The rise of Mitchelstown’s Mark Keane: 'If you wrote it, who’d believe it?'
Cork captain Mark Keane receives the Munster U15 Humphrey Kelleher Cup from Mai Kelleher and Richard Murphy in 2015. Picture John Tarrant
Mitchelstown club officer Karl Sweeney was at home last Sunday, like everyone else. He had the Munster semi-final on, like everyone else.
Sweeney had been chatting to one of the Cork subs during the week, though. Unlike everyone else.
“Mark was talking to me during the week and he was saying with the injuries and so on there might be a chance of getting on, he was hopeful that if he didn’t start that he might get on fairly early.
“When I saw him come out onto the field first on TV he had no tracksuit on and I was thinking ‘was there a late call-up?’ There wasn’t but still, I was hoping he’d get on.”
That’s Mark Keane, if you hadn’t guessed. As all of Ireland knows, he came on and curated a fine Tadhg Murphy tribute performance into the City End.
“When he got the goal . . .” says Sweeney now.
“Look, if you wrote it in a story, who’d believe it?”
Keane is from the town of Mitchelstown itself, born and bred, adds Sweeney.
“His father Eamonn is a Limerick man originally, and a proud Limerick man, he’d have the green jersey on if they were playing.
“We have his head turned a bit now on account of Mark, in fairness, though it’s probably as well for the Keane house that Limerick aren’t in the Munster final. I’d say Eamonn wouldn’t have a problem shouting against Tipperary.
“Mark played with Ballygiblin (hurling) as a young lad, fell in with the Cork development squads around 14, and played with us all the way up.
“Now he was always big - half a foot taller than a lot of the lads in his age group - but along with the strength and the size, skill-wise he always had it, too.
“In fairness, both himself and Cathail O’Mahony are two fine hurlers as well.
“We’re looking forward to the Munster final with the both of them, it’s great for the club.
“Obviously it’s fierce disappointing for everyone in Mitchelstown that we couldn’t be there on the day to support the two of them - two of your own clubmen playing in a Munster senior football final, the whole town would have been there in the Páirc.
“Those are the rules, we all understand why they’re there, though.”
One of Keane’s former teachers had a busy weekend himself.
Anthony Nash enjoyed a win with the Cork hurlers Saturday night before watching his former student at Mitchelstown CBS make history.
“We got a lot of talent in that first year class - Mark, James Keating, Cathail O’Mahony - and Mark was a year younger than a lot of his classmates.
“His physique made him stand out but he’s always had the skills. He hurls right hand on top but he can hurl left hand on top as well - one day against St Colman’s he caught the ball with his right hand and didn’t change his grip, put in the top corner. Unbelievable.
“He’s a great guy. His first visit home he texted me to see if I was teaching, and he dropped up some gear for me. That tells you what he’s like.
“What he’s achieved so far, what he can achieve - I messaged him to say I hoped he’d be heading back to Australia with a Munster medal at least, anyway.”
Keane is back on holidays from Australian Rules outfit Collingwood. That they were amenable to his playing for Cork may be partially explained by the mutual respect between Mitchelstown and the Australian club.
“Yes, we’ve had a good relationship with Collingwood as well since he went out there, which isn’t something I would have expected.
“As far as I know all the Australian Rules clubs would have community officers who look after lads from Ireland or America head out there, but the Collingwood man came over to visit.
“He met Mark’s family, he came out to our club to see the facilities, we had a meal together - so they have a handle as well on where Mark came from, his background, what’s important to him.
“From a club point of view you’d be gutted he’s gone. Would we love to have him playing for us? Of course we would, a fella 6'5" in the middle of the field and, as everyone saw last Sunday, he has a nice touch when it’s needed.
“So we’d love to still have him but we’re also delighted for him and for his success - he’s a professional athlete and we all want him to do well.
“I’d say growing up his aim was to play for Cork rather than Collingwood but he’s a full-time athlete, we’re delighted for him and hope he drives it on.”
Mitchelstown are already basking in the afterglow, he adds: “It’s been brilliant for us already. In all the coverage on the television and the papers it’s all ‘the Mitchelstown man’, which is fantastic, it’s going to be a great calling card to say ‘Mark Keane’s club’ because of the excitement of Sunday.
“It’s the stuff of dreams, to be honest.”
That former teacher credits a colleague with finessing Keane’s fielding and finishing.
“I had no hand, act or part in the football,” laughs Nash. “All of the credit for that goes to Willie Duggan, another teacher in Mitchelstown CBS.
“And yesterday was all about Mark in the school, too. The whole place was buzzing with what he did.
“We couldn’t speak highly enough of him, on and off the field. He has a huge future ahead of him and I hope he goes on to even more success.”
And the Munster final? Sweeney has his day laid out already.
“For that I’ll have to do exactly the same as I did for the Kerry game - sit in the same spot, eat the same, drink the same, do everything the same. And hopefully, he’ll do the same as well.”
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