After much speculation, Limerick star forward Ian Ryan has revealed that he will not be joining any AFL clubs 'Down Under'. The Treaty ace was alleged to be on the verge of signing a deal with Melbourne side Essendon, after undergoing a two-week trial with the club but has now confirmed that that's not the case. This summer's championship saw Ryan rack up a 3-7 tally for Limerick in a shock defeat of Meath and the attacker has stated that his future lies with Gaelic football as he does not wish to become a full-time sportsman in the afl. "It was a tremendous experience being involved in a full-time set-up for two weeks, and Essendon couldn't have treated me better. "But after giving the matter a lot of thought, I've decided that I'd prefer to continue playing Gaelic football rather than making the change to Aussie Rules. "I was reared playing Gaelic football, and I feel it's a much faster and more free-flowing game than Aussie Rules. "As well, I've come to the conclusion that for me Gaelic football is more of a hobby rather than something I'd like to be involved in full-time, if it were possible. "So the full-time element of Aussie Rules wouldn't be a plus for me. In this regard, I'm like Sean Cavanagh whom I've seen has said that being a full-time sportsman wouldn't really appeal to him. "If I did join Essendon, I know that I'd miss playing with Limerick and my club." Tweet

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