A FEW weeks ago, Conor Ryan explained that his goal for the season was to get as many minutes as he can with Munster, and see where that takes him. The Clonakilty powerhouse is already on the right track – he made his first senior appearance for Munster when they beat an Argentina XV at Thomond Park on Saturday night.
In an all new second-row pairing, Ryan teamed up with Evan O’Connell, and looked at home in the red jersey, as Munster enjoyed a 31-28 victory.
While Jack Crowley was in Chicago taking on the All Blacks with Ireland, Ryan’s presence boosted the West Cork influence on this Munster team. Bantry’s Josh Wycherley and Skibbereen’s Gavin Coombes both started too, with the latter scoring a try. Fineen Wycherley came on in the second half.
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Ryan, who played the full match, joined Munster on a one-year development contract for the 2025/26 season. His rise is another positive reflection of Clonakilty Rugby Club which is also home to another current Munster man, John Hodnett.
‘I started in Clonakilty when I was about four or five, and played all the way up to U18.5s. Then my first adult year I played dual status, with Clonakilty and UCC U20s,’ Ryan explained recently, and he will hope to kick on and earn more minutes with Munster in the months ahead.
The good news is that Munster head coach Clayton McMillan was delighted with how Munster’s young guns fared against Argentina. While Ryan, Max Clein and Luke Murphy made their first senior Munster appearances, Ronan Foxe, Fionn Gibbons and Evan O’Connell made their first senior starts for the province.
‘I've been really impressed with the effort that everybody in the squad has put in and a lot of the younger guys have done a huge amount to help set up the guys that play regularly to go out on a Saturday and perform,’ McMillan said.
‘You just can't deny them the opportunity to go out and play. It's taken five or six weeks to get there, but it was really pleasing, satisfying to give them that opportunity and enjoy themselves, express themselves and get a win.
‘It's important for the club, it's important for our growth and creating depth, so there were so many positives I think that came out of tonight.’
For second-rower Conor Ryan, it was a magical night he will never forget. And he will want more of the same.
