James Keegan
James Keegan (born 1869 in Cork

Cork (city)

Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...

, Ireland

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....

 was an Irish

Irish people

The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...

 sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Redmonds

Redmonds GAA

Redmonds is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Cork in County Cork, Ireland. The club participates in Cork GAA competitions and in Seandún divisional board competitions...

 and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team for one season in 1892.

Club

Keegan played his club hurling with the famous Redmonds

Redmonds GAA

Redmonds is a Gaelic Athletic Association club based in Cork in County Cork, Ireland. The club participates in Cork GAA competitions and in Seandún divisional board competitions...

 club and enjoyed some success. He won a county senior championship

Cork Senior Hurling Championship

The Evening Echo Cork County Senior Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Cork County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in the county of Cork in Ireland....

 title in 1892.

Inter-county

Keegan first came to prominence on the inter-county scene with Cork as part of the Redmond's selection in 1892. That year he lined out in his first provincial decider with All-Ireland champions Kerry

Kerry GAA

The Kerry County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Kerry...

 providing the opposition. An exciting game developed, however, at full-time Cork were the champions by 5-3 to 2-5. It was Keegan's first, and only, Munster

Munster Senior Hurling Championship

The Munster GAA Hurling Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1888 for the top hurling teams in the province of Munster in Ireland....

 title. Cork's next game was an All-Ireland final meeting with Dublin

Dublin GAA

Dublin County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association , or Dublin GAA, is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Dublin. The county board is also responsible for the Dublin inter-county teams...

. The game was a controversial one as referee Dan Fraher changed his mind after initially awarding a goal to Cork. He eventually decided that the GAA

Gaelic Athletic Association

The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...

's Central Council should decide the matter. Dublin, however, had walked off the field and, because of this, Cork were awarded the title. It gave Keegan a coveted All-Ireland

All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship

The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1887 for the top hurling teams in Ireland....

 title.

Sources

• Corry, Eoghan, The GAA Book of Lists (Hodder Headline Ireland, 2005).
• Cronin, Jim, A Rebel Hundred: Cork's 100 All-Ireland Titles.
• Donegan, Des, The Complete Handbook of Gaelic Games (DBA Publications Limited, 2005).

Teams