Fitzgerald to replace the late Ryan as Tipp manager

Tipperary will appoint Niall Fitzgerald as their new senior football manager this evening, following the death of Philly Ryan.

Ryan died suddenly as the age of 56 as he prepared for his second year in charge of the Premier County.

A county board meeting will ratify a three-year term for Moyle Rovers clubman Fitzgerald, who previously spent three seasons in charge of Tipperary's Under-20 side and also managed their minors.

"Nobody likes moving on in these circumstances," said Tipperary CEO Murtagh Brennan.

"When you’re getting league draft fixtures sent out you know you’re getting close to the new season and you have to."

Fitzgerald spent nearly a decade in the middle of the park for Tipp and won a Division 3 title, a Tommy Murphy Cup and a McGrath Cup in his time, playing alongside Ryan in that spell.

His U-20s came agonisingly close to securing a Munster final spot earlier this year, but a last-gasp contentious Cork free in their draw at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh saw the Rebels progress instead.

"Niall knows the county set-up very well and has put a lot into Tipperary football," Brennan said of the incoming boss.

"He’d know a lot of the younger players, obviously, having worked with the U20s for those couple of seasons."

Meanwhile, Brennan said the scenes after Clonmel’s county final win over Kilsheelan-Kilcash last weekend were special.

Ryan’s son Shane was in goals for the Commercials and, as well as being emotionally embraced by his team-mates following the game, a number of the opposition players made their way to sympathise with him.

"Shane is very well got, our inter-county goalkeeper and a lovely guy.

"It’s really tough for everyone but he handled himself so well. It was lovely to see that too."

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