare supporters know that they’re Munster champions but it’s nice for supporters to be able to go up and share the experience together. Rivalry is rivalry but I suppose it’s all talk. It’s when it goes out on the field is when it matters,” Ryan suggests.

He feels Clare’s quarter-final win over Galway banished any linger doubt that Clare are progressing nicely.

“We knew going into the Galway game that we needed a performance because we hadn’t had that big performance in a big game. It was my first All-Ireland quarter-final and Brendan (Buglar) and Pat (Donnellan) had only played in one. So it was nice to get that result and get that monkey off our back, just like winning against Waterford earlier in the year did in Munster. We’re building a bit of momentum and that’s all you can ask this time of year,” he maintained.

An All-Ireland U-21 medallist in 2009, when he shot ten points in the final win over Kilkenny, Ryan cannot easily explain why it took Clare so long to evolve at senior level.

“Some years things go your way and sometimes they don’t. You can blame people but at the end of the day we probably weren’t good enough. Galway had a year like that this year where things didn’t go their way after getting to an All-Ireland final last year. So you can’t be too hard on yourself. You just have to take the opportunities when they come. Some lads it happens for quicker than others and some teams it happens for quicker than others.

“It’s very hard to put your finger on what was wrong. You could say leadership, workrate or whatever you want. You can blame a load of different things as to why it didn’t happen but when it does happen, you have to really take the opportunity. It mightn’t come around too often,” he notes, adding it is senior medals that resonate most.

“U-21 success and minor success is great. At the time you probably think it’s the best thing ever but I’m sure if we were to come home with the Liam McCarthy, it would be the best thing ever. You play hurling to win an All-Ireland, it’s as simple as that. We’ll trying our best to get there,” Ryan adds.

He acknowledges that Galway did not perform to their 2012 level against Clare in Thurles but feels the three remaining counties will not fear each other this month or next.

“You still have to beat what’s in front of you. It’s very hard to gauge where you’re at but the teams that are left in it have all beaten each other over the last couple of years. It’s nice to be in that position where you’re going in with confidence that you can beat the team. It’s not some team that you haven’t beaten in ten years. It’s great for hurling and it’s refreshing to see what has happened this year,” Ryan says.

As one of the county’s key men, Colin Ryan is in a good position to talk about Davy Fitzgerald and his management style.

“Love him or hate him and that’s what the Clare supporters do, there’s no in between, Davy is a passionate Clare man. He’s doing everything possible to make it possible for us. He’s a great person, a great leader and it’s great to have him on our side. People can say what they like. Davy goes out and sets us up in a way that we try and win. We all believe in that. They said Jim McGuinness was wrong until Donegal won an All-Ireland. Opinions change very quickly when you win,” Ryan suggests.

He insists players make their own decisions on the field. “You can’t tie down those young lads. You can’t tell them to hurl in a specific way. I’m sure Davy didn’t tell Podge Collins to handpass the ball behind his back. The lads go out and hurl with freedom. Fair enough there are systems in place but when you have the ball, you still have to make decisions yourself on the field,” Ryan points out.

Calm and reasonable in front of a dictaphone, Clare will be looking for exactly that type of return from Colin Ryan and his colleagues from 3.30pm on Sunday. Well, definitely the calm element. Reason may not come into it when Clare and Limerick are at full throttle.

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