Declan O'Keeffe interview: 'It's a lonely spot, making a mistake in front of 60,000. You have to take a couple of deep breaths'

He went from conceding eleven goals and unable to kick it out to making one of the best penalty saves in All-Ireland final history - even if it ultimately counted for nought. Former Kerry No 1 Declan O'Keeffe is living and coaching in Clare for the better part of two decades. He looks at Sunday's Munster football final knowing he's played his part for both sides.

SAFFRON SMILE: Former Clare goalkeeping coach Declan O'Keeffe at Croke Park. 

Sunday morning, only days after he and almost every other Garda in Clare ensured the safe passage of Donald Trump, and a few hours before he’ll head into Limerick to watch his adopted county play his native one in a Munster final, Declan O’Keeffe will look over a group of U11s playing a game of football in Clarecastle.

For the past 18 years he has lived in another hurling stronghold, that of Clooney-Quin who his children play for. Sometimes he finds it frustrating as to where football can lie in the Banner hierarchy – “Coming from Kerry it’s been the biggest difference to have to get used to” – and how swathes of the county could be producing more footballers. Yet he has also seen from his four years inside the senior Clare setup a demographic shift, symptomatic of the quiet revolution Colm Collins has presided over as much as the depopulation of west Clare.