Love of game draws Ryan back to Midleton

Aidan Ryan is one of those lads who lives and breathes club hurling. Cliched, perhaps, but his is no ordinary tale of devout service.

The 27-year-old departed for Australia in January 2012, but never managed to cut the umbilical cord to the club.

Eventually, the pangs for the black and white jersey became too much and a fortnight before their quarter-final clash with Bishopstown, Ryan booked a flight home. Midleton came a cropper in the tie and the centre-forward returned Down Under. His travels came to an end this summer and 24 hours after returning to East Cork, the 6’3” forward was back inside the whitewash, doing what he loves and knows best.