Tummery Athletic player/manager Ryan Hanna, was hoping the 2021/22 season would be a ‘Carlsberg season’, referring to the beer’s iconic tag line, and not just because Tummery put together back-to-back league titles, after never having won one before.
But, the Liverpool supporter was left disappointed on Saturday night when Jurgen Klopp’s men failed to do the business against Real Madrid.
In April this year, Tummery were crowned Mercer League champions, having amassed a massive 20 wins, three draws, and only three defeats, finishing on 63 points, four points clear of their nearest challengers, Dergview Reserves.
Hanna has been instrumental in the success of Tummery both on the field and on the sidelines. The 33-year-old central midfielder was among three players nominated for the Fermanagh and Western Player of the Year award and helped deliver the Mercer Cup to the Dromore side for a second time.
In 2019/20, Hanna’s first season in charge, Tummery got their hands on the prized division one trophy for the first time in their history but the season was cut short that year because of the onset of Covid. That was followed by a whole year of no football before games returned in earnest for the 21/22 season.
While Hanna acknowledges the 19/20 title, he can’t help but feel this one really silenced any doubts about their title-winning credibility;
“The one that we won via Covid, well the table didn’t lie, but we didn’t finish the season, that was out of our control.We won it and we celebrated like we won it but to me, that was gone.
“(This season)We weren’t defending that title, we were attacking another one and that was the mindset I put on the lads. They bought into it from day one, they all had their own motivations,” says the countryside recreation officer.
“It was sweet and if you ask anybody, the second time around was the sweeter one, given what happened before.”
Hanna signed for Tummery in 2017 under Benny McElhome and in October 2019 took on the player/manager role. It’s demanding but it’s massively rewarding, says Hanna;
“I was shocked and privileged at the same time to be asked by the club.
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