Glenn Ryan - Laochra Gael

Great to hear that Glenn Ryan will feature in the new series of Laochra Gael.

It's long overdue to have one for a Kildareman and no better man than Glenn.

Good stuff, one of the best players I've ever seen. He was in the one about the Kildare Meath three game saga in 97. The second game in that series is still the best football match I've ever been to. Final score: Kildare 3-17 Meath 2-20, after extra time.

Have to say Glen is the best Kildare player I have ever seen. He was extremely skilful, incredilbly brave and totally committed to Kildare at all times. He was also the most physically strong player I have seen in the white jersey. I can remember huge hits in big game against O'Flaherty of Kerry in 98 and O'Connell of Dublin in 2000 and McCartan of Down in Newbridge. All were perfeclty legal but there were a few in later years with the club which seems to have coloured some peoples perception of him. Its ironic how often in the last 2 years have we longed for a physical no 6.

Johnny Doyle is the best payer to have ever pulled on a lily white jersey in my opinion but Glenn Ryan wouldn't be far behind him. He perfected the art of blocking and his reading of a game was unrivaled. He is also an absolute gent of a man. Hopefully one day we will see him patrolling the sidelines as Kildare manager.

aw man, i'll be getting the tissues out for that one. I was an emotional wreck after watching him on the kildare meath laochra gael.

What a man, what a captain, what a leader.

Sure rem him and Nuckser in the International Rules. They won that second test.
At one stage on the Cusack Stand side I remember he mowed two Aussies out of it and then on his knees managed to tackle a third.
And of course the whole knee strap switch against Meath! Legend.

Good man to kick a penalty.

Hero

Next Thursday @ 8

http://hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=188958

That brought back some memories. What a player and leader of men.
That's the first time I've seen the 2000 final on tv.

As the years go by you forget how good certain teams and players were. That team should have won an All Ireland no doubt and Glenn Ryan was probably the finest modern day if not all time footballer this County has produced.

Legend is used to easy in today's world to describe average things, but in Ryan's case it hardly seems enough to describe the man. Legend indeed.

Ja fallon and jody Devine still play an active part in many of my night mares

Ahh the memories, ahh the heartache, no feckin Celtic Tiger, Nama, Troicha....... jaysus

Excellent viewing. Glen is still the greatest Kildare player I have seen in my lifetime. Although the Meath three-game saga was crucial in the development of that team, the Laois game was the turning point for modern Kildare football.

I was at it, it was unbelievable. Glen's display was the best I have ever seen by a Kildare player. After the two sendings off, there was just this feeling in the ground of, that's it, it's over. On one of the first plays after we went down to 13, there was a free in the middle of the field. Glen advanced up the right wing, calling for it. He took the pass, carried it into the Laois half and drove it over the bar.

It was like, despite the dire circumstances, he could still somehow see victory was possible. I honestly couldn't see it. Then to add another point and drive home the penalty as well... phenomenal. Just a heroic performance. I remember Tommy Dowd was asked in a TV interview around that time, which player in the country he would most like to play with and he said, "Glen Ryan". When one of the great Meath players says that, you know you are talking about someone very special.

Nice soundtrack as well - Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Manics. The opening section was soundtracked entirely by Nirvana doing The Man Who Sold The World. All of my favourite things in life coming together :-)

I really enjoyed the programme about Glenn last night. A few things struck me watching it:

- We must be the only county to have a pitch invasion after a Leinster quarter-final! (Laois 97)
- How did we not beat Meath the 2nd day in 97? We had the game won 3 times.
- How much the players looked up to Glenn at the time. Dermot Earley said he couldn't imagine going into battle without Glenn to lead them out.
- Glenn really put his heart and soul into every match. He seemed to be on his knees in elation or despair after every game!

Some great memories of great days. Hopefully the good times are on the way back!

The sea of white in the hill for around 98/00 will always stand out for me... Amazing scenes of joy. Ha, i did laugh about the pitch invasion after the Laois match. Funny stuff

Yeah, nice post Johnny C.

Great to see footage of the 2000 Leinster Final win, still the sweetest Kildare victory for me. Shame matches from 98 and 2000 aren't available to watch. It was all pre-YouTube of course... bummer.

Can't believe how much I'd forgotten about '98. I have to say I chuckled out loud when they showed clips of Kerry game. He met one fellow under the stand with a shoulder and pole-axed him. Don't know which player it was. In the very next clip he did the same thing to another lad - they were hopping off him.

Jaysus those '98 clips make me wanna go through that again - with a different finish.

To win just once.