Filmmakers hope Keano gets kick out of movie

Could Rihanna be following in Roy’s footsteps?

All credit to Dave Tynan — his short film about a week in the life of the young Roy Keane is in the can.

The 12-minute short film, entitled Rockmount, will receive its premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh in the Town Hall Theatre on July 12, and the subject of the movie can expect his own copy in the post, according to Dave, the film’s creator.

The short follows Roy’s travails as he attempts to secure a first-team under-age berth at Rockmount in an 80s representation of Cork’s northside — a week in the life of a young man who would go on to become a legend.

With Ballincollig schoolboy Craig Keane Harrington — no relation to Roy — in the lead role, the four-day shoot last February took in authentic locations from Keane’s childhood, including one shot in Ballin-derry Park near the house in which Roy grew up.

Apart from that, however, it is not quite cinema verité, according to Dave.

“We took some of what we think of as Roy Keane traits and put them in the body of a child,” he said.

“We took a fair bit of creative licence too. It’s not a biopic or a docu-mentary. It’s just me imagining what he would have been like as a child if he was exactly the same as he is now.”

Craig had never been on a film set before, but according to Dave, “we got the right kid”.

Once the Fleadh screening is out of the way, the plan is to target other festivals, including hopefully the Cork Film Festival in the autumn, with Dave keen on a screening at Rockmount FC, Roy’s boyhood club.

“I would love to know what he makes of it,” Dave said, confirming that a copy would also be sent to Roy himself. “He is a man with a sense of humour, and that’s not always acknowledged; he would maybe get a kick out of it.”

Meanwhile, if Roy’s absence from his punditry slot on ITV during the World Cup has disappointed fans of sharp football analysis, it seems pop star Rihanna might be a contender to replace him. The Barbadian singer has been tweeting throughout the World Cup and seems to have taken to supporting whichever team is playing the USA. For example, on Portugal’s last-minute equaliser against the Americans, she tweeted: “Thank you Ronaldo for that sweet setup!!! And thank YOU Valera for your timely execution!!”

She had earlier come to the attention of football buffs with her tweet during Luis Suarez’s two-goal salvo against England which eliminated Roy Hodgson’s men: “Man they know better than to give Suarez that much room bruh!”

If there are any retirements from the RTÉ panel after Brazil 2014, maybe they could give her a call?

lYou can watch the Rockmount trailer on: rockmount.mdv.ie/

Tickets for the screening are now available at galwayfilmfleadh.com