| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Roibeard Ó Riain | ||
| Sport | Hurling | ||
| Position | Centre-back | ||
| Born | Robert Ryan 23 October 1961 Borrisoleigh, County Tipperary, Ireland | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||
| Occupation | Farmer | ||
| Club(s) | |||
| Years | Club | ||
1978–1996 | Borris–Ileigh | ||
| Club titles | |||
| Tipperary titles | 3 | ||
| Munster titles | 1 | ||
| All-Ireland Titles | 1 | ||
| Inter-county(ies)* | |||
| Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
1980–1993 | Tipperary | 37 (1–05) | |
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Munster titles | 5 | ||
| All-Irelands | 2 | ||
| NHL | 1 | ||
| All Stars | 3 | ||
| *Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 21:26, 27 March 2018. | |||
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.
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]
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]
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.
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.