Tipperary GAA In Shock After Death Of Senior Football Manager Philly Ryan

The GAA community is in shock after news emerged of the passing of Tipperary senior football manager Philly Ryan.

Ryan, who had played with Tipperary as a goalkeeper, was 57-year-old.

Ryan had been in charge of The Premier County's senior footballers since 2024, after stints in charge of the county's minors and U21s.

Local outlet Tipperary Live has shared a statement in the wake of the news from Ryan's club Clonmel Commercials, describing him as "one of the county’s most respected football men and a proud servant of both Clonmel Commercials and Tipperary across several decades.”

"Born and raised in Clonmel, Philly’s connection with Gaelic football ran deep from his earliest years. He first wore the blue and gold of Tipperary as a minor before progressing through the under-21 and junior grades. In 1987, he joined the Tipperary senior football panel, where his commitment, skill, and leadership quickly established him as a mainstay in the side for well over a decade,” the club said.

“A natural leader and inspirational figure on and off the pitch, Ryan was central to the golden era of Clonmel Commercials, helping the club to five Tipperary Senior Football Championships in 1986, 1989, 1990, 1994, and 2002. His consistency, determination, and quiet authority made him one of the most admired players in the county game."

The tragic news comes two-and-a-half years after the passing of former Tipp and then Offaly manager Liam Kearns in 2023.