Making headlines for the right reasons

Sunday's FAI Cup final will be the biggest, most significant of Barry Ryan's career, yet by his demeanor  you wouldn't know it.  The St Patrick's Athletic goalkeeper no longer courts the limelight. That, for him is already a road well worn, and experience twinned with personal tragedy has since grounded him.

After serving a nine-month suspension three years ago for a drugs offence, Ryan is grateful for the opportunity afforded to him by the Inchicore club.  His career lay in tatters but St Patrick's took a risk, hauled him from the gutter and gifted him a ticket back to the big time.

"I'm very grateful to Pats for giving me the chance," he says.  "I made a mistake, and I hold my hands up. I've done my time. I'm trying to put that in the past. I've got my just rewards over the last two years now so hopefully I can put it behind me, and look ahead to the final. It's been a long road, but I've worked hard since I've come to Pat's. I've matured myself. I'm not messing as much as I used to."

Whatever about a long road, it's certainly a lifetime away from his mornings delivering milk around Ennis.  Often working in Baltic conditions with the respite of shifts' end keeping him sane, Ryan knew there was more to life than sitting on a float getting pelted by rain. He was always confident he had the talent to succeed yet the leading scouts rarely travelled down his way.

"Nobody ever went down to watch the soccer in Ennis. It was a back seat," he says.  "Hurling was the dominant force in the 90's. They were winning All-Irelands. But there was great talent, people should have gone down and had a look. There was a soccer team but it was still all about the hurling."

But Ryan did get his break as a 17-year-old when the late Dr Tony O'Neill offered him a UCD scholarship.  It was the breakthrough he craved and, after time, he established himself in the first team.  He spent seven seasons at Belfield before a move to Shamrock Rovers turned sour after testing positive for a banned substance.

For a spell thereafter, his life was lived through the newspapers - not usually a position domestic league players find themselves in.   Still, whereas other might have buried their heads in the sand, Ryan was determined to bounce back twice as strong.  That determination alerted St Patrick's who signed Ryan after a brief spell with Dublin City.

"I met Johnny (McDonnell, the manager) in some pub near the Phoenix Park and I came up one day and I signed and sealed there, done it on the day. I was offered a two year contract. Johnny's mad, mad in his own way but a good manager. If you're fair with him, he'll be vice versa.

"It's full time football, training every day. I've only been doing it for two years but it's great to be getting up going for training and doing what you love. It's a massive club, and this Sunday could kick it all off into the big time. They have been underachieving. Years ago Pat's threw out silly money wages wise, they've got that under control now and are going in the right direction."

Cup final aside, Sunday will be an emotional day for Ryan.  The date marks the two year anniversary of his father Noel's death.  The former Cork Celtic player was, according to Ryan, as enthusiastic a sports man you're ever likely to meet but his suicide shook the family to the core.  Ryan cannot attend the memorial mass but his mother, two brothers and sister will do so en route to Lansdowne Road.

"Yeah, Sunday is a big day but it's all for Dad. It's a a massive day for the family but also for all my friends at home.  There's three or four buses coming up from Ennis, one from the local pub, one from the GAA club, the rugby club, and another pub has another one coming as well.

"The rumour going around Ennis is that half the town is coming up. I was home last weekend. A few weeks before, once we got to the final, everyone said we'd be there, the whole of Ennis is looking forward."

Looking forward.  A lot like Ryan himself.