Séamus Ryder, Fermanagh, and Anthony Moyles, Meath, in Allianz Football League Division Two action in 2009.
By Cian O’Connell
Three years in management with a county final appearance in every campaign, Erne Gaels’ Belleek Séamus Ryder laughs about the chaos of it all.
There is always something to do, a problem to solve, but Ryder wouldn’t want it any other way. An Intermediate title in Fermanagh was followed by a losing Senior decider last year. On Sunday Belleek contest another Fermanagh showpiece against Derrygonnelly Harps at Brewster Park.
“We were relegated the year before I took over, we won the Intermediate in our first year back down, we got back to a Senior final in our first year back up, and we are there again this year,” he explains.
“We've got to back to back finals in Senior so we must be doing something right. In fairness the year we were relegated we had a few lads away, injuries, and suspension. We had lads missing in the first round from suspensions the previous year and it just snowballed.
“We lost a couple of games by a point or two, we were unlucky. We reacted well to it.
"We just knuckled down, we knew we were a lot better. We had a couple of lads back from Australia, we just went full tilt then.”
Ryder highlights the fact that the club enjoyed a productive underage spell as a crucial time for the club. “We got to four minor finals in the mid teens, from about 2012 to 2016, we got to four Minor A finals, we won two and lost two,” Ryder remarks.
A general view of Brewster Park. Photo by Ben McShane/Sportsfile
“I'd say 75 per cent of the squad is made up of them lads and a couple of younger lads. We have four or five lads outside of it that make up the rest.”
With a player centred approach, Ryder is thoroughly enjoying the managerial role with delegation crucial. “The guys I have along with me, Kieran Smith, he does the S&C, and Conleth Cullen has been with me since the start, we have added to it, we have a great backroom team, it is player driven, it always has been,” he says.
“We have a good few on the county panel, so the standards are set by them and the captains in the last couple of years. It is made easier by the players we have.
“I only finished up playing myself in 2020, I suppose I was close enough to it to understand what was needed. I knew the players well too, it wasn't that much of an ask to go in. I knew what was happening with the guys, what was required from a senior football set-up.”
That good days have been enjoyed has certainly helped the journey. “These guys have given us a couple of great days,” Ryder says.
“Winning the Intermediate title, we beat our neighbours with a last minute goal. We won a Senior League for the first time since '96 last year, we went through it unbeaten.
“We won the League Final by a point with a late score so we've had a couple of good days. Obviously the Final last year wasn't one of them, so hopefully we can make up for that this year.”
