Everybody remembers Graham Geraghty’s last ditch goal against Louth 20 years ago. Even more memorable were the mercurial forward’s celebration after the heroic act and his dash to catch the Kepak helicopter. He was part of a wedding party down in Wexford. Now read on…
Less heralded, though equally as crucial and dramatic was the contribution of a Meath substitute who put the first flares of the rescue mission up. Dunshaughlin’s Richie Kealy blasted to the net twice in as many minutes in identical fashion at the hospital end of Pairc Tailteann.
The versatile Kealy, who made his Meath senior debut under Sean Boylan in 1999 and ended that season the holder of an All Ireland SFC medal medal, takes over from former team mate Martin Reilly as the three time Keegan Cup winners bid to bounce back having lost their seat at Meath football’s top table.
Though in more recent seasons Richie has been involved with burgeoning Dublin outfit St Peregrine’s, the Kealy family have been synonymous with Dunshaughlin GAA. The six Kealy brothers – Denis, Aidan, Dermot, Brendan, Richie and Kevin – were the very fulcrum of the team which brought the black and ambers a multiplicity of ‘domestic’ honours and a Leinster Club SFC title at the height of their golden era while their sister Maria also represented club and county with distinction.
The Intermediate championship in Meath can be notoriously difficult to escape, but those most recently consigned thence will be quietly confident of making a swift return with proven talented players such as Niall Murphy. Mathew Costello, Luke Mitchell, Aaron Murphy, Ruairi Kinsella and Conor Gray on their books.
Kealy is believed to have assembled an impressive backroom team as he takes his first foray into management. TP Toolan, who was Eamon Barry’s chief lieutenant when Dunshaughlin were winning all before them has been linked with a return to the sideline while sources also indicate a former county teammate of the new supremo will also be part of the new think tank.
With most clubs most likely to have their management structures in place for the forthcoming season by now, anticipation will surely be rising in the county to see in what format the Co Committee decide to run off club competitions. Last term, the Feis Cup doubled as the All County League and was completed via groups on a geographical basis with one team going straight into the final and teams two and three meeting in a semi final.
If the Covid-19 situation was to stabilise, hope and expectation would be that competitions would return to their tried and trusted methods. Then again, if is a very big two letter word!
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