.jpg) | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Irish name | Lester Ó Riain | ||
| Sport | Hurling | ||
| Position | Midfield | ||
| Born | (1988-05-01)1 May 1988 (age 37) Clara, County Kilkenny, Ireland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||
| Occupation | Secondary school teacher/Dairy Farmer | ||
| Club | |||
| Years | Club | ||
| Clara | |||
| Club titles | |||
| Kilkenny titles | 2 | ||
| Inter-county* | |||
| Years | County | Apps (scores) | |
2011–present | Kilkenny | 19 (0–11) | |
| Inter-county titles | |||
| Leinster titles | 4 | ||
| All-Irelands | 4 | ||
| NHL | 4 | ||
| All Stars | 0 | ||
| *Inter County team apps and scores correct as of 17:00, 7 December 2019 (championship apps and scores). | |||
Lester Ryan (born 1 May 1988) is an Irishhurler who plays as a midfielder for theKilkenny senior team.[1]
Born inClara, County Kilkenny, Ryan first arrived on the inter-county scene when he first linked up with the Kilkenny under-21 team, before later joining the intermediate side. He joined the senior panel for the2011 championship.[2] Ryan has since become a regular member of the team and has won fourAll-Ireland medals, fourLeinster medals and fourNational Hurling League medals. He captained the team to the All-Ireland title in 2014. He has also captained Kilkenny to Leinster (2014 and 2016) and National Hurling League (2014) successes.
At club level Ryan is a two-timechampionship medallist at senior level withClara. In addition to this he has also wonAll-Ireland,Leinster andchampionship medals in the intermediate grade.
Ryan's uncles,Lester andHarry Ryan, also played with Kilkenny.[3]
Ryan was just out of the minor grade when he enjoyed his first success with the Clara intermediate hurling team in 2007. A 1–15 to 0–12 defeat ofSt. Lachtain's in the championship decider gave him his firstwinners' medal in that competition.
Five years later in 2012, Ryan added a second intermediate championship medal to his collection following a 1–7 to 0–4 defeat ofSt. Patrick's Ballyragget. Clara subsequently facedOylegate/Glenbrien in the provincial decider. An incredible game followed, which saw Oylgate having four men dismissed for second-yellow card offences. Clara powered to a 3–20 to 0–5 victory, with Ryan collecting aLeinster medal.[4] The subsequent All-Ireland decider saw Clare face London-basedSt. Gabriel's. Clara were convincing 1–16 to 0–11 winners, with Ryan picking up anAll-Ireland Intermediate Club Hurling Championship medal.[5]
A year after making the step up to the top flight, Clara faced hot favouritesCarrickshock in the senior championship decider in 2013. With four minutes of normal time left, Carrickshock looked the likely winners as they went two points ahead. Clara then won a free with just four minutes left. Ryan took the ball off regular free-taker Keith Hogan and decided to go for goal. Ryan fired to the net from 20 metres with a style similar to Anthony Nash. Two minutes later he popped over a point to extend Clara's lead. A 1–15 to 2–10 victory gave Ryan his firstchampionship medal in the senior grade.[6]
Ryan made his first impression on the inter-county scene in 2008 as a member of the Kilkenny under-21 team. He won his firstLeinster medal that year as Kilkenny trouncedOffaly by 2–21 to 2–9.[7] Ryan later added anAll-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship medal following a 2–13 to 0–15 defeat ofTipperary in the decider.[8]
Kilkenny retained the provincial under-21 crown in 2009 following a 2–20 to 1–19 defeat ofDublin, giving Ryan a second Leinster medal in that grade.[9] Kilkenny subsequently had the chance to retain the All-Ireland crown, however, Ryan's side faced a narrow 0–15 to 0–14 defeat by first time championsClare.[10]
Ryan joined the senior team after the2011 National Hurling League and was a member of the panel for the subsequentLeinster andAll-Ireland victories.
The2012 National Hurling League was Ryan's first full campaign with the Kilkenny senior team, however, a knee cartilage injury after the first two rounds resulted in him facing a month-long lay-off. He was later restored to the starting fifteen and was once again a member of the panel as Kilkenny claimed All-Ireland honours.
Ryan was a regular member of the starting fifteen in 2013. He won aNational Hurling League medal on the field of play that year as Kilkenny defeated Tipperary by 2–17 to 0–20.[11] He finished off the campaign by being named GAA-GPA Hurler of the League. Ryan made his senior championship debut on 9 June 2013 in a 0–26 to 4–9 defeat ofOffaly.[12]
In February 2014 Ryan was appointed captain of the Kilkenny senior hurling team.[13] In the League Final he was introduced as a substitute during the team's 2–25 to 1–27 extra-time defeat of Tipperary in the final. It was his second National League medal while he also had the honour of lifting the cup.[14] He made a number of appearances in the championship, including in Kilkenny's 0–24 to 1–9 trouncing of Dublin in which he claimed his first Leinster medal on the field of play.[15] On 7 September 2014, Kilkenny faced Tipperary in the All-Ireland decider. In what some consider to be the greatest game of all-time, the sides were level when Tipperary were awarded a controversial free.John O'Dwyer had the chance to win the game, however, his late free drifted wide resulting in a draw.[16] The replay on 27 September 2014 was also a close affair. Goals from brothersRichie andJohn Power inspired Kilkenny to a 2–17 to 2–14 victory.[17] It was Ryan's thirdAll-Ireland medal, while he also had the honour of lifting theLiam MacCarthy Cup.
As the Kilkenny captain is selected by the club champions, captaining Kilkenny twice is a rare feat. Ryan had the unique honour of captaining Kilkenny again in 2016 due to an injury sustained by club mate Shane Prendergast. He lifted the Bob O Keeffe cup for the second time on 3 July 2016 when Kilkenny defeated Galway in the provincial decider.
| Sporting positions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Kilkenny Senior Hurling Captain 2014 | Succeeded by |
| Achievements | ||
| Preceded by | All-Ireland Senior Hurling Final winningcaptain 2014 | Succeeded by |