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Cork manager Pat Ryan with Diarmuid Healy after the Munster final.James Crombie/INPHO

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Pat Ryan: ‘You’re just trying to be as honest as you can. It’s the hardest part of the job’

The Cork boss on pressure, dealing with players and the challenge that Dublin pose today.

7.01am, 5 Jul 2025

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ON ALL-IRELAND quarter-final day, as the hurling landscape shifted and shook for the year ahead, Pat Ryan sat at home absorbing the action on TV.

The consensus beforehand was for a Limerick victory, but the shock Dublin produced has set Cork’s season off on a diffferent course.

“I was at home, I watched both of them live. From our point of view, we have people who go to different games. Sometimes being able to watch it from behind the goal on video, you get a good handle on what you’re watching.

“If you haven’t seen a team play much, you’d be conscious that you want to go and see their players, but we’d be so familiar with lots of the teams now. We played Dublin last year in the championship, we’ve obviously seen Dublin live this year as well so we’re in a good space that way. We had people in both areas as well, people that we trust.

“Look, we were very aware that it could be Dublin. Obviously the best estimate was that Limerick, but Dublin performed fantastically on the day. It’s a huge challenge for us.”

Ryan has witnessed Dublin hurling brilliance in full flow in Croke Park already this year.

“When Sars played in the club final, I know that’s a different thing, but we saw the physicality of Na Fianna, how well they were trained, how well they were coached.

“I remember turning around to my brother at the time and saying, ‘Jesus, we’re in for a big contest here’ when we looked at them walking around in the parade.

“They’re always really, really good athletes. But they’ve added a good string to their bow and Niall has them playing a great brand of hurling. think the key about the Limerick game to them was that they showed unbelievable character and spirit. When you go a man down, it’s very easy to throw your hat at it. That showed great unity within their group.

“I think that’s the first thing you’re looking for as any manager. Have we got unity in the group? Have we got spirit in the group? They certainly have that.”

Cork enter the last four stage as favourites to advance to the final and emerge victorious outright when the championship draws to a close.

The clamour around them has grown during a year of fluctuating fortunes, from the highs of league and Munster silverware, to the anxiety of their opening draw in Ennis, and the low when they crashed to defeat against Limerick in May.

“Some of the comments about us doing this and that, I just thought some of it was disingenuous,” says Ryan.

“I don’t think anyone really believed that we were favourites when you have Limerick and what team they are. So I don’t think that was realistic. I think there was a bit of maybe false prophets from some certain people. It kind of crashed when we went up to Limerick the first day. So that kind of stopped all that. So, look, we know where we are. We’re a very, very good team when we’re on it. And when we’re not on it, we’re a very, very poor team.

“People talk about hype and there’s different things about hype. You want fellas going after content about hurling. You want them talking about hurling. You want the kids talking about hurling. Of course you do.

“What you don’t want is false analysis. that’s trying to build up a team so they can be knocked back down. And I felt that was happening and to be honest, by Cork people more than outside people.

“That was one of the things that annoyed me.”

Settling on a starting side is a task that Ryan continues to find demanding as he is forced to sideline some players.

“It is tough. One thing that I’ve always done in my management team is that I don’t really go around and tell fellas they’re not playing or that before teams are called out because I tell one fella he’s not playing and I don’t bother telling another fella because he’s number 37 on the panel.

“What we do is we call out the team and I’m always available then to meet players the next day or have a chat.

“I leave them have a think about – I don’t really like doing it on the day because it’s an emotional side of things – talk to fellas the next day or meet for coffee or over the phone, what they need to do, how they can get back into the team.

“Some fellas ring you, some fellas don’t, and sometimes the same fellas always ring you!

“You’re just trying to be as honest as you can. It’s the hardest part of the job. I was a fella when I was an inter-county player I was in and out of the team but my father always gave me great advice and he said, ‘Are you doing enough?’

“I’d say I thought I was doing enough and he’d always say, ‘Well, Seán Óg’s doing enough, Brian Corcoran’s doing enough, they’re giving him no choice.’

“That’s what you’re trying to say to the players – give us no choice.

“One of my gripes with the GAA. We’ve 30-man panels, everyone needs 30 at training. Everybody’s doing 15v15s, like it should be 30 on the panel.

“Like personally, that’s my opinion. I think it’s off the wall, 26, I don’t know where 26 even comes from.”

When a substitute comes off the bench in a dazzling fashion like Conor Lehane in the Munster final, Ryan is enthused.

“Fellas pick up injuries and they get behind. The problem is then that fellas are ahead of you on the depth chart, if you want to use an NFL theory. But the fella who’s ahead of you is playing well and you’re playing brilliant.

“You need to get an opportunity. Conor got an opportunity that day and he took it. He was brilliant. When we went around to do the penalties, Ducky (Donal O’Rourke) and himself had a quick chat and Ducky was adamant that fellas who take them for their club should take them and free takers.

“We asked Conor, yeah, Shane Kingston, yeah, Alan Connolly, yeah, not a bother and they all did it. But it was great for him to come back and he deserved it because Conor’s a brilliant fella. Conor’s probably the lowest percentage of fat on our panel. That’s how dedicated he is.

“Just after getting married (last year), it would have been easy for Conor to kind of say, I didn’t get any much of a run last year, I didn’t come on to the All-Ireland final, will I step away?

“But that wasn’t his attitude. What can I do to get back into it? I’m getting married, how can we fit this around it?

“Unfortunately, then got injured out here against Limerick (in the league). Did his shoulder that time, but he’s shooting out the lights inside in training at the moment.”

With all the preparatory work finished, match days like this All-Ireland semi-final are the moments that Ryan savours.

“Matches are the easiest thing. I find once you call out the team, and we head away here from Wednesday, I find that to Saturday the most enjoyable thing.

“That’s what you’re doing it for. To watch the team perform. Whether the result comes after that, that’s fair enough. But that’s where I get my pride in it.

“That the team are going to represent the jersey properly. That’s my job, to make sure they’re doing that. Once you get injuries out of the way, and you pick the team and the fellas are in good form going up there, I think that’s the most enjoyable thing.

“There’s always pressure to perform. But that pressure is from ourselves, making sure we’re doing right by the players.”

Check out the latest episode of The42′s GAA Weekly podcast here

Fintan O’Toole

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