He joined the Premier hurling back-room team as strength and conditioning coach in 2014 under the management of Eamon O’Shea and continued in the role up until this season.

“It has been one of the most gratifying things in my life to be involved with that group, and we have had a wonderful journey (but) all these things come to an end,” he said. “It has been one of the most enjoyable things working with a fantastic group of players so it is something I will always cherish – I learned a lot doing it.”

In his time with Tipp, they won two Munster titles and were crowned All-Ireland champions in 2016. Having represented Ireland in the Olympic Games in both 1996 and 2000, Ryan was also the first Irish athlete to reach a global sprint final when he came fourth in the 1997 World University Games.

Ryan, who broke 30 Irish sprinting records during his career, including in the Olympic Games in both Atlanta and Sydney, revealed that he has left that role due to his family commitments.

“I have a three-year-old and a one-year-old so working on them might be the next priority – they’re my club,” he smiled.

Ryan was speaking at the University of Limerick where he inducted into the college’s Sports Hall of Fame alongside fellow Sydney 2000 team-mates Rosemary Ryan and Dr Tom Comyn.

Tipperary are expected to name former boss Liam Sheedy as their new manager at tonight’s county board meeting.

Comerford says system a ‘disaster for club players’

Kilkenny legend Martin Comerford has described the GAA fixture calendar as being a “disaster for club players”.

The six-time All-Ireland SHC medallist retired from the inter-county game in 2011 but has continued to play with O’Loughlin Gaels.

The club are preparing for a county quarter-final but the early stages of the competition saw a lengthy break as matches came to a halt as the inter-county scene dominated in the summer months.

“It’s a disaster for club players,” Comerford said. “O’Loughlin Gaels played a game in the first week in April and were three and a half months without a (championship) game.

“Competitive games that mean something to the clubs didn’t happen for three and a half months. Something has to be done.”

“I’m sure the GAA are looking at it and hopefully they come up with a master fixture list which is what the CPA are looking for and everyone will know where they stand.

“Hopefully that comes in sooner rather than later because club players are being treated badly and at the end of the day, the club is the lifeblood of the association and the GAA need to do something urgently. Something has to be done and hopefully it is done in the near future.

Last week, the Economic and Social Research Institute published their findings on the demands faced by GAA players at inter-county level. They found that on average a player commits 31 hours a week to playing for their county.

Comerford sees huge changes since stepping away from Kilkenny.

“The fitness levels, the speed, the pace of the game and the strength and conditioning of the players are just on a different level altogether. I don’t know if that is good, bad or indifferent. The ball is moving so fast up and down the field that the players need to be in prime condition going into games and it’s a credit to all the players that they keep themselves in such physical condition to be able to play a game on a Sunday and six or seven days later go out and do it all again.

“It’s hard on the players but it’s what they want – games instead of training.”

Speaking at the University of Limerick, where he was inducted to the college’s Sports Hall of Fame, Comerford’s name was put on the board alongside legends of the game including Eddie Keher and Clare’s Brian Lohan.

“It’s a great honour and a bit of a surprise but I’m very proud.”

While the former Kilkenny captain took his first step in the coaching ladder this year when he was involved with Meath in the Joe McDonagh Cup, Comerford is not ready to hang up the playing boots just yet as he continues his quest for a fifth county medal in the coming weeks.