Pat Donnelly: 'Na Fianna's Ryan would like to prove an inter-county point because he didn't make it with Limerick'

A Dublin debut for Brian Ryan in 2025 is anticipated under new county manager Niall O Ceallachain, who doubles as Na Fianna boss

Brian Ryan of Na Fianna celebrates after the AIB Leinster GAA Senior Club Hurling Championship final victory.

Limerick guru Pat Donnelly always fancied his South Liberties clubmate Brian Ryan to make it as a top hurler, just not in Dublin.

Ryan is the midfield powerhouse currently driving his adopted Na Fianna team in their pursuit of All-Ireland success.

After standing out as an underage hurler in Limerick, and going on to win an All-Ireland senior medal, Ryan switched clubs to Na Fianna in 2023.

The impact of the 2016 All-Ireland minor finalist has been clear with a series of huge performances this season.

Ryan was TG4's Man of the Match in Na Fianna's county quarter-final win over Ballyboden St Enda's and has kept on delivering since.

He will be a marked man on Sunday afternoon when the Mobhi Road men seek to overcome Loughrea and secure a place in next month's All-Ireland final.

Back in Limerick, Donnelly, who managed Ryan all the way up in Limerick academy, minor and U21 teams, isn't surprised.

"He would have been one of the fellas who you'd have fancied to go on and play senior," said Donnelly. "His brother Tom is a super player as well.

"I've watched Brian with Na Fianna and he looks very fit, very tuned in. When he's in that sort of shape and fully at it, he's a serious player. He looks like he means business in Dublin and I've seen him in a few matches so it's brilliant."

A Dublin debut for Ryan in 2025 is anticipated under new county manager Niall O Ceallachain, who doubles as Na Fianna boss.

Ryan's brother, Tom, ironically played for the Sky Blues briefly in a challenge game when Pat Gilroy was manager for the 2018 season.

Brian was a county semi-finalist in Limerick as recently as 2022 with South Liberties and played for the Shannonsiders in the 2020 and 2021 league campaigns.

But his big breakthrough never materialised as boss John Kiely largely opted for tried and trusted throughout their golden era.

Asked if Brian might now make a mark with Dublin, Limerick county coaching officer Donnelly nodded. "I would say that he'd have ambitions that way. He'd probably like to prove a point because he didn't fully make it with Limerick. He was in for a year or two but I'd say he'd like to give the inter-county game another shot, that would be his character. It's only my opinion but I'd say he'd love to play inter-county again."

Ryan could yet follow in the footsteps of Maurice O'Brien, another former Limerick hurler who transferred to the capital when Anthony Daly was in charge.

O'Brien was one of Donnelly's selectors when Limerick reached the U21 All-Ireland final in 2017 and the following year, 2018, Ryan played for the 21s and excelled.

The Shannonsiders only got as far as a Munster U21 semi-final in 2018 but Ryan was still nominated for a third level All-Star.

"Brian is a hard fella to describe, he's a deep kind of a person," said Donnelly. "It's obviously different when you're managing a player, you see different sides to them. I'd imagine when he's with his own peers and his own pals he's a different character again but I found him deep, thoughtful. He's the sort of fella who takes the losses hard and would be a driven sort of character.

"He was a half-forward or a midfielder for me. That was always his position. He's played centre-back as well so he'd be comfortable anywhere in that middle third really."

Na Fianna are the bookies favourites to go on and win the All-Ireland with big hitters like Ballygunner and Ballyhale Shamrocks out of the picture.

Donnelly reckons it's a level playing field for all four teams left in reality but would love to see Ryan go on and do it.

"You would be proud of him, definitely," he said. "I'm not just saying that because it's the easy thing to say but I genuinely would be. Any fella like that who you worked with in the past, you'd always be rooting for them after that. I would be really proud now watching him and seeing him develop. Hopefully himself and Na Fianna can keep it going."