Keaney: If we hit our best, there’s not many that will worry us
Paul Caffrey’s team had been pencilled in as part of a double-header alongside Mayo and the winners of Laois and Offaly next month before the decision was made to delay that game until the Sunday instead of the Saturday.
Dublin’s game against either Galway or Westmeath will be preceded by the Nicky Rackard Cup final, but that will have only a negligible effect on the amount of tickets available for Dublin fans who would otherwise have missed out.
Dublin chairman Gerry Harrington has already stated that he expects his county to be allocated at least 50,000 tickets for the quarter-final and maybe even more, if Westmeath and not Galway win the qualifier.
“Yeah, the fans are a huge thing for us at the moment,” said Keaney yesterday. “When you run out onto the pitch, especially when you’re going poor, the fans can lift you by as much as 20%.”
Keaney was speaking while on duty as an ambassador for the VHI Cul Camps at the Parnells Club on Dublin’s northside, where the children present had the opportunity to see the Bill Delaney Cup up close.
Dublin may be tipped for All-Ireland honours this summer but retaining their provincial title was of major significance to the team, according to the Ballyboden/St Enda’s attacker who has been in superb form this summer.
“Since 1995 there hasn’t been a whole lot of silverware in Dublin so it’s a huge thing for us,” he said.
“Today is the final thing. The cup is going away after today and we’ll be settling down. We’re only half way to our ultimate goal.”
Galway are heavy favourites to see off the challenge of a young Westmeath team and book their place in Croke Park on August 12 but Keaney is bullish about Dublin’s chances.
“It doesn’t bother me to be honest. If we perform to our best on the day there’s not many that will worry us.”
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