Just a few short years ago, Darragh Lenihan became the first Meath man to be capped by the Republic Of Ireland at Senior level. Thereafter, a bit like the scenario with the busses, quickly enough thereafter Jamie McGrath from Athboy became the second. The chances of there being a third surely improved this week after Dunboyne teenager Josh Keeley completed his move from St Patrick’s Athletic to Tottenham Hotspur.
The 6ft6″ custodian – who was a talented Gaelic footballer before being lured away by what the other code had to offer – has already played between the posts at underage level after garnering success with both Shelbourne and the Inchicore outfit. Like plenty who have made the transition to the top level of football, young Keeley received the formative stages of his football grounding between St Kevin’s Boys FC and Belvedere FC.
They say an ounce of breeding is worth a tonne of feeding and, if the old maxim holds true, the up-and-coming ‘keeper is surely well placed. His dad Brendan having enjoyed a successful career between the posts with Bohemians and a few Irish League clubs. He is also a qualified goalkeeping coach who has worked with recently departed Meath manager Andy McEntee with several teams.
Josh’s older brother Conor has also carved out a successful career in his own right with Shelbourne, Cabinteely United and, most successfully of late, Ballymena United. As he embarks on the next chapter of his quickly burgeoning career, the younger brother could hardly have gone to a better academy to serve his time between the posts than the White Hart Lane outfit.
From Ray Clemence to Erik Thorstvedt, Ian Walker, Paul Robinson and now Hugo Lloris, the all whites have a habit of signing and/or nurturing top net minding talent. And, in the recent past at least, Irish players such as Stephen Carr, Matt Doherty, Gary Doherty and Robbie Keane. Hopefully the local lad will be the next name on that illustrious list.
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