Conal Keaney announces his retirement from inter-county game

Conal Keaney has announced his retirement from inter-county action after a stellar 20-year sporting career.

Thanks for a great 20 years @dublingaa it was a great journey but the time has come #retirement #AGAIN #greatmemories #GAA #nextchapter

— Conal keaney (@ConalKeaney) April 19, 2021

The Ballyboden St Enda's dual ace was a central character in Dublin hurling's most recent greatest days such as the NHL Division 1 final success of 2011 and two years later when Dublin lifted the Bob O'Keeffe Cup as Leinster champions.

That incredible victory saw Dublin end a 52-year wait to be crowned Leinster champions before losing narrowly in the All-Ireland SHC semi-final against Cork (1-24 to 1-19).

The Dubs, under the management of Anthony Daly, had beaten Galway in the provincial decider with a devastating display to prevail 2-25 to 2-13 having beaten both Kilkenny and Wexford in replays earlier in their successful Leinster campaign.

“He was a great player, and if there was one thing that was the catalyst for us kicking on from 2010 it was him coming over," said the Dublin manager of that time, Anthony Daly. "It was massive. It seemed to fill the rest of the boys with fierce belief as well."

In the 2011 championship Dublin entered on a high following their NHL1 final heroics and followed up with summer victories over Offaly and Galway before losing to Kilkenny in the Leinster decider. However, Dublin bounced back to topple Limerick in their All-Ireland SHC quarter-final (3-13 to 0-18) before losing to Tipperary (1-19 to 0-18) in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Conal, however, missed the games against Limerick and Tipperary after suffering injury in a motorbike accident.

Conal started his inter-county senior career in his Leaving Cert year with the hurlers in 2001 and represented the county in both codes at minor, under-21 and senior level.

In 2003 he was part of the Dublin team that defeated Kilkenny in a memorable Walsh Cup final in Parnell Park. 

During his senior football days he was part of five Dublin Leinster SFC winning panels. He also won three Railway Cup titles - two with the Leinster hurlers and one with the Leinster footballers. 

His club career with Ballyboden St Enda's has also yielded huge success, claiming an All-Ireland senior football title in 2016 alongside two Leinster senior football titles, seven Dublin senior hurling championship titles and three Dublin senior football titles.

Dublin GAA thank Conal for his wonderful service to the Dublin jersey over an incredible two decades and we wish him every success for the future.