The day Keano ruled the Carlisle
Future star shone in U16 international
THE Carlisle Grounds in Bray back in April 1988 was the venue for an under-16 international soccer game. The Bray venue was regularly used by the FAI over the years and on this occasion, Ireland faced Scotland.
The report the following week in the Wicklow People lamented the fact that only a little over 200 people turned up to watch. Those that did would have gotten a sight that day of a player that would get more column inches both during and after his career than any Irish player.
A certain player from the Rockmount club in Cork by the name of Roy Keane occupied a position wide on the right for the Irish team. Slight in build and giving inches away to most players on the field, the Cork man still managed to hold his own as Arklow’s Richie Hall, who was a linesman that day, recollects.
Ireland were preparing for the European championships which would be held in Spain later that summer. Only a squad of sixteen would travel to the championships in May and manager Joe McGrath had left out five English based players for a look at some local talent.
Well-known Arklow official Hall recalls Keane playing and showing some of the skill and ability to pick a pass that would mark him down as one of Ireland’s best ever players. He also remembers, funnily enough, how all four Wicklow league officials had been supplied with some spanking new gear for the game. Nice pristine white jerseys looked the part but as soon as the game ended a man appeared to the referee’s room and took them back leaving them with no mementos!
After a bright opening by Ireland Jason Byrne was fouled for the Irish penalty which was scored by Stephen Holt in the 28th minute. Some reporters felt the foul happened outside the box after Keane played a great through ball to Byrne.
A second Irish goal had them comfortably ahead five minutes in to the second half. It was Len Downey who found the net with Keane again heavily involved breaking up a Scottish attack to set Ireland away on the break.
Scotland got a goal back through Jason Buchanan with twenty minutes to play to make it edgy for the Irish. Hall remembers flagging the Scottish player for offside but play was waved on much to the Irish management annoyance.
It took a couple of fine saves from Brian McKenna to keep the
Irish ahead until the end. The late Paul McCarthy and John Carroll were also rock solid at the back. McCarthy a club mate of Keane at the time would go on to play for Brighton and Wycombe who he helped to the FA Cup semi-final in 2001 where Liverpool beat them. Keane was named as one of Ireland’s best players on the day and some six years later would play in the World Cup in America after making his senior debut in 1991 against Chile.
Reading last week that the ‘Saipan incident’ was reaching its 18th anniversary was hard to believe. Love him or hate him the rise of Roy Keane from skinny schoolboy to one of the best midfielders in world football should serve as an inspiration to any that doubt themselves.
Team: Brian McKenna; Richard Purdy, Brian Monaghan, Paul McCarthy, John Carroll, Hughie Carolan, Stephen Holt, Jason Byrne, Len Downey, Alan Weldrick and Roy Keane. Subs: Jamie Cullimore, Terry Murphy and Rory McSweeney.
The Wicklow branch supplied all the officials on the day with Peter Kelly in charge of the whistle assisted by JJ Johnston, Robert Doyle and Richie Hall.