Sport

Ryan brings in quartet to create fresh impetus

NEW TIPPERARY senior hurling manager Declan Ryan has drafted four new players into his panel ahead of next year’s All-Ireland…

Tue Nov 23 2010 - 00:00

NEW TIPPERARY senior hurling manager Declan Ryan has drafted four new players into his panel ahead of next year’s All-Ireland title defence. John O’Neill, Michael Gleeson, Seán Carey and John Coghlan are all All-Ireland medallists from the underage ranks and will add fresh impetus to Ryan’s squad.

Forward pair O’Neill and Carey, as well as defender Coghlan, played under Ryan in 2007 when Tipperary won the All-Ireland minor hurling crown.

The ClonoultyRossmore clubman O’Neill and dual star Carey, from Moyle Rovers, went on to play key roles in this year’s comprehensive All-Ireland under-21 final victory against Galway.

Coghlan, from the Moyne-Templetuohy club, missed out on the final through a controversial suspension but was in superb form throughout the entire season. Coghlan and Carey also made history in 2010 when they won Munster Under-21 medals in hurling and football for the county.

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Gleeson is the son of Thurles Sarsfields manager Michael, who was recently-appointed as Tipperary selector. Gleeson scored two points when introduced as a substitute in the 2006 All-Ireland minor final and has been in superb form at midfield for Thurles Sarsfields in their march to next Sunday’s Munster club hurling final against De La Salle.

O’Neill was called into Liam Sheedy’s 2010 Tipperary panel, but the vast majority of his season was decimated by a cruciate knee ligament injury. However, the former Harty Cup-winning forward finished the season as an All-Ireland under-21 medallist, having appeared as a substitute in the final against Galway.

Tipperary team trainer Cian O’Neill oversaw a squad fitness test at University of Limerick last Sunday, and players have been handed individual programmes to work on before collective training resumes in January.

One notable attendee was midfielder James Woodlock, who missed the 2010 campaign after suffering an horrific leg break playing for Drom Inch against Thurles Sarsfields in the 2009 county senior hurling final.

Woodlock is targeting a return to the starting line-up next year.

Ryan has promised a number of players will be given the chance to impress during the pre-season Waterford Crystal Cup and National Hurling League.