by John Horgan
Evening Echo
Tuesday, 10th September 2002

A pure hurling man in a pure hurling country. The alliance of Tom Ryan and Newtownshandrum was surely the perfect marriage.

A golden blue sky, kids with hurleys in their hands here, there and everywhere and a magnificent new playing pitch nearing completion, Newtown, last night, was a hurling heaven on earth, a vibrant community where they sleep, eat and drink the game.

And the former Limerick manager, so wrongly dismissed after being so close to bringing the McCarthy Cup back to Shannonside, is like a child with a new toy.

As he put the final touches to Newtown's county final preparations last night in this true hurling home, Ryan admitted to being as self satisfied as he has ever been.

"I love it down here, it's a fantastic challenge now and there is great satisfaction to be derived from being involved in a place like this," he said.

"Hurling is my life, this is a new scene, a new county to me and I am delighted I came here. I got a great welcome here as I did all over Cork. Even when I was with Limerick I always got great, great co-operation from the Cork County Board, much more than I ever got from Limerick."

"I didn't know that much about them before I came here, I would have been familiar with some of the lads but I had no real idea what it would be like. I knew a few of them had gone to Australia and I knew I would be working with a small panel because this is a small place."

Hard work and great commitment played no small part in Newtown's arrival at this juncture, according to Ryan, and he sees a perfect blend of youth and experience ready to give it one almighty lash on Sunday."

"The O'Connors give great leadership and the hurling here is a joy not a chore - and that makes a huge difference. Any night you come here there's 25 to 30 training and that's wonderful. I am lucky too with the team that I have, Ger Cunningham does all the physical training and Patsy Morrissey and Seanie Clifford know the scene inside out."

"It has gone very well so far. I concentrate very much on my own team because that's the only one I have control over. Overall, I would say that the quality of this championship is better than Tipperary and better than Limerick."

Focusing his thoughts on Blackrock, Ryan admitted to always being a great admirer of the current champions and the slight favourites to keep their crown.

"We had a fabulous game with them in the league, the best game we had all year. That night they put down a marker to anybody who had an eye on their title. They are a great side, every line on the team is bulging with experience. But we are up for it and to be here looking at the promise and the future makes it all worthwhile. That's why I am here."