Cork boss Pat Ryan saw 'something different' in new Rebel hero
'I think his technical ability was always very good, it's just he wasn't doing enough of it. There was the makings of a really good hurler inside there.'
Brian Hayes was the unlikely hero of Cork’s All-Ireland semi-final win, though manager Pat Ryan had seen “something different” in him way back. The St Finbarr’s man, like many in Cork, is a talented dual player and when a tug of war breaks out at senior level, hurling invariably wins out.
But before that, he was allowed to play both codes at under-20 level, winning two All-Irelands with the hurlers, and captaining the footballers to a Munster title in 2021 before going into the senior football panel the following year. Ryan came calling after that, however, and he enjoyed his best day yet in a Cork jersey with his 1-4 haul against Limerick last time out.
“When we got involved with the under-20s I had seen Brian play against my own club in a minor championship match,” said Ryan. “He was raw, a big strong fella, and I knew that he was a good player. Obviously he comes from a great lineage with his own dad Paddy being a fantastic footballer himself.
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“But I'd seen him play a good bit at that stage and we brought him in towards the end of the year, the Covid year, with the under-20s and he just had something different. He just had a bit of size, his length, he had something. We knew there was something in him.
“I worked very well with Keith Ricken that year with the under-20s and we made an opportunity for him to play both and he really appreciated that.
“We had a bit of success in the under-20s and then obviously he became good friends with a lot of the lads within that under-20s group and then obviously had a fantastic year with the ‘Barrs and then he just came in.
“Look, I had a good relationship with him and he felt that there was a great opportunity for him there.”
That rawness that Ryan refers to may have overshadowed his technical ability, but the manager says it was always there.
“I think his technical ability was always very good, it's just he wasn't doing enough of it. There was the makings of a really good hurler inside there and, in fairness, Donal O'Rourke has worked very hard with him. But he's getting brilliant coaching in the ‘Barrs as well.
“His own uncle Ger is still with him at that club level. Adrian O'Brien, who would be Shane O'Brien's father, was with them when they won a county, so he's getting really good coaching at different levels. Donal has done great work with him and he's worked really hard on his game himself.
“Confidence and playing well, your touch comes up and your striking comes up and your hurling comes up. He's giving us something different all the time.”
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