O’Dwyer in awe of pal Keaney

DUBLIN’S new recruit Ryan O’Dwyer has described team-mate Conal Keaney as a hurling “freak of nature”.

O’Dwyer, 24, made his Allianz Hurling League debut for the Sky Blues against his native Tipperary at Croke Park last Saturday night and was blown away by Keaney’s match-winning display.

Keaney, who returned to hurling this year following a five-year stint with the county’s footballers, blasted 0-14 as the Dubs floored All-Ireland champions Tipp under the lights at GAA HQ.

And O’Dwyer said: “He’s unbelievable — a freak of nature. He’s the type of lad that if he was playing rugby, he would be an Ireland international or if he was a soccer player, he’d be playing over in England. Even in training, he goes at everything 100%. There’s no holding back. Sometimes at training, if you’re after doing something hard, you’ll take the next drill easy but not Conal.”

O’Dwyer, meanwhile, has described his debut against Tipp as “exciting”. The Cashel man, now based in the capital with Kilmacud Crokes, was a pre-match injury doubt with a shoulder injury but appeared as a half-time substitute for Shane Ryan.

O’Dwyer said: “It was exciting. I had played against Tipperary before with UL (Waterford Crystal League) but the main thing for me was to get on the field. I didn’t think that would happen after the injury I picked up a few weeks ago.”