‘There is a game of hurling to be played’ - Michael Ryan on Upperchurch-Drombane’s focus

Upperchurch-Drombane’s season began in uncertainty, flirted with collapse and survived on narrow margins before hardening into something altogether more formidable.

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Momentum, once found, was not squandered. A campaign that began in doubt now stands on the edge of history, an All Ireland Intermediate Club Hurling Championship final in Croke Park against Tooreen of Mayo, awaits them.

This week, the Tipperary Star caught up with Michael Ryan, former Tipperary All Ireland winning hurling manager in 2016 and Upperchurch stalwart, to discuss the team’s remarkable journey. To begin, we asked Michael to identify the quality that, in his view, defines this Upperchurch team.

“One of the traits I admire most about this team is their resilience,” he said. “They’ve been through it together. This is the same team that were relegated a few years ago.

"They’ve learned some hard lessons along the way and they are stronger for it. They have become a steelier group.” This is a resilient team who have absorbed the lessons of defeat and they’ve experienced the highs and lows of championship hurling, forging a collective character capable of carrying them to Croke Park.

Upperchurch-Drombane’s style of play, Michael Ryan notes, reflects the same resilience that has carried them through the season. “They do not stray from the principles that define how they like to play,” he said.

“They play a good brand of hurling, but they are also a smart team, capable of nullifying the strengths of their opponents. They get their match-ups right and defend as a unit exceptionally well.”

Michael also points to the role of momentum in shaping Upperchurch-Drombane’s season, highlighting the county round‑robin clash with Ballina as a turning point.

The match seemed destined to end in elimination for Upperchurch, with the seconds slipping away and the outcome hanging by a thread. Then Gavin Ryan struck a free from midfield that sailed all the way to the Ballina net, giving them a one‑point victory, 1‑16 to 1-15.

“We got a roll of momentum, and probably a little bit of luck, in our last round‑robin match against Ballina. They have faced all of the difficult teams.

"Even though we did not have a great start to the championship, both Gortnahoe‑Glengoole in the semi-final and Carrick Swan in the county final had stronger opening periods than we did earlier in the championship campaign.

“But the momentum that began after the Ballina match proved vital, and they have built on it ever since. Against Ballinhassig, they played with a freedom that hadn’t been seen earlier in the year. Now they have achieved what they set out to achieve, and we are in bonus territory. They have raised their level at every successive stage. We’re all hoping they’ll carry that same consistency and performance to Croke Park on Saturday evening,” he said. 

Turning to the topic of mental preparation, we asked him: as an All-Ireland winning manager with Tipperary in 2016, how do you keep players focused in the build-up to such a momentous final?

“It is a challenge for every management team when you reach the biggest stages,” Michael Ryan said. “Pretty universally, you just have to keep reminding the players that it is all about the game.

"There is a game of hurling to be played, 60 minutes of normal time and whatever additional minutes are added, and that has to be their sole focus. At the same time, you remind them that they carry the support and good wishes not just of our parish, but of Tipperary as a whole.

They carry all of that pride with them onto the field.” “To be fair to this management team, every hurdle they have faced since qualifying out of the group stage has been met flawlessly,” Ryan said.

For all the scores and statistics, the season that brought Upperchurch-Drombane to Croke Park is, at its heart, a story of patience and persistence.

It is about a group of players who, season after season, have learned to rise when defeat threatened to define them. Their quest for All Ireland glory is fuelled by the memory of setbacks, the sting of narrow losses, and the quiet confidence of battles won by inches.

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