NEWS FILTERED THROUGH over the long weekend that legendary manager Michael Ryan had stepped down from the Ballymacarbry ladies football helm.
It was a case of 40-in-a-row and out — the Waterford powerhouse having secured a simply remarkable 40th consecutive senior county title last November.
One of the most successful managers in the game, Ryan has been a cornerstone of Ballymac ladies football since first taking charge back in 1975. Across several spells, he led the team to 10 All-Irelands, 14 Munster titles and countless county championships.
His most recent stint saw him come in as a selector in 2018, before taking the managerial reins once again for the past two seasons.
“I’ve been back four years and I felt that they needed a new voice,” the former Waterford and Westmeath hurling manager told WLR’s Lár Na Pairce show. “I probably needed to step away from it myself, there’s a certain amount of time you can give with players.”
Ryan, who will remain in charge of The Nire footballers and the Fourmilewater hurlers in 2022, while also serving as a selector with the Waterford U20 hurlers under Gary O’Keeffe, hailed “a fantastic bunch of players” as he bid farewell, with Mike Guiry taking over as manager and John Phelan also playing a key role.
“I think it’s for the betterment of everybody. They probably needed a new voice and I needed to step back from it as well. It’s a win-win all round.”
The tributes poured in from near and far, and they’re still coming.
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A sincere thanks from all in Ballymac LGFC to Michael for his commitment & contribution over not only the last 4 years, but since his first involvement in 1975 - a central figure in the club’s success since then & in building the club to what it is today. 👏🏼 https://t.co/NRhYvR3bbO
— Ballymacarbry LGFC (@BallymacLGFC) March 18, 2022
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Two of Ballymac’s stars, Lauren Fitzpatrick and Karen McGrath, are more than happy to take a trip down memory lane. The stories and anecdotes come flooding back before the next chapter begins.
Neither can say enough good things about the man, who has managed countless teams in each code and every level across the length and breadth of the country.
“Anyone that’s in ladies football circles knows how much of a well-respected figure Michael is, both in the club and on the national scene,” McGrath, the current Waterford captain, begins.
“That kind of comes from looking at his roll of honour in sport. He’s been involved with Waterford and Ballymac ladies over the years. It’s hard not to admire him.
“When you look back, he was manager at Waterford when they won the five All-Irelands back in the ’90s and manager of the club when we won our 10 All-Irelands back in the late ’80s and ’90s, and all the Munster titles that came with that.
“Look, he’s been a huge part of the club and why we’re one of the most successful clubs in the country at the minute.”
“As a player when you’re under him, you can see that he’s so passionate about football, and you can feel that when you’re down training,” she continues. “The way he speaks and the way he drives you on and pushes you on to be better.
“He’s the type of person that when he talks, everyone stops and listens, and you really want to take his advice on board and to try and implement what he says.
“You really believe that what he’s telling you is going to make you a better player. He’s brilliant.
“He’s a massive credit to the club and while he’s after stepping away as manager and won’t be with us in the dressing room, I’ve no doubt that he’s still going to be at every game that we play and that we’re going to hear his words of encouragement and support coming from the stands because that’s just the type of person he is. He lives and breathes the GAA.”
That’s how Fitzpatrick, Ballymac’s 2021 captain and Tipperary goalkeeper, will always think of Ryan: a permanent fixture around the club, playing a pivotal role across the board going back years.
As she reminisces, she remembers when she started out playing, Ryan was “helping out”, whether that be overseeing drills, offering bits and pieces of advice, or simply collecting cones.
“He was a figure you’d stop and you’d listen to,” she says, echoing her team-mates’ words. “I remember being young in training, he was this voice and you’d kind of be in awe of it really. As a team even, everyone just listened to everything he said, [hung] on every word.
“Trainings were fantastic, it was never anything too hard or too complicated. Drills were simple, they were easy drills, done fast and done without mistakes. That’s what he emphasised with us: if we can do it fast, without mistakes and do the simple things right, that was the key.
“I just remember during those drills – and no disrespect to any other management or anything – you’d just go full tilt because you wanted to impress him, you knew that he was watching. Everyone was in awe of him.”
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McGrath remembers being in awe from a young age, too.
Her older sister, Michelle, played under Ryan at club and county level, and she recalls him as a mainstay when she went along to the matches with her parents.
“You’d always associate Michael with Ballymacarbry ladies football club and Waterford ladies football. Like I said, he’s so passionate. He demands high standards and demands that you give it all to the game. He wants you to do the best that you can, for yourself and the club.
“It just comes from his love of the game and he just wants you to love it as much as he does and to be as good as you can be. As a club, we look back a lot on our history and the tradition of football in the club and Michael had such a massive part to play in that. When you think of one, you think of the other: it’s Ballymacarbry ladies football and it’s Michael Ryan.”
Move the clock forward, and McGrath recalls Ryan as a spectator in the crowd at Waterford games she played in at Fraher Field and WIT. “He’s genuinely the one voice you can always hear shouting advice from the sidelines,” she laughs.
“He wouldn’t have even been involved in the team set-up there but he was always there, he just had that distinct voice and was always shouting in really good directions.
“I’d say if Michael shouted in at me to take off my football boots in the middle of the game, I’d probably do it because I’m like, ‘Okay, Michael knows, this is going to make me play better somehow!’ You know that kind of way.
“You take everything he says for Gospel and look, it’s just the type of person that he is. He’s just so knowledgeable about the game.”
No matter his role or title, nothing changed. Whether manager, coach, selector or spectator; he always gives 110%.
Crucially, he also treats one and all the same – girls and boys, men and women, young and old, insiders and outsiders. The father of three top players through the years in Michelle, Louise and Sinéad, Ryan left family life off the field too.
“He’s just been brilliant, as a manager to younger players and the older players,” Fitzpatrick beams. “He’s a very approachable man.
“If there’s anything you’d ever want to improve in your game, he’d be the first person you’d go to speak to because he’d tell you exactly what to do and what you needed to do. He’s great craic as well to have around.”
“He places a big emphasis on having fun and having a bit of craic as well,” McGrath nods.
“While he can be quite serious and will really drive you to be successful, he has that really good balance of bringing everyone together and having a bit of a laugh and the craic at training as well, which is so important.”
***
Fitzpatrick perhaps puts it best when she labels Ryan’s departure “bittersweet” for the entire team. Their experiences with him on and off the field have been nothing but positive, and that shows in the heartfelt words uttered through this article.
“He will be sorely missed around the place, just his presence alone and obviously his football brain is great as well. He probably has given everything he can to us and fair play to him for acknowledging that.
“Probably at the time when he had spoken to us and voiced his opinion on his way forward, maybe we didn’t see it that way. But to be fair to him, maybe he’s right. After a long time to be involved with a team, maybe a fresh voice is needed.
“That bit of continuity is there with with Mike and John, they were a part of Michael’s backroom team last year so it is nice to have that bit of normality there as well, and hopefully this new voice will drive us on and bring us that little step further.
“But I do think that everything Michael has done for the club is why we’re where we’re at. That can’t be forgotten as well. He has been fantastic to the football club as a whole, as far back as when it began. We owe him a lot and we’re forever grateful for that. I hope that we can go on and do him proud as a supporter now.”
Change is good at times, and McGrath too accepts that, impressed with the “whole new dynamic” Phelan, in particular, has brought into the group.
But Ryan’s influence will never be forgotten.
“Look, I’m sure it was a very difficult decision for Michael to step away from it,” she concludes.
“It’s probably hard for him to maybe take that step back. But look, he’s involved with men’s teams and all that kind of stuff, training The Nire, the men’s club at home as well, I’d say he was just gone every evening of the year last year between everything.
“Look, he owes the club absolutely nothing and everyone in the club massively respects his decision. And sure look, if he was ever to change his mind again, we’ll welcome him back with open arms!
“But we’re left in very capable hands with Mike and John, they were there with Michael last year and they know us inside out as well at this stage. So hopefully now we can kick on with the two lads this year.”
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Loughnane is a clown. He thinks Galway are better than what they are. Kilkenny are just pure savages and will more than likely win another all Ireland
You have to match them for work rate, general physicality and some sneaky pulling and dragging, haven’t a hope otherwise
An article about Ollie Canning Galway hurling and Loughnane and you’ve to get your usual dig at “sneaky” Kilkenny
You’ll find I was responding to a comment on the Kilkenny game
The difference is Loughnane has a couple of Celtic crosses in his back pocket, what has Ollie?
To be fair Ollie has enough medals in his back pocket. All Ireland minor, U21 not to mention four club All Irelands.
As a manager
There are many in limerick, Waterford, Galway and Clare with underage titles, how many have the Celtic cross holy Grail tho?
Even less as a manager
A stop you clown, Loughnane has no all Ireland , two national leagues, when did you see him win an all Ireland ? My little fingies would be wore out typing what Ollie has won, so get your facts straight before you wade into that pathetic attention seeking nobody’s defence…
For managing not playing, I’d be more inclined to listen to what Ollie says Ger feels the need to be controversial to keep himself at the frontline of punditry, and in fairness to Ollie he was decent as well I’m sure you’ll agree
Ollie was class and has prob been more effective than his starry younger bro is turning out. Still doesn’t change that in terms of winning senior all Ireland’s Ger has walked the walk on the biggest stage of all which is what we’re talking about. Of course Ger is being outspoken and controversial, that’s the media game, I certainly find him more interesting to listen to than Ollie
Best corner back of the last 20 or so years & 3 club All Ireland’s that’s what. It’s not his fault he hasn’t won an All Ireland with the county, just like it’s not Ciarán McDonald’s fault he hasn’t either. Doesn’t make them any less as players
Doesn’t diminish the success loughnane had with a county that hadn’t won it in well over half a century, whatever way you cut it you can’t take that away from him. Both Ollie and Galway have had a lot of success at all levels, except the ultimate one that counts and its not like Ollie was playing for Laois
At the risk of repeating myself, Loughnane, has no all Ireland in his sweaty little paws, how hard is that to understand , none . Nil, zero…
How many all Ireland’s has Cody won with Kilkenny so?
Cody is a genius powerhouse for masterminding all Ireland’s but no other manager has won all Ireland’s?
When did he win an All Ireland?
He couldn’t even win Munster and it wasn’t as if he hadn’t enough opportunities.
He choked about 12 times and blamed Biddy from Glenroe or something like that.
This Cody obsession is really getting to you isn’t it, I’d reckon though he’d never say he’s won more AIs than the ones he won on the actual field of play, which is more than the ones you reckon ger has
An Beal Bocht. To answer your question, Brian Cody has 1 minor, 2 U21, 3 senior and 2 club all Ireland’s. He also has 2 national league medals and 2 all stars. If you asked him what he’d won he’d focus on that and not the 11 all Ireland’s as manager. I’d say he sickens your hole
Wasn’t canning on that galway team that loughnane would have been involved with
Ya, the famous ” I’ll win an all Ireland in two years ” foot in mouth episode, then trained them for the Galway plate , enough said .
Thought he was one of the portumna players that walked out in Loughnane’s first year because of some club level county championship drama
Ollie wasn’t playing so he would hardly be taking it personal and surely to Christ a man who played with his county for many years and with distinction is allowed to comment on what’s said
No-one said he can’t comment, doesn’t mean he will always be right or that everyone has to agree with it
Cody needs to retire and give the rest of us a chance.
Using terms like ‘gutless’ is bad form I think, I don’t think you have to stoop to words like that to describe any team
21 and 19 years since Loughnane won those titles as manager, and he’s achieved nothing in the game sine then. I for one find it hard to take him seriously as a pundit. He’s a bit like Dunphy with the soccer: was fairly on the ball once upon a time, and still occasionally entertaining, but mainly just a grump with outdated axes to grind.
So you’re saying the Galway players don’t deserve criticism?
Of course they can be criticised. Fair criticism. Wrong tactics. Poor performances ect ect… did he call Dublin players gutless after Killkenny gave them a trimming? Or said it about any other team that have lost to a Cody team in the last decade? And his comments about Micheal Donohoe were bordering on the ridiculous. Not every manager needs to act like Davy Fitz or Cody, Jim Galvin for Dublin being a prime example.
Am not saying the galway players don’t deserve some criticism or questioning. Just saying Loughnane can be a bit of a looper on how he goes about it, with them or any other team.
It’s the media, you’re trying to sell copy, Ollie is getting paid well by Sky isn’t he so he serves him also to get involved
When Loughnane took over Galway he demanded that no one else run against him. Says it all about his arrogance. Galway are bad but the Galway GAA community weren’t too gutless a few years ago when they rallied around him with his illness.
Of course he’s got some arrogance, some of the most successful players and managers exude a certain arrogance
I think he is a clown but he is a GAA man and I’d rally around him again if he got sick.
Are you seriously saying Loughnane’s couple of All Ireland’s as a manager standing on the sideline is better that Ollie Cannings three Club All Ireland’s won on the field??? And as a result puts him in a better position to comment on Galway hurling…
Looks like Ollie can’t take much to criticism.
He’s right tho. Players aren’t gutless Kilkenny are simply Kilkenny. Anyone will have a job to beat them. They dismantled dublin in a more ruthless fashion then Galway. The problem is teams trying to match the physicality of Kilkenny. You can’t therefore match the work rate but open the game up. The only team capable of this is tipp
I don’t know where people get this idea that tipp are the only ones who can beat kilkenny. Over the last 15 years tipp and kilkenny have met 10 times in championship hurling tipp have won 2 and drawn 1. Thats a win rate of 1 in 5. Over the same period galway have met kilkenny 16 times winning 4 and drawing 2 thats a win rate of 1 in 4.
Good stats fair enough. But I still believe tipp have the talent to do it but not sure bout the mind set. Clare definitely do but I think they are being held back with tactics
Top won in 2010, when was their other win over Cody?
91′ but cody wasn’t over kilkenny then.
So some people still tearing into the hurlers for getting rid of Cunningham, surely if these ‘professionals’ where doing their job properly they would have known the hurlers wanted Cunningham gone long before last years All-Ireland final. No one can expect any team to automatically become better with a change of management, these things take time and thats proven in every sport. Its very unfair on this group of lads who give up their summer for their county and supporters, to have people still giving out about them saying to forget about this Galway team because they have no guts? And saying they should have a good hard look at themselves, surely the people who should be having a good hard look at themselves are the people still giving out about a bunch of amateur sports people, who had to get up this morning to go to work after a hard day out in Croke Park. From galway gaa instagram
The same people that will be paying 30 euros to get into the next Galway game is it ? Fact of matter is that when cunningham last gave a team talk your ‘team’ were comfortably ahead in an all Ireland final , paint it anyway you want after that
What county are you from so micheal??
Clare according to his account.
Figures
I’d agree Conor up to a point, I supported the player’s decision and influence in relation to Cunningham last year, the players are the ones making the sacrifices 3 or 4 nights a week without anything in return and they’re best placed to judge their manager, however I think also they must take some responsibility for Sunday as a performance. They need to take it on the chin, stick it on the dressing room door the next day and prove the detractors otherwise
From clare conor and do a good bit of work around derry brien , abbey, Portumna with a lot of Galway lads ! Gerry mc is still probably my favourite player of all time , would absolutely love to see Galway do well
An beal bocht you clearly have a grudge with Galway and to call Joe Canning starry eyed is ridiculous, he is one of the finest hurlers any generation has produced, he can’t do all of the work all of the time, you need a team behind you. Kilkenny have any amount of support players , Galway don’t have them unfortunately.
This Galway team has been gutless for a long long time
Whatever people think of loughnane is their own business but he is dead right in this instance as are you James ! Players hanging around there a while now and blaming everyone and thing but themselves
Getting rid of cunningham was the right decision I’m from galway and a lot of people here agree. You do not not know what has been happening behind the scenes in galway so you are in no place no comment
If losing to KK makes a team gutless then the Irish are gutless
@conor I agree Conor 75% of the county agreed with the players. Some of the stuff I heard is laughable. They got there in spite of him. I think we are three players short of an all Ireland to be honest. And a gutless team would say nothing and let a cunningham manage. They pur their heads on the chopping block. Kilkenny have beaten us by 7 points last three times because thats prob how mych better they are then us
Yep bang on, however I don’t think Kilkenny are unbeatable as shown in the first half, plus I think Johnny Glynn was a huge loss to that team, big Joe needs to be dropped I fear tho
Were absolutely acing it in the first half of the final last year and then went out in the second half and crumbled.Missed 1-6 in the last 10mins of the game too………that’s not being 3 players short of an all Ireland.Its called throwing it away! Yee are good enough!!, its just the players haven’t been able to finish the job after being in prime position to kick on and win…….and I’m a Kilkenny fan
But even if you think the players were right to blame and sack Cunningham doesn’t change the fact that it was disgraceful and fairly laughable really after he doing a great job.And the figure of 75% also seems fairly laughable
He didn’t do a good job that’s the point the final wasn’t his fault but others games were and the game was over in the last 10 mins of the game had we taken them scores kilkenny would have still finished the game off that’s why there so good
Irin 75% isn’t that far fetched trust me. The whole place wanted him lynched after the Waterford league match. As this discussion goes on im starting to think itll be a galway kilkenny final. Absolutely no idea why
Goway will ya…….Kilkenny were going full throttle as it was in the last 10mins anyway.If the players took their scores then you could blame the manager.What can Cunningham and the backroom team do if players are missing easy scores in the most important 10mins of the entire championship! Saying he didn’t do a good job is just a pure joke
What part of the final wasn’t his fault do you not understand. When canning scored. The goal from a free at the end kilkenny instantly went and got 3 points. The game was over 20 minutes into the second half
It would not have been over if the players didnt miss the handy scores…….your just being stubborn and not seeing that! It shouldn’t have been over anyway coz the players collapsed in that second half.Kilkenny did yes,that’s not relavent to how Galway’s players folded.Cody can’t influence players on the pitch in the dying minutes on an all ireland.The players either step up or they dont and the Galway lads didn’t.There’s no arguing in that!
I don’t know what game you were watching kilkenny were 7 points up and had totally dominated the second half. There backs cleaned our forwards out and everytime we managed to get a score kilkenny replied with 2 the damage had already been done in the last 10 mins and it was just a matter of how much kilkenny would win by.
Irin the biggest problem in Galway is not gutless or this club rivalry bullcrap I do keep hearing, it is reffing of matches . Refs pull the slightest of challenges, I watched a few Galway backs coming out of a few hard challenges and then not knowing what to do with the ball , they were like new born calves trying to walk. People keep saying that Kilkenny play on the edge, well I have no problem with that, the game has always been like that for as long as I can remember.
Do you ever wonder how Galway got to the final.How they played so so well in the first half.How they trashed the living daylights out of us in 2012.How they played unbelievable in the semi final Vs Tipp.I’m not saying they are gutless at all,I’m not like that.I respect that they are out there to do their best and they work very hard all year long.But you can’t just kick the can down the road like this.Your right with your point about kilkennys answer to scores……that tells you how bad they played in the second half.Don’t shift the blame elsewhere so,coz I don’t know how it wasn’t the players fault.
Yeah I agree the KK team gets stuck in and play strong stuff but 2012 Leinster final shows that Galway’s are well able for Kilkenny.I don’t have a clue about the refs but you may very well be right
Against tipp in the semi final padraig mannion had a bad game on seamus callanan. Callanan was clearly the only threat tipp had and he carried them through. Cunningham refused to take mannion of callanan until late in the game and it nearly cost us the match. We were lucky to scrape through in the end in a game we should won easily
Galway should have won the all ireland in the drawn game in 2012 but Henry came on brought kilkenny back into it. That was 4 years ago and the team is different now
I really don’t understand the way you think.It begs belief really.Yes Henry single handedly saved us in 2012 but EVERYONE down here says that yee should have putting us away in that game.Seamus was unmarkable that day and it was one of the greatest individual displays in Croker for the last 15years at least so Hanbury and Cunningham should be excused as it was mission impossible.No one could mark him for crying out loud.Galway played brilliant that day so I don’t know how you could give out like
Sorry…..mannion for hanbury
Hanbury marked callanan out of it in the last 7 or 8 minutes mannion just had a bad game and it was unfair to leave him on callanan
I know galway played well but we should have won that game handy only for cunningham would not change the same thing happened in 2014 and we lost
Christ be to god will ya give Cunningham a break will ya.He was to blame for all of Galway’s downfalls,it was his fault that Galway didn’t put the foot down and close out the game in 2012,he didn’t do any good all year but it was his fault that the players didn’t perform and push the game beyond rescue from us cats.It was his fault that Galway won the Tipp game.I can understand your anger as to why they won the game.It was his fault also that they didn’t win last years all Ireland too.When the game was in the melting pot and when the leaders had to step up and be the hero’s…….it was Cunningham’s fault that these players didn’t perform when they were needed.These players needed to be protected and mollycoddled and never take the blame for their own performances.Its not good players and class that wins you an all Ireland……its completely a good manager.The players on the pitch are only a minor factor really.I suppose when they were outscored 1-16 to 0-09 in the 2nd half the other day it was the waterman’s fault! The ‘leaders’ that got rid of Cunningham certainly aren’t leaders when they are badly needed on the pitch. Don’t bother replying coz your off your head talking about the manager and can’t see the bigger picture
When things needed to be changed he would not make big decisions. Cody gambled and made two substitutions at half time that won kilkenny the game. Cunningham was not making big decisions he just left things the way they were. The players deserve some of the blame as well but when you are playing against the greatest ever team to ever play hurling you are going to need a lot of goals and we didn’t get them
Conor, leave her off, she sounds like someone who never challenged authority or orthodoxy once in her life
I have never challenged authority but I have 6 all Ireland medals.3 in athletics and 3 in camogie.I do know when players don’t preform and then point the finger elsewhere though.Why would I challenge authority or orthodoxy anyway……that’s pure stupid!
Spot on beal bocht haha
Don’t mind them Irin. Despite change in management Galway players have failed to deliver. Relegation and carbon-copy of final last year. Nobody but themselves to blame now – wonder if they and Coleman here will still be blaming cunningham in a few years. Sad state of affairs for Galway hurling but the responsibility lies squarely on their shoulders now – no shifting blame any more.
Why do people give galway so much abuse for losing to kilkenny. When they did the same to Waterford and Dublin no one said anything. Like said above galway are 3 players short of winning an all ireland. Cunningham brought us as far as he could but if we wanted an all ireland we needed to give someone else a go as it clearly hasn’t worked for the last 4 years. The only team who cares about the league is Waterford cause they won’t win anything else galway, kilkenny and tipperary have there eyes on the bigger prize.
Coleman will ya stop whinging.Your players fell flat on their backsides last year and they took the cowards way out.Your dead right about getting a new manager alright hahahahah,its working a treat!
Can’t wait until Cody leaves kilkenny. Kilkenny people don’t realise how lucky they are. When Cody leaves kilkenny are going to fall apart like man united did and we’ll see what all the cocky kilkenny supporters have to say then
Hahahahah,as long yee keep sulking and blaming everyone but the players then we won’t be worried about yee.Not Kilkennys fault that they produce the best hurlers and work the hardest to win these titles.Try have a nice day Coleman!
At least we compete in more than one sport. What was the score in kilkenny minor football match??
Hahahahahahahah I couldn’t give a dam about that.As long as we keep beating seven shades out of yee then we will be nice and content!
Will ya ever just leave me alone are you actually still going on about this 5 days later get a life irin
Your the hopeless fanatic that keeps clogging up my emails so why bother point the finger ya tit
@coleman – like the players you are still blaming the mangaer and that puts you in the major minority (75% me a**). Players threw it away in Final, and again on Sunday – absolute carbon copy! – and your still bringing up cunningham :) let it go -will ya. Players know what’s on the line and it’s getting tiresome deflecting blame on manager – they are sufficient motivated (definitely not gutless) to prove themselves right and had great belief in themselves – it’s just not working out – is it? Relegation? Carbon copy Kilkenny reaction?? It’s not looking good for their ‘justified coup’ is it??
Galway team need leaders – it’s not Canning – great skill but no leadership. Time is ticking for those leaders that led to this show themselves on the field.