JACQUI HURLEY paid tribute to Pat Ryan’s late brother after Cork beat Limerick in the Munster hurling final.
The Rebels ended a seven-year wait for provincial glory with a penalty shoot-out win over the seven in-a-row chasing Treaty.
It came just four months on from the sad death of Cork manager Pat Ryan’s brother Ray aged 43.
Ray tragically passed away back in February, having been part of Sarsfields teams that won county titles in 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014.
After the Rebels’ momentous victory at the TUS Gaelic Grounds, RTE broadcaster Jacqui Hurley made sure to pay tribute to him on Instagram.
She said: “Ray, I hope you are smiling down on these scenes.”
Pat Ryan is an immensely popular figure among the Leesiders, who have now done a league and provincial championship double.
This was on display when Robert Downey sent a message of love to his gaffer after Saturday’s game.
Skipper Downey said: “I don’t think he realises how much we love him.
“But on days like these, I’m going to tell him. Pat, we love you to bits.”
Three weeks after they suffered a 16-point hammering at the hands of the same opposition, Cork scuppered Limerick’s seven-in-a-row quest following an engrossing affair at the Gaelic Grounds.
Ryan said: “We were just focused on coming up here and really going to battle with Limerick and representing the jersey, representing our people.
“The people are spending money to come up here and we didn’t give them any value for money the last day.
“I think both teams gave fierce value for money to their supporters today and to everyone.
“We have no doubt in the character of our fellas. We have no doubt in the ability that they have.
“I think everybody has said that. You have to go and prove it every time.
“I’m here three years. We thought that performance three weeks ago was gone out of this team. As I said, I genuinely take a bit of blame for that.”
Ryan’s own frustration with ref Thomas Walsh — who went off injured in extra-time — seemed apparent as he approached the Waterford official at half-time.
But the Cork chief said: “We’re all fighting tooth and nail for the calls.
“The game is so fast. Thomas is a fantastic referee. We’re fighting for calls. John Kiely is fighting for calls. That’s just the nature of it.”
Asked why he approached Walsh, Ryan responded: “Just to say he was doing a great job.”
