Rebel ladies’ leap of faith for coach Ryan

Eamonn Ryan cut a troubled figure the week of the All-Ireland ladies football decider. Not evident on the surface perhaps, but, deep down, he was far from at ease.

Monaghan were strong favourites to derail the Red juggernaut and unlike the build-up to their semi-final win over Kerry, the Watergrasshill native had yet to be convinced his Cork outfit were in the correct frame of mind.

Through his 10-year spell at the helm Ryan had developed a pretty accurate knack for knowing if his charges were on song and, to this regard, the 72-year-old recalls the casualness which had afflicted the squad on the run-in to their quarter-final loss against Tyrone in 2010 — their first championship defeat in six years.