Jimmy Keaveney
Encyclopedia
James "Jimmy" Keaveney is a retired Irish
sportsperson. He played Gaelic football
with his local club St. Vincents and was a member of the Dublin
senior inter-county team from 1965 until 1978. Keaveney is regarded as one of Dublin's greatest-ever players.
club in Dublin and enjoyed much success during a career that spanned two decades.
He first came to prominence on the club scene as a member of the senior team in the early 1960s. In 1964 Keaveney lined out in his first county championship decider. Nearby rivals O'Toole's
provided the opposition, however, at the full-time whistle St. Vincent's were the champions and Keaveney picked up his first county senior championship winners' medal.
After surrendering their title in 1965 St. Vincent's were back in the county championship decider again in 1966. Seán McDermott's were the opponents, however, Keaveney's side were too strong and regained the title. Both sides met again in 1967, however, the result was the same. A win for St. Vincent's gave Keaveney a third county winners' medal in four years.
St. Vincent's failed to make any impact over the next few years and, after losing the county final of 1969, Keaveney's side had a chance to atone in the championship decider of 1970. Raheny
were the opponents on that occasion and a close game developed. At the end of the sixty minutes St. Vincent's were the champions by 1-10 to 1-8 and Keaveney added a fourth county medal to his collection.
Keaveney's side dominated the county club championship again in 1971. A defeat of Croabh Chiaráin allowed St. Vincent's to retain their county title for the second year in succession.
In 1972 St. Vincent's set out to win a third county title in-a-row. College side UCD
provided the opposition on that occasion and a close game developed. Goals at key moments by St. Vincent's proved the difference as Keaveny's side won by 2-8 to 0-9. It was his sixth county winners' medal. St. Vincent's subsequently represented the county in the provincial club series of games and even reached the final. Westmeath champions the Downs were the opponents. The game turned into a complete rout as Keaveney's side took complete control. A 6-10 to 2-5 score line gave St. Vincent's a first Leinster
club title. An All-Ireland final against Cork champions Nemo Rangers followed for the Dublin club. The sides were level six times in that game and a pointed free by Keaveney in the dying seconds secured a draw. The replay saw St. Vincent's being completely outclassed as Nemo won by 4-6 to 0-10.
St. Vincent's lost out to UCD in the next two county finals, however, both sides met in the championship decider for a fourth consecutive year in 1975. Keaveney's side were awarded the title after the collegians gave them a walkover due to the final clashing with the university exams. A second provincial championship decider quickly followed for Keaveney. St. Joseph's provided the opposition, however, the Laois county champions were easily accounted for by 3-9 to 1-8. It was Keaveney's second Leinster club winners' medal. A second All-Ireland club final appearance followed with Roscommon Gaels lining out in opposition. The game was a complete mismatch as St. Vincent's secured a huge 4-10 to 0-5 victory. It was Keaveney's first All-Ireland
club winners' medal.
Keaveney picked up a seventh county winners' medal in 1976 as St. Vincent's retained their title after a narrow 3-12 to 1-15 victory over UCD. Their provincial run of success came to a halt in the early rounds of that series of games.
In 1977 St. Vincent's made it three-in-a-row with another huge county final victory. In what was the club's ninth consecutive apperanace in the county final, Keaveney collected a ninth winners' medal. In spite of some great displays in the county champions, St. Vincent's were later defeated by Summerhill of Meath in the Leintser final.
St. Vincent's went into decline over the next few years and Keaveney decided to retire from club football.
senior inter-county team in the 1960s. After enjoying no success in the minor or under-21 grades, he lined out in the Leinster senior decider in 1965. Longford
were the opponents on that occasion, however, Dublin's goal-scoring ability was far superior. A 3-6 to 0-9 score line gave Dublin the win and gave Keaveney a first Leinster
winners' medal. Dublin, however, later defeated by eventual runners-up Kerry
in the Al-Ireland semi-final.
While Keaveney enjoyed success at an early age it was a short-lived experience. Over the next eight seasons Dublin failed on each occasion to even reach the Leinster decider. It was a frustrating downturn that eventually led to Keaveney announcing his retirement from inter-county football in 1973. At the age of twenty eight it was a premature decision.
In 1974 former All-Ireland winning captain Kevin Heffernan
took over as manager of Dublin in time for the championship. Keaveney's retirement was short-lived as the new manager persuaded him to return to the team. The St. Vincent's man agreed and was immediately vindicated when Dublin reached the Leinster final of 1974. Archrivals Meath
set out to stop 'the Dubs' claiming a first provincial title since 1965. The new look Dublin made no mistake in securing a 1-14 to 1-9 victory. It was Keaveney's second Leinster winners' medal. Dublin later surprisingly defeated All-Ireland title-holders Cork in the semi-final, thus booking a place in the All-Ireland final against Galway
. The men fom the west, who had been beaten in two of the previous three championship deciders, took a 1-4 to 0-5 lead at half-time, however, the real turning point of the game came in the 52nd minute. Galway were awarded a penalty which Liam Sammon
stepped up to take. Goalkeeper Paddy Cullen
made no mistake and saved the shot. 'The Dub's' later went on to take the lead as Galway collapsed. A 0-14 to 1-6 score line resulted in a first All-Ireland
winners' medal for Kevaeney and a first for Dublin in eleven years. He capped off the year by collecting his first All-Star
award
Dublin proved that their success in 1974 was not a flash-in-the-pan by retaining the Leinster title in 1975 after an enormous 3-13 to 0-8 defeat of Kildare
. Keaveney's side were the red-hot favourites going into the All-Ireland final against the youngest Kerry teams of all-time. On a rain-soaked day John Egan
and substitute Ger O'Driscoll
scored two goals for Kerry and 'the Dubs' were ambushed by 2-12 to 0-11. It was a bitter defeat for a Dublin team that had expected so much.
Dublin continued their dominance in 1976. After securing the National League
title 'the Dubs' dominated the provincial championship once again. A narrow 2-8 to 1-9 defeat of Meath gave Keaveney a third consecutive Leinster winners' medal, his fourth in total. Once again it was Kerry who provided the opposition in the All-Ireland final, as one of the great rivalries of football entered a new chapter. Both sides were hoping for success, however, new 'Dub' Kevin Moran was causing havoc with the Kerry defence. Immediately after the game started he careered through the Kerry half-back and full-back lines, however, his shot at goal went wide. This set the pace for the rest of the match. John McCarthy finished a five-man move to score Dublin's first goal of the day. A converted penalty by Keaveney was followed by a third goal from Brian Mullins
. A 3-8 to 0-10 score line gave Dublin the title and gave Keaveney a second All-Ireland winners' medal. Keaveney was surprisingly omitted from the All-Star selection, however, he was later named Texaco Footballer of the Year
.
The 1977 Leinster final was a replay of the previous year with the result being the same. Meath provided some stiff opposition but fell short, eventually losing the game by 1-9 to 0-8. It was Keaveney's fourth consecutive Leinster title. Dublin later took on Kerry for the third consecutive year, however, this time it was in the All-Ireland semi-final. In one of the greatest games of football ever-played 'the Dubs' triumphed and booked a final apot against Armagh
. An eight-goal thriller ensued, with Keaveney scoring the first of the day after just ninety seconds. He ended the day with a record 2-6 from play. Bobby Doyle soon followed with the first of his two goals while John McCarthy got a fifth. Armagh were awarded two penalties, however, the northerners spurned some golden goal-scoring opportunities. A huge 5-12 to 3-6 victory gave Dublin a second consecutive title and gave Keaveney a third All-Ireland winners' medal in four years. He was later presented with a second All-Star award while he retained his status as Texaco Footballer of the Year.
1978 saw Keaveney add a second National League title to his collection. A fifth consecutive Leinster winners' medal soon followed as Dublin accounted for Kildare. It was his sixth provincial medal in total. The eleven point victory in this game made Keaveney's side the favourites to secure a remarkable third All-Ireland title in-a-row. While the game should have been an historic occasion, a rout ensued. The game is chiefly remembered for Mikey Sheehy
's sensational goal. A free was awarded and the Kerry forward lobbed the ball over the head of Paddy Cullen
, who was caught off his line arguing with the referee. New Kerry full-forward Eoin Liston
entered the record books as he scored a hat-trick of goals. Pat Spillane
played all over the field, including goalkeeper after Charlie Nelligan
was sent off. At the full-time whistle Kerry were the winners by 5-11 to 0-9. In spite of surredering the All-Ireland title Keaveney was later presented with a third All-Star. He subsequently retired from inter-county football.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
sportsperson. He played Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
with his local club St. Vincents and was a member of the Dublin
Dublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
senior inter-county team from 1965 until 1978. Keaveney is regarded as one of Dublin's greatest-ever players.
Club
Keaveney played his club football with the famous St. Vincent'sSt Vincents GAA
St Vincents is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Marino, on the northside of Dublin, Ireland. The club was founded in 1931, originally in Raheny, but it moved to its home in Marino in 1987. St Vincents merged with Marino Camogie Club in 1997 to form the St Vincents Hurling, Football and...
club in Dublin and enjoyed much success during a career that spanned two decades.
He first came to prominence on the club scene as a member of the senior team in the early 1960s. In 1964 Keaveney lined out in his first county championship decider. Nearby rivals O'Toole's
O'Tooles GAC
O'Tooles GAC is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Dublin, Ireland, formed in 1901. An earlier Saint Laurence O'Toole G.A.A. club had existed in the North Wall area from 1888 to 1896. The St. Laurence O'Toole branch of the Gaelic League held their inaugural meeting in February 1901....
provided the opposition, however, at the full-time whistle St. Vincent's were the champions and Keaveney picked up his first county senior championship winners' medal.
After surrendering their title in 1965 St. Vincent's were back in the county championship decider again in 1966. Seán McDermott's were the opponents, however, Keaveney's side were too strong and regained the title. Both sides met again in 1967, however, the result was the same. A win for St. Vincent's gave Keaveney a third county winners' medal in four years.
St. Vincent's failed to make any impact over the next few years and, after losing the county final of 1969, Keaveney's side had a chance to atone in the championship decider of 1970. Raheny
Raheny GAA
Raheny GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in the northside suburb of Raheny, Dublin, Ireland.-Facilities:The club has a large clubhouse, with a bar, hall, dressing rooms, and enclosed astroturf pitch....
were the opponents on that occasion and a close game developed. At the end of the sixty minutes St. Vincent's were the champions by 1-10 to 1-8 and Keaveney added a fourth county medal to his collection.
Keaveney's side dominated the county club championship again in 1971. A defeat of Croabh Chiaráin allowed St. Vincent's to retain their county title for the second year in succession.
In 1972 St. Vincent's set out to win a third county title in-a-row. College side UCD
UCD GAA
UCD GAA or University College Dublin Gaelic Athletic Association club is a Dublin based Gaelic games club in University College Dublin. The UCD hurling club was founded in 1900 and boasted the motto's "Ad Astra" and "Cothrom Féinne". The first team was an amalgamation of students from UCD and...
provided the opposition on that occasion and a close game developed. Goals at key moments by St. Vincent's proved the difference as Keaveny's side won by 2-8 to 0-9. It was his sixth county winners' medal. St. Vincent's subsequently represented the county in the provincial club series of games and even reached the final. Westmeath champions the Downs were the opponents. The game turned into a complete rout as Keaveney's side took complete control. A 6-10 to 2-5 score line gave St. Vincent's a first Leinster
Leinster Senior Club Football Championship
The Leinster Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament played between the hundreds of senior football clubs in Leinster. The current holders of the Leinster title are Portlaoise from Laois. Offaly side Gracefield were the first winners of the Leinster senior club...
club title. An All-Ireland final against Cork champions Nemo Rangers followed for the Dublin club. The sides were level six times in that game and a pointed free by Keaveney in the dying seconds secured a draw. The replay saw St. Vincent's being completely outclassed as Nemo won by 4-6 to 0-10.
St. Vincent's lost out to UCD in the next two county finals, however, both sides met in the championship decider for a fourth consecutive year in 1975. Keaveney's side were awarded the title after the collegians gave them a walkover due to the final clashing with the university exams. A second provincial championship decider quickly followed for Keaveney. St. Joseph's provided the opposition, however, the Laois county champions were easily accounted for by 3-9 to 1-8. It was Keaveney's second Leinster club winners' medal. A second All-Ireland club final appearance followed with Roscommon Gaels lining out in opposition. The game was a complete mismatch as St. Vincent's secured a huge 4-10 to 0-5 victory. It was Keaveney's first All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Club Football Championship is an annual Gaelic football tournament run since 1971, played between the thousands of senior football clubs in Ireland. The current champions are Crossmaglen Rangers of Armagh, who defeated St. Brigid's of Roscommon on March 17, 2011 to win their...
club winners' medal.
Keaveney picked up a seventh county winners' medal in 1976 as St. Vincent's retained their title after a narrow 3-12 to 1-15 victory over UCD. Their provincial run of success came to a halt in the early rounds of that series of games.
In 1977 St. Vincent's made it three-in-a-row with another huge county final victory. In what was the club's ninth consecutive apperanace in the county final, Keaveney collected a ninth winners' medal. In spite of some great displays in the county champions, St. Vincent's were later defeated by Summerhill of Meath in the Leintser final.
St. Vincent's went into decline over the next few years and Keaveney decided to retire from club football.
Inter-county
Keaveney first came to prominence on the inter-county scene with the DublinDublin GAA
Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...
senior inter-county team in the 1960s. After enjoying no success in the minor or under-21 grades, he lined out in the Leinster senior decider in 1965. Longford
Longford GAA
The Longford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Longford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Longford...
were the opponents on that occasion, however, Dublin's goal-scoring ability was far superior. A 3-6 to 0-9 score line gave Dublin the win and gave Keaveney a first Leinster
Leinster Senior Football Championship
The GAA Leinster Senior Football Championship is the premier "knockout" competition in the game of football played in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The series of games are organised by the Leinster Council and are played during the summer months. The competition involves the counties of...
winners' medal. Dublin, however, later defeated by eventual runners-up Kerry
Kerry GAA
The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...
in the Al-Ireland semi-final.
While Keaveney enjoyed success at an early age it was a short-lived experience. Over the next eight seasons Dublin failed on each occasion to even reach the Leinster decider. It was a frustrating downturn that eventually led to Keaveney announcing his retirement from inter-county football in 1973. At the age of twenty eight it was a premature decision.
In 1974 former All-Ireland winning captain Kevin Heffernan
Kevin Heffernan (Gaelic footballer)
-See also :* List of people on stamps of Ireland*Dublin GAA*Dublin GAA Honours*Dublin Senior Club Football Championship...
took over as manager of Dublin in time for the championship. Keaveney's retirement was short-lived as the new manager persuaded him to return to the team. The St. Vincent's man agreed and was immediately vindicated when Dublin reached the Leinster final of 1974. Archrivals Meath
Meath GAA
The Meath County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Meath GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Meath, as well as for Meath inter-county teams.- Pre-1960s :...
set out to stop 'the Dubs' claiming a first provincial title since 1965. The new look Dublin made no mistake in securing a 1-14 to 1-9 victory. It was Keaveney's second Leinster winners' medal. Dublin later surprisingly defeated All-Ireland title-holders Cork in the semi-final, thus booking a place in the All-Ireland final against Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
. The men fom the west, who had been beaten in two of the previous three championship deciders, took a 1-4 to 0-5 lead at half-time, however, the real turning point of the game came in the 52nd minute. Galway were awarded a penalty which Liam Sammon
Liam Sammon
Liam Sammon is retired Irish Gaelic football manager and former player. He played football with his local clubs Father Griffins and Salthill-Knocknacarra and was a member of the Galway senior inter-county team from 1966 until 1979...
stepped up to take. Goalkeeper Paddy Cullen
Paddy Cullen
Paddy Cullen is a former inter-county goalkeeper and manager with the Dublin GAA senior football team. During his player career Cullen won three All-Irelands and four all-stars awards....
made no mistake and saved the shot. 'The Dub's' later went on to take the lead as Galway collapsed. A 0-14 to 1-6 score line resulted in a first All-Ireland
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
The All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, the premier competition in Gaelic football, is a series of games organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association and played during the summer and early autumn...
winners' medal for Kevaeney and a first for Dublin in eleven years. He capped off the year by collecting his first All-Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
award
Dublin proved that their success in 1974 was not a flash-in-the-pan by retaining the Leinster title in 1975 after an enormous 3-13 to 0-8 defeat of Kildare
Kildare GAA
For more information see Kildare Senior Club Football Championship or Kildare Senior Club Hurling Championship.The Kildare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Kildare GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kildare...
. Keaveney's side were the red-hot favourites going into the All-Ireland final against the youngest Kerry teams of all-time. On a rain-soaked day John Egan
John Egan (footballer)
John Egan is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Sneem, his divisional side South Kerry and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1975 until 1984.He also played hurling with neighbouring club Kenmare.Born in Tahilla , County Kerry, Egan...
and substitute Ger O'Driscoll
Ger O'Driscoll
Ger O'Driscoll is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Newcestown and has been a member of the Cork senior inter-county team since 2009 due to the 2008-2009 Cork players strike. O'Driscoll won back-to-back Munster minor titles in 2004 and 2005...
scored two goals for Kerry and 'the Dubs' were ambushed by 2-12 to 0-11. It was a bitter defeat for a Dublin team that had expected so much.
Dublin continued their dominance in 1976. After securing the National League
National Football League (Ireland)
The National Football League is a Gaelic football tournament held annually between the county teams of Ireland, under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The prize for the winning team is the New Ireland Cup, presented by the New Ireland Assurance Company...
title 'the Dubs' dominated the provincial championship once again. A narrow 2-8 to 1-9 defeat of Meath gave Keaveney a third consecutive Leinster winners' medal, his fourth in total. Once again it was Kerry who provided the opposition in the All-Ireland final, as one of the great rivalries of football entered a new chapter. Both sides were hoping for success, however, new 'Dub' Kevin Moran was causing havoc with the Kerry defence. Immediately after the game started he careered through the Kerry half-back and full-back lines, however, his shot at goal went wide. This set the pace for the rest of the match. John McCarthy finished a five-man move to score Dublin's first goal of the day. A converted penalty by Keaveney was followed by a third goal from Brian Mullins
Brian Mullins
Brian Mullins is a retired Gaelic football manager and former player. He played football with his local club St. Vincent's and was a member of the Dublin senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1985. Mullins later served as manager of both Dublin and Derry...
. A 3-8 to 0-10 score line gave Dublin the title and gave Keaveney a second All-Ireland winners' medal. Keaveney was surprisingly omitted from the All-Star selection, however, he was later named Texaco Footballer of the Year
Texaco Footballer of the Year
The Texaco Footballer of the Year is a Gaelic football award, created in 1958, that honours the achievements of a footballer of outstanding excellence...
.
The 1977 Leinster final was a replay of the previous year with the result being the same. Meath provided some stiff opposition but fell short, eventually losing the game by 1-9 to 0-8. It was Keaveney's fourth consecutive Leinster title. Dublin later took on Kerry for the third consecutive year, however, this time it was in the All-Ireland semi-final. In one of the greatest games of football ever-played 'the Dubs' triumphed and booked a final apot against Armagh
Armagh GAA
The Armagh County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Armagh GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Armagh...
. An eight-goal thriller ensued, with Keaveney scoring the first of the day after just ninety seconds. He ended the day with a record 2-6 from play. Bobby Doyle soon followed with the first of his two goals while John McCarthy got a fifth. Armagh were awarded two penalties, however, the northerners spurned some golden goal-scoring opportunities. A huge 5-12 to 3-6 victory gave Dublin a second consecutive title and gave Keaveney a third All-Ireland winners' medal in four years. He was later presented with a second All-Star award while he retained his status as Texaco Footballer of the Year.
1978 saw Keaveney add a second National League title to his collection. A fifth consecutive Leinster winners' medal soon followed as Dublin accounted for Kildare. It was his sixth provincial medal in total. The eleven point victory in this game made Keaveney's side the favourites to secure a remarkable third All-Ireland title in-a-row. While the game should have been an historic occasion, a rout ensued. The game is chiefly remembered for Mikey Sheehy
Mikey Sheehy
Mikey Sheehy is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Austin Stacks and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1974 until 1987. Sheehy is regarded as one of the greatest players of all-time.-Club:Sheehy played his club football with the...
's sensational goal. A free was awarded and the Kerry forward lobbed the ball over the head of Paddy Cullen
Paddy Cullen
Paddy Cullen is a former inter-county goalkeeper and manager with the Dublin GAA senior football team. During his player career Cullen won three All-Irelands and four all-stars awards....
, who was caught off his line arguing with the referee. New Kerry full-forward Eoin Liston
Eoin Liston
Eoin 'Bomber' Liston is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Beale, his divisional side Shannon Rangers and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1978 until 1993...
entered the record books as he scored a hat-trick of goals. Pat Spillane
Pat Spillane
Patrick Gerard Spillane , better known as Pat Spillane, is a retired Gaelic footballer and well known Irish sports pundit. He played Gaelic football with his local club Templenoe and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1975 until 1991...
played all over the field, including goalkeeper after Charlie Nelligan
Charlie Nelligan
Charlie Nelligan is a retired Irish sportsperson. He played Gaelic football with his local club Castleisland Desmonds and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county team from 1976 until 1991.-Club:...
was sent off. At the full-time whistle Kerry were the winners by 5-11 to 0-9. In spite of surredering the All-Ireland title Keaveney was later presented with a third All-Star. He subsequently retired from inter-county football.