My Club and I: Ciarán McKeever
My Club and I: Ciarán McKeever
This week we speak to Armagh, Ulster and Ireland defender Ciarán McKeever about his club St. Patrick's GFC, Cullyhanna.
Interview: Arthur Sullivan
The small village of Cullyhanna is located in south Armagh. Situated on the main road between Newtownhamilton and Crossmaglen, it is situated about five miles north of Crossmaglen and about 14 miles to the west of Newry. The catchment area for the club is primarily the small village itself, and a few surrounding townlands.
St. Patrick's GFC in Cullyhanna was founded in 1886, and has a long tradition within Armagh GAA. The club has never won an Armagh senior championship title, but in 2013, they reached the senior final for the first time in their history, losing to local superpower Crossmaglen on a scoreline of 0-17 to 0-8.
The club has won the Armagh Intermediate title on three occasions, most recently in 2008, when they defeated local rivals Cullaville Blues in the final. This year's senior final appearance came on the back of two Armagh U21 county titles won by the club, in 2011 and 2013.
Ciarán McKeever, an Armagh regular for 10 years and a member of the Irish International Rules squads of 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2013, is undoubtedly one of the most famous players to ever play for Cullyhanna. However, the club have had a number of prominent Armagh footballers over the years, including Des Mackin and Martin McQuillan.
Can you remember your earliest involvement with Cullyhanna?
In my younger days, I always would have been out with my father at matches and gradually it takes off from there. Training, then going up to play matches yourself. I have been involved with Cullyhanna since I was about six so nearly 25 years.
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But my memory wouldn't be that good! I remember we won a couple of U10 and U12 championships. We got to the All-Ireland U14 Féile one year in Castlebar. We were beaten in the All-Ireland final by Garrycastle from Westmeath. It was some game, it was a draw at full-time, a draw at extra-time. Then it went to a golden score, no-one got a golden score so it went to penalties!
So we were beaten on a penalty shoot-out in the All-Ireland final. I don't know if that happened before or not...I think there was a Sigerson game where it happened one year. I took a penalty myself that day but the keeper saved it. But I was young, so it didn't bother me too much at that stage...
What has it been like having perhaps the greatest club team of all time, Crossmaglen, just five miles down the road from you?
Ourselves and Crossmaglen were always competing against each other at underage level. Down through my years, we would have met a right few times in county finals and stuff like that there. I suppose we would have more or less broke even with them. We would have won some and they would have won some.
But they have progressed on to winning county senior titles and All-Irelands and Ulsters. And that's hard to stomach. When you compete with all them boys at underage level, then you have to take it to senior level. Hopefully we can do that in the next few years. We got to our first ever county senior final this year. That was good for the club and good for the parish. There was a good buzz about, and it was good for the players, and past players too. But we still didn't win...
Are there any Crossmaglen players who you can remember going to battle with much at underage level?
Aaron Kernan is the same age bracket as me and I would have played a right few club finals against Aaron at underage level.
What are your club grounds like?
Our ground is called St. Patrick's Park. It's located just outside the village. Cullyhanna would have had a tradition as having always been a hard place to go. I suppose that's from the early 1970s. You'd always hear people saying that when you went to Cullyhanna you always knew you were in it. So there was that tag there as such. But I think we've gotten soft this past 20 years! The tag might still be there though, a bit maybe.
Have you had many county players over the years?
Martin McQuillan would have played for Armagh. Des Mackin too, Oliver Cardy and boys like that. All good Cullyhanna men, and all good Armagh men as well. There was always plenty of boys to look up to and to chat to.
Do you have a strong family connection with Cullyhanna?
Our family are very involved in Cullyhanna. My uncle was chairman there for nearly 15 years. But he hasn't been involved for five years or so. My father Michéal would have been involved with the senior team this past few years, but he has taken a step back of late as well. But I have a lot of cousins involved and one brother involved as well.
Are Crossmaglen your biggest rivals?
Crossmaglen are the big rivals. As I said, we always competed with them and we still do, especially at underage. At the end of the day, you always enjoy playing the best teams and Crossmaglen are one of the best teams in Ireland. Any time you get a chance to play against Cross, you always relish the challenge. We generally run them close in the league, and get the odd draw or even a win. But it's championship that counts.
