2020 ALL-IRELAND winner Brian Ryan is reportedly linking up with Dublin’s panel for the 2025 inter-county season.
The Irish Independent state that he has earned a call-up on foot of helping Na Fianna in their ongoing journey to next month’s All-Ireland club final.
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In addition to being part of John Kiely’s extended training squad in 2020, the midfielder also lined out for the Treaty in the early part of 2021.
2023 saw him transfer clubs from his native South Liberties to the Mobhi Road outfit upon him moving to the capital.
The Dubs will of course be managed by Na Fianna boss Niall Ó Ceallacháin for the forthcoming League and Championship.
Having steered Na Fianna to a first-ever senior county title, Ó Ceallacháin was appointed to the Dubs’ hotseat as successor to Micheál Donoghue in September.
Four days later, his club’s back-to-back bid hit a snag when they suffered a group-stage defeat to Lucan Sarsfields.
Ó Ceallacháin was adamant that his duties to club and county would co-exist as long as Na Fianna’s interest in the Championship remained a going concern.
And after rebounding from the Lucan loss with a quarter-final blitz of Ballyboden St Enda’s, fears that they might suffer from the gaffer’s increased workload soon eased.
A fortnight ago Ó Ceallacháin was able to take his first official training session as Dublin boss. Last weekend, he brought his club to an All-Ireland final.
For former Na Fianna ace Martin Quilty, Ó Ceallacháin’s desire to keep the fortunes of the Glasnevin side at the top of his agenda has come as no surprise.
He was a key player for the club when Quilty joined the senior panel in 2008.
They were team-mates for a few seasons until a vacancy caused Ó Ceallacháin to deduce that he was more valuable to Na Fianna on the sideline.
In a chat with SunSport’s Paul Dollery, Quilty recalled: “We had no hurling management at the time.
“Nelly was a very good hurler but he cut short his own playing career to manage us for that first spell. It was a personal sacrifice that he made.
“I couldn’t have imagined cutting short my playing career to do that and I don’t think many people would.
“It’s probably the mark of him and what a clubman he is.”
A coaching journey that began on Mobhi Road will continue in 2025 when Dublin compete with Kilkenny, Galway, Wexford, Antrim and Offaly to advance from the Leinster SHC.
Quilty added: “I’m so happy for him on a personal level that he’s the Dublin manager now because he was giving the same amount of effort and detail to our club minor and senior teams 15 years ago and probably wasn’t getting the plaudits.
“It’s great to see that this has come around for him and that he’s getting the recognition he deserves.
“Not that he’d be looking for it, but he deserves to be acknowledged for all his efforts.
“I have full confidence in him too that he’ll do great things in that job in the next couple of years.”
