THE TWILIGHT ZONE
CONAL KEANEY says returning to the AIB Leinster club SHC is so sweet for Ballyboden St Enda’s after being widely written off.
The veteran Dublin star heard all the talk that core players were ‘too old’ and claimed some club members even questioned the team.
But ultra experienced performers like Keaney, Paul Ryan and Simon Lambert showed that class is permanent by winning the Dublin title.
They’ll return to provincial action on Sunday when they host Westmeath’s Clonkill in the quarter-finals at Parnell Park.
Keaney, 36, said of their Dublin success: “It’s probably a little bit sweeter because I’m older and I understand the significance of it and there’s probably not going to be too many more of them.
“Also it’s a little bit sweeter because people wrote us off, people were saying we were too old and that there was too many young lads that weren’t good enough in the club.
“That’s been going on the last three or four years. Even lads in the club were debating that. But we knew this team was good enough and that the younger lads were good enough.”
Keaney was at his best last Sunday, scoring from points from play in Ballyboden’s county final replay win over Kilmacud Crokes.
It was his seventh Dublin hurling title success and he’s keen to push on in Leinster now.
He was part of the Ballyboden team that reached the provincial final in 2007, losing to Birr, but they only won one of their seven games in Leinster after.
All-ireland club football medallist Keaney said: “Cuala have been the yardstick for the last number of years – we have to do Dublin justice now.
“It’s not good enough to go and get beaten in the first round of Leinster.
Winning (Dublin) is great. It’s great for the club. But you want to go on and compete in Leinster and in All-irelands.” Crossmaglen (Armagh) v Coalisland (Tyrone), Athletic Grounds, 7pm
Clann na Gael (Roscommon) v Tir Chonaill Gaels (London), Dr Hyde Park, 1pm
Tourlestrane (Sligo) v Ballintubber (Mayo), Enniscrone, 2pm
Adare (Limerick) v The Nire (Waterford), Gaelic Grounds, 3.30pm
Moyle Rovers (Tipperary) v Dr Crokes (Kerry), Ardfinnan, 1.30pm
Cargin (Antrim) v Gweedore (Donegal), Corrigan Park, 2.30pm
Castlerahan (Cavan) v Coleraine (Derry), Kingscourt, 2.30pm
Burren (Down) v Scotstown (Monaghan), Pairc Esler, 2.30pm
Corofin v Mountbellew-moylough, Pearse Stadium, 1.45pm
Coolderry (Offaly) v Mount Leinster Rangers (Carlow), O’connor Park, 1.30pm – TG4 (deferred coverage)
Ballyboden St Endas (Dublin) v Clonkill (Westmeath), Parnell Park, 2pm
Camross (Laois) v Naomh Eanna (Wexford), O’moore Park, 2pm
Na Piarsaigh (Limerick) v Clonoultyrossmore (Tipperary), Gaelic Grounds, 1pm
Ballygunner (Waterford) v Ballyea (Clare), Walsh Park, 1.30pm – TG4