GMOA chief Nash blasts process of Ryan reappointment

The secretary for the Gaelic Match Officials Association (GMOA) has claimed the reappointment of TJ Ryan as senior hurling manager contravenes county by-laws.

A statement released yesterday by the county board said TJ Ryan had been confirmed as Limerick manager, but the official insisted Ryan’s position should have been subject to ratification by club delegates.

Ryan, along with Donal O’Grady, was handed a two-year term upon his appointment, but yesterday’s statement said the Garryspillane native would only remain at the helm until the end of this championship year, signalling a renegotiating of the proposal approved by delegates.

Alan Nash, secretary of the GMOA, believes the executive don’t have the power to make that decision: “The management committee, comprising of the chairman, secretary and treasurer, don’t have the power to reappoint TJ Ryan.

“What would happen in most counties is that it would come back as a recommendation. No management can ever be appointed without club delegates ratifying it.

“TJ should have issued a statement where he said he was prepared to stay on as interim manager. The management committee should then have gone back to delegates, laid out the situation and how there is only five weeks to championship. They should have recommended that TJ Ryan be ratified until the end of the championship and the clubs go and ratify it. They didn’t though.”

Nash referenced the controversy surrounding Tom Ryan’s appointment as intermediate selector last December as proof of the power exercised by clubs in ratifying management officials.

“The clubs wanted him, the county board executive didn’t. The clubs forced the vote and the board had to back down. Rather than put it to the clubs and let them decide, Oliver Mann and his committee have appointed TJ Ryan and his selectors by royal appointment. County board officials simply cannot go around appointing county managers.”