“I’ve watched Brian with Na Fianna and he looks very fit, very tuned in.”
Brian Ryan looks set to debut for the Dublin hurlers in 2025 after earning a call-up to the inter-county panel, as reported by the Irish Independent.
The Treaty man was a member of Limerick’s extended panel during their 2020 All-Ireland winning run and also played in the early parts of 2021.
However, he fell out of favour with John Kiely as they went on to lift the Liam MacCarthy in the next three years.
Ryan transferred to Na Fianna in 2023 and helped them to their first-ever Dublin SHC crown. They retained their title this year and are gearing up for an All-Ireland final after glory in Leinster.
Given that Na Fianna boss Niall Ó Ceallacháin doubles up as Dublin gaffer, it is no surprise that he has called up one of his star men.
Limerick county coaching officer Pat Donnelly said: “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.
“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.
“Brian is a hard fella to describe, he’s a deep kind of a person. 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.”
