Ryan says tactics were changed after mid summer hammering by Gunners

DE LA Salle manager Michael Ryan made no bones about the secret to his side’s victory over Ballygunner in yesterday’s Waterford SHC final.

“We play a physical game because we have a big strong team,” said Ryan. “We have big men but they’re well able to hurl as well, and they showed that in the county final.”

It was an astonishing turnaround given his side had lost by 15 points to the same opponents during the summer.

But Ryan said he and his men had learned their lessons from that humbling experience.

“It was the reverse of the game seven or eight weeks ago. On that occasion we played high up the field and we said this time that we wouldn’t do that, and we didn’t. But Ballygunner will be back.

“It’s all on the day and today was our day.”

De La Salle bagged three goals but Ryan noted other crucial moves that won them the title.

“Everybody has said we’re a team that can score goals but it took us a while to find our rhythm.

“Our thinking is that we’re set up much better now than we were. We took a while to find the best positions for our players, but we feel we’ve done that. Take Kevin Moran going to centre-back – he’s tightened that area up a lot.

“We have good players, they’ve worked very hard and they’re getting the rewards they’re due.”

Warming to his theme, Ryan paid tribute to the effort of the entire panel. “We have 25 or 26 very good players in this club, and you could see that from the substitutes we were able to bring on – lads who played well.

“This isn’t just about John (Mullane) or Kevin (Moran). They’re outstanding players, phenomenal players, so is Bryan Phelan, but we have a lot of good players. We needed them to fight their own corner and they did today.”

Now De La Salle face Sarsfields of Cork and Ryan knows a stern test awaits.

“We played them a couple of years ago in the Munster club and our first game of this year was against Sarsfields as well, up in Cork, a challenge game in February, and they looked a very good team.

“They’ll be a big challenge. We’ll enjoy the next couple of days and focus on that then.”