Galway rising star Áine Keane recalls ‘madness’ of playing after endurance charity challenge

An aspirant teacher currently on a placement in her local Gort CS, Keane possesses all the characteristics you’d want from a leader, however.

Captain and player of the match when Galway won the All-Ireland U-16 title in 2018, the St Thomas’ star is talented, has presence and possesses tremendous communication skills. Just as important is her focus on the collective, the big picture, rather than the immediate wants of the individual.

It would be a nice birthday present were Galway to win tomorrow, given she turns 22 the week after next, but it is the benefits to an evolving squad that Keane emphasises.​

The measure of this impressive woman is perhaps best illustrated by raising €15,434, divided equally between Gort Cancer Support and Croí, by taking on a 24-hour challenge of running two kilometres every hour at Kilbeacanty pitch last November.

The last few were walks and hobbles but no one was arguing.

An added fly in the ointment was that the event had been organised for after the conclusion of the club championship. But St Thomas’ drew their county senior B final with Clarinbridge. The replay was fixed for a few days after Keane was due to put her body through such rigours that she would be physically spent.

She had gone too far to back out now and just went with it. With legs so full of lactic acid they swelled up later that night, Keane provided another player-of-the-match performance in the replay, registering 2-6 and setting up a number a number of other scores.

“A bit of madness,” Keane labels it now.

“It was coming towards the end of the year. The county had finished, club had started and before the year was out I wanted to do something.

“I gathered a few ideas and went to our Galway S&C coach Robbie Lane. We had a few chats and I decided upon this.

“The two charities are close to a lot of people’s hearts around me and in Galway in particular. The support I got was incredible but the body definitely didn’t like it!

“A lot of girls, from the county and club, rowed in behind me and kept me going. I couldn’t have done it without them.

“The county final replay wasn’t ideal. I think I gave the manager (Niall Gillane) a few heart attacks that week but it all worked out. I’m delighted I did it.”

Her form has been excellent as Galway set up tomorrow’s Division 1A final against Tipperary at Croke Park (2.30pm, live on RTÉ2).

She feels the Ashbourne Cup triumph with UL provided her momentum. She wasn’t alone, however, and notable among her fellow Third Level All-Stars are Tipp trio Eimear Loughman, Casey Hennessy and Eimear McGrath, who took Galway for three goals when the Premiers came out on top in The Ragg in the group series.

Given what she saw in the Ashbourne, she is not surprised by the form of UL’s Tipp contingent, particularly McGrath, who has stepped into the considerable shoes of Cáit Devane as the attacking talisman.

“I’ve seen how well they’ve been going all year in college. I wasn’t one bit surprised when I saw Eimear transfer the form into the league. Casey is another one. Eimear Loughman in the backs and Sarah Madden is on the bench. They’re exceptional athletes.

“We’ll be enemies for 60 minutes and be friends again then. We’ll have a laugh about it after.”