Knee problem forces O'Keeffe to quit inter-county scene

DECLAN O'KEEFFE has quit inter-county football after eight years at the top with Kerry.

The Rathmore goalkeeper won two All-Ireland medals and played a starring role in Ireland's 1999 success in Australia in the International Rules Series.

Outlining the reason last night behind his decision - one accepted with regret by Kerry manager Jack O'Connor - O'Keeffe explained it had been forced on him by a recurring knee problem. He also believed it was an opportune time to walk away.

"I injured my ankle last July and my knee was giving me trouble all the time. I struggled through the year. I always put 100% into my preparations and it would pain me to give anything less than that,'' he said.

After spending the last two months training with the Kerry panel, he realised that it "wasn't happening" for him.

"I didn't want to be inside, not being able to do the training - which was what was happening over the last few weeks and coming with my hip being sore and my knee being sore.''

O'Keeffe, a Cork-based garda working in community policing, who will be 32 in July, insisted that the fact of him being left out of the team for the last two League games didn't bring about his decision. It was simply a case that he hadn't the fitness to fight his way back.

In different circumstances it would be a challenge he said he would relish. Diarmuid Murphy, his replacement, has his best wishes and O'Keeffe made it clear that he rates him very highly.

"I did not want to go through the League and leave then, because it would be construed as sour grapes.

"I want to leave now with my dignity and my pride intact. If I felt I had enough hunger, and the energy, I would have stayed on. It kills me to walk away. I loved playing for Kerry.I was passionate about it. And I want to support the Kerry team as passionately as I played for them," he said.

"It was a difficult decision to make. I just felt the body wouldn't do what the heart says.''

Kerry manager Jack O'Connor revealed he had attempted to talk the Rathmore man out of retiring, saying: "at the end of the day it was his decision and I respect that.

"Declan is a very experienced player and will be a big loss. I knew that he has had a troublesome knee injury and he feels it was possibly affecting his kick-outs. For a man who kicked the ball out with such power and distance, that certainly had to be a factor.''

Describing him as a fantastic servant of Kerry football, he praised O'Keeffe for "baling Kerry out" on many occasions. "The lasting memory I have of him is the All-Ireland semi-final against Armagh in 2000, when he made that point-blank save from Diarmaid Marsden at a critical stage. Basically, that save won the match for Kerry.''

O'Keeffe was involved with Kerry minors in 1990 and then at U21 level. In 1994 he won an All-Ireland junior medal against Galway, and made his senior debut in a League game against Donegal in 1995.

"We all have regrets along the way, but the last few years have been especially difficult. The defeat in the 2002 All-Ireland final was the most difficult ever for all of us after the way we had played all year. I have never played with a team that played so well and yet won nothing,'' O'Keeffe said.

O'Keeffe will continue to line out at club level for Rathmore.