Treaty opt for Ryan and O’Grady

TJ Ryan is to be named as Limerick hurling manager tonight, with Irish Examiner columnist Donal O’Grady joining the Garryspillane clubman as coach and co-manager.

Sources close to the Limerick County Board indicated yesterday that club delegates in the county will be asked at a meeting to be held this evening to ratify the new management ticket, which includes last year’s physical trainer, Mark Lyons, who will also be a selector, and Joe Hannon, who continues as team liaison officer. Further selectorial appointments are expected in due course.

Delegates will also be asked to ratify the new Limerick senior football management team of John Brudair, Diarmuid Mullins, Brian Carson, Mikey Kiely and Declan Brouder.

TJ Ryan’s appointment ends two months of speculation following the resignation of John Allen in early September. Corkman Allen, who took over from O’Grady two years ago, led Limerick to this year’s Munster senior hurling title and to the All Ireland senior hurling semi-final, where they were beaten by eventual champions Clare.

There had been considerable speculation linking another Cork native, Ger Cunningham, to the post, speculation which heightened with Cunningham’s resignation as Cork senior hurling selector on Tuesday.

However it’s O’Grady, a St Finbarr’s club-mate of Allen and Cunningham, who returns to Limerick instead, though his role is expected to have a strong focus on coaching this time round.

TJ Ryan played for Limerick from 1994 to 2006, featuring in two losing All-Ireland final appearances by the Shannonsiders, in 1994 and 1996. He was a Limerick senior selector with O’Grady in 2010 and 2011.