Impressive Jack’s the lad for ’Stones
JACK KEATING topped off a highly successful season with Greystones RFC by winning the AIL Division 2B Player of the Year award last week. It capped a campaign which saw the North Wicklow men capture promotion to Division 2A after a few seasons of near misses.
Jack gave us his thoughts on his reaction to the award and his memories from what was a great season for Greystones.
“Yeah, I’m obviously chuffed to get the award but to be honest this season was a real team effort and everyone from coaches to players to supporters rowed in to get us over the promotion line. Missing out narrowly for the last few years really spurred us on and the camaraderie and team effort we showed all season was fantastic.”
That camaraderie and team effort could well have been the difference in the end. In a ding dong battle Greystones edged rivals Armagh to first place and automatic promotion by a single point, winning their last 10 league matches in succession. Jack acknowledges the battle with Armagh was a tight one and says one of his stand out personal recollections from the season came when playing the Ulster men.
“I’ll remember the season more for what we did has a team but from a personal point of view scoring a try against Armagh is right up there. It was a really tight match so to score a try and win the game was brilliant. It’s especially satisfying considering how little there was between us in the end.”
“Having missed out through a play off last season we were determined to get that automatic promotion with first place. So to beat them, hold them off and retain first place was really satisfying.”
From a personal stand point Jack pinpoints an injury free season as the key to his performances on the pitch.
“Over the last few seasons I’ve had a lot of injuries so haven’t been playing consistently week in week out. This season that’s turned around and it’s really refreshing to get consistent game time. I suppose from my own point of view that’s been the difference as I’ve been able to learn and improve week on week as each game has passed.”
Jack, who recently finished his time in DIT studying Food Science, acknowledges it took substantial effort, commitment and hours of training to get over the line but that he wouldn’t change a thing.
“Obviously it takes a lot of work to be successful but it’s a lot easier when you get on with the guys around you and that has been the case for us. There’s a great team spirit and a lot of us have come up through youths together so a lot of guys have been playing with each other for years.”
“I think we’ve got a well-balanced team as although there is a lot of younger players here the more experienced players have really kept the ship steady and kept everyone level headed throughout the season. I don’t think we ever got carried away or took anyone for granted so credit has to go to everyone for that.”
Keating goes on to say that the coaching staff have been great throughout and were brilliant in guiding the team to top of the pile.
“I really can’t say enough about the coaches as again without them we wouldn’t be where we are. It’s a really professional environment and they have been great at motivating and pushing guys on all season. From Kevin, Warren and Barry to Cameron, our physio, Olan our strength and conditioning coach and Paul, John and Karl as the back room staff everyone has contributed and played their part. We’re just delighted as players that we could repay them by the success we had on the pitch.”
Jack is currently enjoying the summer off season but will no doubt be chomping at the bit to get back into action by the time pre-season comes around. Although this season was a huge success for the young winger, he is adamant that the team will not sit back on past glories and will strive for further progress next season.
“We won’t be getting ahead of ourselves but we’re a young and highly ambitious team. We showed this year in the cup that we could compete and beat teams who were in Divisions above us so there’s no doubt we have belief that we can do well next year. I suppose the trick will be beating those teams on a consistent basis but we’ll certainly not be left wanting for effort, belief or commitment”.
Modest as he may be there is no doubt Keating was well deserving of his award and contributed hugely to Greystones success on the pitch this season. The winger scored no less than 19 tries in his team’s 18 league matches, a truly astonishing strike rate, and had opposition defenders quacking in their boots on a weekly basis.
A Greystones man through and true, having played in the green and white stripes since the age of four, Keating has been ear marked as a serious talent from an early age and played Leinster youths rugby in his teens.
Greystones will hope he remains fit and healthy as they push on to Division 2A next year but there’s no doubt that this young man and this young team have the potential to push on and be successful next year and in to the future.
An exciting time ahead for all involved.