TJ Ryan on another Garryspillane county final: 'Donie is on the line, which is probably worth the admission fee alone'

TJ Ryan reckons he's the calmest in his house this week, with two sons in a county final, and brother Donie among the Garryspillane selectors.

COLLISION COURSE: Anthony Daly's Clarecastle and TJ Ryan's Garryspillane could meet in the Munster Club IHC, if they can navigate county finals on Sunday. Picture: Chani Anderson.

Garryspillane is bouncing this week but TJ Ryan reckons he's the calmest in the parish. In his house anyway. 

"The pressure is on. You don’t want to lose two finals in a row," he admitted, on Dalo's Hurling Show. "But I love these weeks. I like the buildup, the bit of noise locally. Flags are up. You love to get to this stage of the year where you are in a county final, the bit of razzmatazz."

The Bouncers are back in Limerick's Premier IHC decider again Effin, eyeing a return to senior hurling, having lost to Newcastle West in last year's final.

TJ's son Colin is captain, with the younger lad Cormac on the panel too, and brother Donie, who TJ played alongside in the club's only senior title win in 2005, is among the selectors.

"The pressure is on in our house alright. We’ll be trying to get them over the line, doing whatever we can this week. I’m in a spectator role only, which is great."

While Dalo pointed out he wouldn't fancy sitting beside him in the Gaelic Grounds Sunday, TJ disagrees. 

"I'll be grand. (Wife) Louise will be more nervous than me. She’ll be getting antsy and giving out about this, that and the other.

"Donie is on the line, which is probably worth the admission fee alone if you could go in and sit behind him."

There could be an epic edition of the podcast in store if Garryspillane and Dalo's beloved Clarecastle maintain their collision course for a meeting in this year's Munster Club IHC. Dalo will be among the Magpies mentors Sunday when Clarecastle face O'Callaghans Mills for a return to Clare's top tier.

Ironically, Garryspillane are under Clarecastle management these days, with Aaron Considine in his second year.

"He has done a great job to get them back to the final again," TJ added. "We've a nice team. Dylan O'Shea is hurling really well at centre back. Hugh Flanagan, only a young fella, was on John Kiely’s panel this year. We've nice forwards. Calum Sheehan, John English, Ryan Tobin, all hurling well. Bryan Heavey at centre forward.

"We feel we have a team capable of winning the county, but our form has been up and down. Effin, have finished the campaign really well. A really big win over Blackrock in the semi-final. Scored four goals, looked impressive."

A familiar face will be custodian of Effin hopes, though in a role unfamiliar to inter-county observers.  

"There’s a certain Nickie Quaid playing the number six role exceptionally well. It's definitely a position Garryspillane will need to get on top of. They will need to nullify his threat."

A Brian Hogan type at centre-back, Dalo suggests.

"Yes. He plays as an old-fashioned number six. Sweeps over and back. The way he reads the game from goal, he’s nearly doing the same; he scans everything, his use of the ball is exceptional, his fielding is great.

"Delivering ball, we must avoid the six box.

"But they've other county players, Fergal O'Connor was first sub for the Limerick full-back line this year. He plays midfield, really effective. Patrick O'Donovan, who missed the semi-final, is a really key forward. He had a hamstring problem, but should be ok.

"It's the first match played in the Gaelic grounds for a long time. And it should be good open hurling game. There's a good old rivalry over the last couple of years. Plenty of people will call it 50-50."