Cody hails Ryan’s ‘amazing will and determination’
However, Brian Cody attributed the 30-year-old Fenians goalkeeper’s success in lining out against Limerick to his single-mindedness in getting fit after breaking a bone in his arm in the semi-final against Wexford.
Cody, who admitted that up to last Wednesday night there was a real possibility they would be picking James McGarry, echoed the words of team doctor Tadhg Crowley that Ryan had ‘defied medical science.’
“Classically, with that type of fracture, it would have been an eight to 10 weeks recovery period, so to come back after just three weeks was down completely to the player,’’ said Dr Crowley, the son of the former Kerry County Secretary and Munster Council Treasurer of the same name.
“Tadhg O’Sullivan (the surgeon based in Waterford Regional Hospital), did a great job in repairing it. But at the same time, for PJ to go out and grab a ball, grab a hurl, puck the ball, play a game, take training and go and play in an All-Ireland was phenomenal. It was a case of mind over matter.’’
Cody agreed that it ‘should not have been possible’ for Ryan to be able to come back and train with the squad nine days after the operation.
Said Cody: “I’d like to say that Tadhg O’Sullivan was first class, as well as the treatment from our own doctor, and Robbie and Claire Lodge, our physios. That’s why he played.
“From the very moment PJ heard it was a break, he made up his own mind he was going to play and he pushed himself to the limit. As soon as the operation was done he started doing things he shouldn’t have been doing — like making sure the movement would be good. It was all down to his sheer will and determination. It’s amazing what he did. Everybody is thrilled for him.’’
Ryan, a 30-year-old bricklayer, had already won three All-Ireland medals as reserve to McGarry, having first come into the panel in 2002. His father — also PJ — had been the sub ‘keeper (to Noel Skehan) in the 1974 final against Limerick and fulfilled this role for the next five years without ever experiencing the thrill of playing in Croke Park.
And, ever before his injury threatened his participation in Sunday’s final, PJ conceded that he was never certain of his place through the campaign. Once previously (in 2003), he played in a first round Leinster game against Dublin, when McGarry was ruled out with a broken ankle.
“I was never really sure of my place. It was something you couldn’t take it for granted,’’ he commented. “The night the team is called out you realise you are in the goal. You just take it from match to match.’’
The nerves ‘weren’t too bad,’ he said in the build-up to the game, pointing out playing in the semi-final helped him ‘to get used to’ the atmosphere in Croke Park. And yet, before the end of that game — after he dashed off his line to compete with Doc (David) O’Connor — he knew he was in trouble. He certainly knew there was something wrong with his arm when he went to puck the next ball. But, he played on, getting Jackie Tyrrell to take over the puck-out duties.
To add to his woes, after the operation — when he had a plate inserted — the wound became infected. However, a course of antibiotics cleared it up.
All through the rehabilitation process, he said that Cody could not have been more supportive and encouraging. And, the fact that he was given until last Friday night to prove his fitness had been crucial.
He also had words of praise for McGarry, saying: “he gave me great advice all year. I never had any grudges about James being in goal. And he had no grudges about me being there.’’
Acknowledging that Kilkenny got the start ‘Limerick needed,’ he said he never had a chance of stopping Ollie Moran’s blistering shot late in the game.
“The only time I saw it was on the replay,’’ he joked.
In the meantime, it will be back to club action on Sunday week, with a first-round game against Tommy Walsh’s Tullaroan.
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