Rebel Ryan fondly recalled as giant of ladies game

TRIBUTES have been paid to former Cork ladies football manager Eamonn Ryan, who has passed away after an illness.

Ryan led the Cork ladies to 10 All-Ireland titles in 11 years between 2005 and 2015, transforming them into one of Irish sport’s finest teams, a run that was only interrupted when Dublin won in 2010. In that time they also added nine league titles.

A hugely popular figure, the 79-year-old played for the Cork footballers and was a squad member when they lost an All-Ireland final to Meath in 1967.

He managed the Cork footballers in 1983 when they ambushed the great Kerry team in the Munster final with that late Tadhg Óg Murphy goal and was in charge when the minor footballers won All-Ireland titles in 1991 and 1993.

Distinguished

But his work with the ladies is what distinguished him most, and his former player, Valerie Mulcahy, paid a rich tribute to him on ‘Game On’.

“He had such a way with words. He was so easy to listen to. His prematch chats and half-time talks were a great thing to behold. He had a lovely way about him,” she said.

“Eamonn was never pontificating or lecturing us, but he always had a nice way of telling stories, referring to others and giving us the message that way. He was a real genius in many ways, a great coach and person that we’re all very fortunate to have had the pleasure of working with.”

After stepping down as manager in 2015, Ryan returned as a selector with the Cork footballers when Peadar Healy took over in 2016.