Ryan: huge honour, but also huge challenge

LESS than a day in the job as Tipperary hurling manager, Declan Ryan is been kept on his toes.

“I’m busy enough alright,” he laughs as he fields yet another call on the mobile. The media interest is understandable. After all, Ryan is now sitting in the hottest seat in hurling management, charged with defending the All-Ireland title which Liam Sheedy and company helped deliver two months ago.

A sensible man, winner of three All-Ireland senior medals himself in three different decades (1989, 91 and 2001), he’s aware of the expectations and the accompanying pressure. But he’s not unnerved by it.