Conal Keaney primed for Leinster journey

Ballyboden St Enda's dual star Conal Keaney is hoping the disappointments of previous Leinster club campaigns in both codes can drive the Firhouse Road outfit to greater things in this year's Leinster club SFC campaign.

Their journey begins with a trip to the Gaelic Grounds in Drogheda this Sunday to face Louth champions, St Pat's of Lordship (2.0).

While most of Boden's recent provincial adventures have been in hurling they were toppled by Westmeath's Garrycastle the last time they emerged as Dublin's football representatives back in 2009.

On six other occasions since 2007 they flew the flag for hurling in the capital but never tasted Leinster glory. For the entire squad but especially for dual aces such as Conal, Stephen Hiney, Stephen O'Connor and Shane Durkin they will be hoping this year is different.

“We’re trying to really learn from all that. And even back in 2009 ... we probably nearly took it for granted. ‘Oh, a Dublin team gets out, they’re going to win Leinster’," says Conal.

“This year more than ever, Andy (McEntee, Ballyboden St Enda's manager) is really instilling in us that what’s done is done; we can talk about it and enjoy it in a couple of years, but now we’re here to make a difference and Pat’s just stand in our way.”

Looking back on their recent Dublin SFC final success when they defeated champions of the previous two years, St Vincent's, Conal says: "Every year we were always underdogs in the football championship, for one reason or another. Maybe it’s because we don’t have a huge amount of the Dublin team, I don’t know.

“We were conscious of not playing safe,” he says. “We were going to attack them from everywhere, be it full-back or half-back. Although it didn’t look like that in the last ten or 15 minutes! But that was the plan in the first half, to really go at them.”

It was a mindset and game-plan that paid huge dividend as they races into a 1-5 to 0-0 lead in the opening quarter. More of the same would do nicely this Sunday!