Conal Keaney will continue with Dublin as long as he's 'good enough'

The dual performer, who turned 38 in September, was limited to one appearance as a sub in the Championship this year

Conal Keaney of Dublin celebrates following the 2019 Leinster Championship win over Galway. Picture: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile

Veteran Conal Keaney will only continue with the Dublin hurlers if he's "good enough to play" and won't hang around to be the "auld lad" dispensing advice.

The dual performer, who turned 38 in September, was limited to one appearance as a sub in the Championship with Dublin, late in last month's qualifier defeat to Cork.

But he continues to be one of the most influential players on the club scene and lasted the duration of both county finals with Ballyboden St Endas.

Speaking to Hill 16 Army's Blue is the Colour podcast, Keaney said he's considering his position but insisted staying on to mentor the younger players won't come into it.

"They don't need an auld lad around saying anything, these young lads are really talented and really confident and so they should be," said Keaney. "For me, I wouldn't be hanging in there to be a part of it, I'll only play if I feel I have something to give and if I'm good enough to play. I'm not there to make up the numbers or anything like that.

Certainly the players don't need anything like that, all these lads are really intelligent lads, really good hurlers and they don't need some auld lad telling them anything really.

Asked if he'd like to get into management, the six-time Leinster senior championship winner, five of which came with the footballers, hinted that he has another season at least left as a player.

"There is serious talent there and would I like to be a part of (management)? Yeah. I'd love to be able to drive them on and maybe win something at some point going forward. At the moment I'm trying to do whatever I can to try to help them on the field. My time on the field is getting less and less obviously from last year but we'll see what happens going forward."

Keaney insisted Dublin are "very, very close" to a breakthrough though he was critical of their display in last month's six-point qualifier defeat to Cork.

"Yes, we're there to represent Dublin but we're there to win things, we're not just there to compete. It's not good enough to just compete and it's not good enough the performance against Cork, absolutely not good enough.

"We let them dictate the game. It looked like they were cruising it and still we weren't fighting, so why is that? I don't know. I can't answer that at the minute."

- Check out the full episode of the Blue is the Colour podcast and the full interview with Conal Keaney [url=https://audioboom.com/posts/7742751-blue-is-the-colour-82]here[/url]