Michael Keating (hurler)
Encyclopedia
Michael 'Babs' Keating (born 17 April 1944 in Ardfinnan
, County Tipperary
, Ireland
) is a retired Irish
hurling
manager
and former player. He played hurling with his local club Ballybacon-Grange
and with the Tipperary
senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s. Keating is regarded as a ‘larger-than-life’ figure in the GAA world for the last three decades.
As a player Keating was involved with the famous Tipperary team of the 1960s, a team often described as the greatest of all-time. In a senior inter-county career that lasted from 1964 until 1975 he won two All-Ireland
titles, four Munster
titles, two National Hurling League
titles and two Railway Cup title. Keating has also been the recipient of many awards and honours off the field. In 1971 he was named in the inaugural All-Star
team as well as being presented with the prestigious Texaco Hurler of the Year
award.
As a manager Keating has had much success with many different teams. At various times he has served as manager of the Galway
, Offaly
and Laois
senior hurling teams, however, it has been with his own native Tipperary that he has enjoyed the most success. Between 1987 and 1994 Keating lifted Tipperary out of the doldrums and guided the team to two All-Ireland
titles, five Munster
titles and two National Hurling League
titles. His second term in charge, from 2005 until 2007, was not as successful.
, County Tipperary
in 1944. The youngest member of a large family, he received the nickname 'Babs' when he went to national school where he was the youngest of three Michael Keatings in the school. The nickname has remained with him into adult life and he is almost always exclusively referred to as Babs. As well as his sporting career, Keating has worked for many years for the petroleum oil company Esso
. He is married to Nancy Maher, sister of Gerry Maher and his son-in-law is Irish jockey Johnny Murtagh
, who is married to his daughter Orla.
in his youth and he quickly joined his local clubs. He played hurling with Ballybacon
, however, he enjoyed little success at county level. Keating also played football with Ardfinnan
with whom he won five senior county football titles.
with Tipperary
. He played both hurling and football with the Tipp minor and under-21 teams, however, he enjoyed little success on the football field. With the Tipperary minor hurling team Keating captured his first Munster
title in 1960 before later lining out in the All-Ireland final. Kilkenny
provided the opposition on that occasion and went on to trounce Tipp by 7-12 to 1-11. Keating added a second Munster minor medal to his collection in 1961 before playing in a second consecutive All-Ireland final. It was a similar story to the previous year as Kilkenny won the game once again. In 1962 Keating was captain of the Tipperary minor hurling team as he collected a third consecutive Munster title. He later led his team out in the All-Ireland final in Croke Park
as Kilkenny were the opponents for a third year in-a-row. The result was a familiar one as Tipp were defeated by 3-6 to 0-9. Keating later 'graduated' onto the newly-created Tipperary under-21 hurling team. He won a Munster
title in this grade in 1964, the inauguarl year of the competition, before later lining out in the All-Ireland final. Wexford
were the opponents on that occasion, however, the game turned into a rout. Tipp won easily by 8-9 to 3-1 and Keating collected an All-Ireland
under-21 medal.
That same year Keating made his senior debut. He began the year by collecting a National Hurling League
medal following a victory over Kilkenny. Tipp later cantered casually past Cork in the provincial decider, giving Keating a first senior Munster
medal. Kilkenny, the reigning All-Ireland champions and staunch local rivals of Tipp, provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final and were installed as the firm favourites. Tipp had other ideas and their fourteen-point winning margin, 5-13 to 2-8, was the biggest All-Ireland final win since Tipperary had overwhelmed Laois
in the 1949 decider. It was Keating's first senior All-Ireland
medal.
Keating found it difficult to nail down a permanent place on the team over the next few years as Tipp went into something of a decline. The team bounced back in 1967 with Keating collecting a second Munster title. By this stage, however, Tipp’s pool of players was ageing and the county’s hurling fortunes were in decline. Kilkenny provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final and provided more than a match for Tipperary. Three quick goals laid to rest a bogey that Tipperary had over Kilkenny since 1922.
Keating collected a second National League medal in 1968 before Tipp crushed Cork in the provincial final again. It was Keating's third Munster medal. For the fourth time that decade Tipperary later faced Wexford in the championship decider, however, the Munster champions were now in terminal decline and surrendered an eight-point lead at half-time giving Wexford the victory.
By 1971 Keating had come to be regarded as one of the great full-forwards of his era. That year he captured his fourth and final Munster medal as Tipp defeated Limerick. Kilkenny provided the opposition against Tipperary in that year’s All-Ireland final, the first to be broadcast in colour by Telfis Éireann
. In an exciting and high-scoring game Tipp relied on two freak goals to capture a 5-17 to 5-14 victory. The game itself will surely be remembered for the image of Keating discarding his worn-out boots and playing the last few minutes of the match in his bare feet. This moment was listed as one of RTÉ
's Top 20 GAA Moments
in a special television programme in 2005. Keating continued hurling with Tipp for another few seasons and retired in 1975.
in the inter-provincial hurling competition and enjoyed much success. He first played with his province in 1965, however, it was 1968 before he captured his first Railway Cup medals. Keating captured a second Railway Cup title in 1970. He also won a Railway Cup football medal in 1972.
saw a major improvement in the mindset of the team. Successful results were immediate and Galway qualified for the National Hurling League
final at the start of 1979. Ironically, it was Keating's native-county of Tipperary
that provided the opposition. The game, however, turned out to be a disaster for Keating as Tipp won with a score line of 3-15 to 0-8. Being beaten by treble scores did not bode well for Galway's chances in the championship. Galway's championship campaign didn't begin until July, however, Keating's team qualified for an All-Ireland semi-final show-down with Cork. Cork had won the three previous All-Ireland titles and were going for a remarkable fourth in-a-row. In theory the game should have been a walk-over for Cork, however, Galway had been waiting in the long grass and defeated 'the Rebels' by 2-14 to 1-13. Kilkenny
provided the opposition in the championship decider. Both sides were neck and neck in the first-half, however, Keating's side took a two-point lead twelve minutes into the second-half. Unfortunately, this was the last time that 'the Tribesmen' scored in the game. A 2-12 to 1-8 defeat tells its own story and Keating resigned as Galway manager shortly afterward.
took over as manager in 1986, however, at the end of the year the Tipp County Board turned to Keating in an effort to revive the county’s flagging fortunes.
His first Championship game that year was against Kerry in the first round in Killarney. Tipp beat Kerry. Keating’s second game in charge of Tipperary nearly ended in disaster, however, the team managed a draw against Clare
in the Munster semi-final. Tipp won on the second occasion, setting up a Munster final meeting with fierce rivals Cork. The closing stages of the game saw both sides take the lead, however, the game ultimately ended in a draw. The replay at FitzGerald Stadium
turned out to be one of the classic games in the history of Munster hurling. Once again the sides were level after seventy minutes, however, after a period of extra-time Tipp emerged as victors with a 4-22 to 1-22 score line. It was the county’s first provincial title in seventeen years. Keating’s dream start as manager came to an end following an All-Ireland semi-final defeat by Galway
.
In 1988 Keating consolidated on the previous year’s success by guiding his team to a National Hurling League
title. Tipp later strolled through the Munster championship with relative ease and defeated Cork in a second consecutive Munster final. This victory allowed Tipp to advance to the All-Ireland final where Galway provided the opposition. Once again the men from the West put an end to Tipp’s championship hopes with a 1-15 to 0-14 defeat. It was a very disappointing defeat for Keating. His two star players, Pat Fox
and Nicky English
, did not play to their potential and the manager also received criticism for introducing John Leahy
, then an unknown teenager.
1989 saw Keating’s side cruise to a third consecutive Munster title in-a-row. The provincial final was a particularly dour affair as Waterford
took a physical approach and had two players sent off. The stakes were raised even higher for the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final when Antrim
pulled off the shock of the decade with a victory over Offaly
in the other semi-final. The winners of the Tipperary-Galway match would be certainties to win the final. That game was an ill-tempered affair with the men from the West getting two players sent off. With two players extra Tipp finally defeated Galway and reached a second consecutive All-Ireland final. Antrim’s presence in the final was a novelty, however, Keating’s side captured a huge 4-24 to 3-9 victory. After eighteen years Tipp had finally reached the summit of the hurling world.
In 1990 Keating set out to prove that Tipp’s All-Ireland victory was not a flash-in-the-pan. Accordingly, both the team and the manager exuded an over-confidence from the start of the championship. In an infamous interview Keating dismissed Cork’s chances in the championship by stating that ‘donkeys don’t win derbies.’ This comment severely riled the Cork hurlers, so much so that they defeated Tipp by 4-16 to 2-14 in a classic Munster final. Tipp had lost their All-Ireland crown while Cork went on to win the ultimate accolade in 1990.
Keating’s side regrouped in 1991 and there was an enevitibility about their Munster final show down with Cork. The game looked like it would not only decide the resting place of the Munster title but also the destination of the All-Ireland cup as well. The game turned out to be a classic and ended in a draw, Tipp 2–16, Cork 4-10. The replay turned out to be a game that had everything and Keating’s side stormed to a 4-19 to 4-15 victory. Galway fell heavily to Tipperary in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final, setting up a championship decider with Kilkenny
. It was the first meeting of the two sides in twenty years. ‘The Cats’ got off to a better start, however, it was Keating’s men who peaked in that game. A 1-16 to 0-15 victory gave Keating’s team a second All-Ireland title in three years.
1992 turned out to be Keating’s worst season as Tipperary manager. Tipp were defeated by arch rivals Cork at the first hurdle, thus surrendering their Munster and All-Ireland crowns.
1993 saw Keating’s side have one last hurrah. Tipperary cruised through Munster and defeated Clare in the provincial final by double scores. The 3-27 to 2-12 score line was even more impressive than it sounds. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final saw Tipp take on a new-look Galway team. The classic clashes of the 1980s were relived, however, Keating’s side were beaten by just two points.
1994 began well for Keating. His team captured a second National League under his tenure in charge. All signs pointed to the fact that Tipp would retain their Munster title, however, the team was defeated in the early stages of the Munster championship.
. It was a county that was more famous for football rather than hurling, however, it was also a county that had potential. This was evisent in Keating's first dew months in charge when he guided the county to the semi-final of the National Hurling League. Tipperary, Keating's native county, provided the opposition on that occasion, however, the game tunred out to be closer than many people expected. Tipp won by 1-13 to 1-11, however, Laois could claim a moral victory and take pride from the way that they played. Unfortunately, this early success was not converted into success in the championship. Laois exited the Leinster Championship
at a very early stage in both 1996 and 1997. Keating resigned as manager following their exit in the latter year.
as manager of Offaly
. Offaly, unlike Laois, had enjoyed much success in the recent past. They ahd won the All-Ireland in 1994 and were generally regarded as one of the most skilful groups of hurlers in the country during the 1990s. Unfortunately, the team also earned a reputation for being lazy when it came to training. This was something that Keating set out to rectify, however, he quickly earned the enmity of some key players. Relations is the dressing room were frosty at best, however, Keating's feelings weren't properly expressed until after the Leinster final defeat by Kilkenny. In a post-match interview Keating lamented his players performance and described the team as 'sheep in a heap.' The Offaly players took umbrage to his statement and effectively forced Keating out as manager. He was replaced by Michael Bond
and Offaly later went on to win the All-Ireland final.
’s resignation as manager at the end of that year’s championship, the Tipp County Board turned to Keating in an effort to revive the county’s flagging fortunes once again.
Keating’s first game of the championship was a Munster quarter-final meeting with near neighbours Limerick
. In the first ten minutes Limerick scored two goals, however, Tipp fought back to seal the victory. A defeat of Waterford
in the Munster semi-final set up a second consecutive Munster final meeting with Cork. Keating’s side got off to a good start, however, the All-Ireland champions showed their worth by a capturing a 2-14 to 1-14 victory over Tipp. The subsequent All-Ireland quarter-final saw Keating’s side take on Waterford for the second time that year. There was some mild controversy from the Tipp camp over this second meeting of the two sides. Keating was less than pleased when Waterford reversed the earlier defeat and captured a three-point victory.
2007 saw Keating’s side taken on Limerick in their opening game. It was a game that Tipp were expected to win, however, Limerick put up a good fight and the game ended in a draw. For the replay of the game Keating made the drastic move of dropping legendary goalkeeper Brendan Cummins
. The second game saw Keating’s side lead by ten points at one stage, however, by the end of the seventy minutes both sides were level once again. A period of extra-time failed to separate these two sides were forced to meet for a third time. Once again extra-time had to be played, however, after nearly four hours of hurling Limerick emerged as the winners. After the defeat Keating looked less than impressed when he was forced to do a television interview alongside ecstatic Limerick manager Richie Bennis
. The All-Ireland qualifiers saw Keating’s side win all of their games, including a victory over Cork for the first time since 1991. It looked as if Tipp had come out on the easy side of the draw as their opponents, Wexford
, were not regarded as being up to much. Because of this Keating may have been guilty of having one eye on the All-Ireland semi-final. His decision to relegate star forward Eoin Kelly
to the substitutes bench baffled many, particularly since Kelly tops the chart as Tipp’s all-time top scorer. The game itself was an exciting one, however, a Damien Fitzhenry
penalty sealed the victory for Wexford and dumped Tipp out of the championship. Keating resigned as manager shortly after this defeat.
Ardfinnan
Ardfinnan is a small village in the barony of Iffa and Offa West, South Tipperary in Ireland. It is situated on the River Suir and R665 regional road. The parish of Ardfinnan is made up of three areas: Ardfinnan, Ballybacon, and Grange. The village is located 14 kilometres from the town of Clonmel...
, County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
, Ireland
Éire
is the Irish name for the island of Ireland and the sovereign state of the same name.- Etymology :The modern Irish Éire evolved from the Old Irish word Ériu, which was the name of a Gaelic goddess. Ériu is generally believed to have been the matron goddess of Ireland, a goddess of sovereignty, or...
) is a retired Irish
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
hurling
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
manager
Manager (Gaelic games)
In Gaelic games, a manager or coach is an individual involved in the direction and instruction of the on-field operations of a team. Managing, or coaching, entails the application of sport tactics and strategies during the game itself, and usually entails substitution of players and other such...
and former player. He played hurling with his local club Ballybacon-Grange
Ballybacon-Grange GAA
Ballybacon-Grange GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club with an senior hurling team, located in the areas of Goatenbridge and Ardfinnan in south County Tipperary, Ireland. The club is famous for players Michael "Babs" Keating and Brendan Cummins....
and with the Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
senior inter-county team in the 1960s and 1970s. Keating is regarded as a ‘larger-than-life’ figure in the GAA world for the last three decades.
As a player Keating was involved with the famous Tipperary team of the 1960s, a team often described as the greatest of all-time. In a senior inter-county career that lasted from 1964 until 1975 he won two 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....
titles, four 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....
titles, two National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
titles and two Railway Cup title. Keating has also been the recipient of many awards and honours off the field. In 1971 he was named in the inaugural All-Star
GAA All Stars Awards
The All Stars Awards, currently sponsored by Vodafone, are given annually since 1971 by the Gaelic Athletic Association to the best player in each of the fifteen positions in Gaelic football and Hurling in Ireland. Additionally, one player in each code is selected as the player of the year...
team as well as being presented with the prestigious Texaco Hurler of the Year
Texaco Hurler of the Year
The Texaco Hurler of the Year is a hurling award, created in 1958, that honours the achievements of a hurler of outstanding excellence. The award is part of the Texaco Sportstars Awards, in which Irish sportspeople from all fields are honoured....
award.
As a manager Keating has had much success with many different teams. At various times he has served as manager of the Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
, Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
and Laois
Laois GAA
The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:...
senior hurling teams, however, it has been with his own native Tipperary that he has enjoyed the most success. Between 1987 and 1994 Keating lifted Tipperary out of the doldrums and guided the team to two 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....
titles, five 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....
titles and two National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
titles. His second term in charge, from 2005 until 2007, was not as successful.
Biography
Michael Keating was born in ArdfinnanArdfinnan
Ardfinnan is a small village in the barony of Iffa and Offa West, South Tipperary in Ireland. It is situated on the River Suir and R665 regional road. The parish of Ardfinnan is made up of three areas: Ardfinnan, Ballybacon, and Grange. The village is located 14 kilometres from the town of Clonmel...
, County Tipperary
County Tipperary
County Tipperary is a county of Ireland. It is located in the province of Munster and is named after the town of Tipperary. The area of the county does not have a single local authority; local government is split between two authorities. In North Tipperary, part of the Mid-West Region, local...
in 1944. The youngest member of a large family, he received the nickname 'Babs' when he went to national school where he was the youngest of three Michael Keatings in the school. The nickname has remained with him into adult life and he is almost always exclusively referred to as Babs. As well as his sporting career, Keating has worked for many years for the petroleum oil company Esso
Esso
Esso is an international trade name for ExxonMobil and its related companies. Pronounced , it is derived from the initials of the pre-1911 Standard Oil, and as such became the focus of much litigation and regulatory restriction in the United States. In 1972, it was largely replaced in the U.S. by...
. He is married to Nancy Maher, sister of Gerry Maher and his son-in-law is Irish jockey Johnny Murtagh
Johnny Murtagh
Johnny Murtagh is a Irish flat racing jockey from Bohermeen, Navan, County Meath.He excels on the big stage, having won many Group 1 races around the world...
, who is married to his daughter Orla.
Club
Keating showed skill at Gaelic gamesGaelic games
Gaelic games are sports played in Ireland under the auspices of the Gaelic Athletic Association. The two main games are Gaelic football and hurling...
in his youth and he quickly joined his local clubs. He played hurling with Ballybacon
Ballybacon-Grange GAA
Ballybacon-Grange GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club with an senior hurling team, located in the areas of Goatenbridge and Ardfinnan in south County Tipperary, Ireland. The club is famous for players Michael "Babs" Keating and Brendan Cummins....
, however, he enjoyed little success at county level. Keating also played football with Ardfinnan
Ardfinnan GAA
Ardfinnan GAA is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in County Tipperary, Ireland. The club draws its players and support from the small town of the same name. The area comprises three parishes of Ardfinnan, Grange and Ballybacon and their surrounding hinterlands. The club is known by its supporters...
with whom he won five senior county football titles.
Inter-county
Keating first came to prominence at inter-county level as a dual playerDual player
Dual player or dual star is a term used in Gaelic games to describe a player who plays both Men's Gaelic football and Hurling or Ladies' Gaelic football and Camogie. The player doesn't necessarily have to play at the same standard in both sports...
with Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
. He played both hurling and football with the Tipp minor and under-21 teams, however, he enjoyed little success on the football field. With the Tipperary minor hurling team Keating captured his first Munster
Munster Minor Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Minor Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1928 for the youngest competitors in the province of Munster in Ireland...
title in 1960 before later lining out in the All-Ireland final. Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny 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 Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
provided the opposition on that occasion and went on to trounce Tipp by 7-12 to 1-11. Keating added a second Munster minor medal to his collection in 1961 before playing in a second consecutive All-Ireland final. It was a similar story to the previous year as Kilkenny won the game once again. In 1962 Keating was captain of the Tipperary minor hurling team as he collected a third consecutive Munster title. He later led his team out in the All-Ireland final in Croke Park
Croke Park
Croke Park in Dublin is the principal stadium and headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association , Ireland's biggest sporting organisation...
as Kilkenny were the opponents for a third year in-a-row. The result was a familiar one as Tipp were defeated by 3-6 to 0-9. Keating later 'graduated' onto the newly-created Tipperary under-21 hurling team. He won a Munster
Munster Under-21 Hurling Championship
The Munster GAA Hurling Under-21 Championship is an annual hurling competition organised by the Munster Council of the Gaelic Athletic Association since 1964 for players aged between 18 and 21 in the province of Munster in Ireland...
title in this grade in 1964, the inauguarl year of the competition, before later lining out in the All-Ireland final. Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
were the opponents on that occasion, however, the game turned into a rout. Tipp won easily by 8-9 to 3-1 and Keating collected an All-Ireland
All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship
The All-Ireland Under-21 Hurling Championship is the premier "knockout" competition for players aged between 18 and 21 in the game of hurling played in Ireland...
under-21 medal.
That same year Keating made his senior debut. He began the year by collecting a National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
medal following a victory over Kilkenny. Tipp later cantered casually past Cork in the provincial decider, giving Keating a first senior 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....
medal. Kilkenny, the reigning All-Ireland champions and staunch local rivals of Tipp, provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final and were installed as the firm favourites. Tipp had other ideas and their fourteen-point winning margin, 5-13 to 2-8, was the biggest All-Ireland final win since Tipperary had overwhelmed Laois
Laois GAA
The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:...
in the 1949 decider. It was Keating's first senior 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....
medal.
Keating found it difficult to nail down a permanent place on the team over the next few years as Tipp went into something of a decline. The team bounced back in 1967 with Keating collecting a second Munster title. By this stage, however, Tipp’s pool of players was ageing and the county’s hurling fortunes were in decline. Kilkenny provided the opposition in the subsequent All-Ireland final and provided more than a match for Tipperary. Three quick goals laid to rest a bogey that Tipperary had over Kilkenny since 1922.
Keating collected a second National League medal in 1968 before Tipp crushed Cork in the provincial final again. It was Keating's third Munster medal. For the fourth time that decade Tipperary later faced Wexford in the championship decider, however, the Munster champions were now in terminal decline and surrendered an eight-point lead at half-time giving Wexford the victory.
By 1971 Keating had come to be regarded as one of the great full-forwards of his era. That year he captured his fourth and final Munster medal as Tipp defeated Limerick. Kilkenny provided the opposition against Tipperary in that year’s All-Ireland final, the first to be broadcast in colour by Telfis Éireann
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
. In an exciting and high-scoring game Tipp relied on two freak goals to capture a 5-17 to 5-14 victory. The game itself will surely be remembered for the image of Keating discarding his worn-out boots and playing the last few minutes of the match in his bare feet. This moment was listed as one of RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...
's Top 20 GAA Moments
Top 20 GAA Moments
Top 20 GAA Moments was a poll of the best moments of Gaelic football and hurling in the television era. In early 2005, the Irish public chose its favourite from 20 memorable moments from the last 40 years, as selected by ten RTÉ sports personalities and featured on the "Sunday Sport" programme...
in a special television programme in 2005. Keating continued hurling with Tipp for another few seasons and retired in 1975.
Provincial
Keating also lined out with MunsterMunster GAA
The Munster Council is a Provincial council of the Gaelic Athletic Association sports of hurling, Gaelic football, camogie, rounders and handball in the province of Munster.-Constituent counties:*Cork*Clare*Kerry*Limerick*Tipperary*Waterford-Honours:...
in the inter-provincial hurling competition and enjoyed much success. He first played with his province in 1965, however, it was 1968 before he captured his first Railway Cup medals. Keating captured a second Railway Cup title in 1970. He also won a Railway Cup football medal in 1972.
Managerial career
In retirement from playing Keating has managed many different teams all over the country and has had much success.Galway: 1978-1979
Keating's one year term in charge of GalwayGalway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
saw a major improvement in the mindset of the team. Successful results were immediate and Galway qualified for the National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
final at the start of 1979. Ironically, it was Keating's native-county of Tipperary
Tipperary GAA
The Tipperary County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or C is one of over 30 regional executive boards throughout the world. These executive boards are known as County Boards even though some no longer correspond to the area under the jurisdiction of the counties from which their names...
that provided the opposition. The game, however, turned out to be a disaster for Keating as Tipp won with a score line of 3-15 to 0-8. Being beaten by treble scores did not bode well for Galway's chances in the championship. Galway's championship campaign didn't begin until July, however, Keating's team qualified for an All-Ireland semi-final show-down with Cork. Cork had won the three previous All-Ireland titles and were going for a remarkable fourth in-a-row. In theory the game should have been a walk-over for Cork, however, Galway had been waiting in the long grass and defeated 'the Rebels' by 2-14 to 1-13. Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny 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 Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
provided the opposition in the championship decider. Both sides were neck and neck in the first-half, however, Keating's side took a two-point lead twelve minutes into the second-half. Unfortunately, this was the last time that 'the Tribesmen' scored in the game. A 2-12 to 1-8 defeat tells its own story and Keating resigned as Galway manager shortly afterward.
Tipperary: 1986-1994
In 1986 the Tipperary senior hurling team had hit an all-time low. The county hadn’t won a Munster title since 1971 and went almost a decade without winning a single championship game. Tony WallTony Wall
Tony Wall is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Thurles Sarsfields and with the Tipperary senior inter-county team from 1953 until 1967...
took over as manager in 1986, however, at the end of the year the Tipp County Board turned to Keating in an effort to revive the county’s flagging fortunes.
His first Championship game that year was against Kerry in the first round in Killarney. Tipp beat Kerry. Keating’s second game in charge of Tipperary nearly ended in disaster, however, the team managed a draw against Clare
Clare GAA
The Clare County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Clare GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Clare. The county board is also responsible for the Clare inter-county teams....
in the Munster semi-final. Tipp won on the second occasion, setting up a Munster final meeting with fierce rivals Cork. The closing stages of the game saw both sides take the lead, however, the game ultimately ended in a draw. The replay at FitzGerald Stadium
FitzGerald Stadium
Fitzgerald Stadium is the principal Gaelic Athletic Association stadium in Killarney, Ireland, and is the home championship venue for the Kerry senior football team....
turned out to be one of the classic games in the history of Munster hurling. Once again the sides were level after seventy minutes, however, after a period of extra-time Tipp emerged as victors with a 4-22 to 1-22 score line. It was the county’s first provincial title in seventeen years. Keating’s dream start as manager came to an end following an All-Ireland semi-final defeat by Galway
Galway GAA
The Galway County Boards of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Galway GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Galway. The county boards are also responsible for the Galway inter-county teams.Unlike all other counties in Ireland,...
.
In 1988 Keating consolidated on the previous year’s success by guiding his team to a National Hurling League
National Hurling League
The National Hurling League is an annual hurling competition between the county teams of Ireland. Contested by 35 teams , it operates on a system of promotion and relegation between four different divisions, with Division One...
title. Tipp later strolled through the Munster championship with relative ease and defeated Cork in a second consecutive Munster final. This victory allowed Tipp to advance to the All-Ireland final where Galway provided the opposition. Once again the men from the West put an end to Tipp’s championship hopes with a 1-15 to 0-14 defeat. It was a very disappointing defeat for Keating. His two star players, Pat Fox
Pat Fox
Pat Fox is a former Irish sportsperson. He played hurling with his local club Éire Óg] Anacarty and with the Tipperary senior inter-county team in the 1980s and 1990s.-Club:...
and Nicky English
Nicky English
Nicholas J. English , better known as Nicky English, is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Lattin-Cullen and with the Tipperary senior inter-county team from 1982 until 1996...
, did not play to their potential and the manager also received criticism for introducing John Leahy
John Leahy (hurler)
John Leahy is a former Irish sportsperson. He played senior hurling with the Tipperary inter-county team from 1988 until 2003. He also represented Tipperary in all grades in Gaelic Football. He is regarded as a great hurler in Tipperary.-Early life & private life:John Leahy was born in...
, then an unknown teenager.
1989 saw Keating’s side cruise to a third consecutive Munster title in-a-row. The provincial final was a particularly dour affair as Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
took a physical approach and had two players sent off. The stakes were raised even higher for the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final when Antrim
Antrim GAA
The Antrim County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Antrim GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Antrim. The county board is also responsible for the Antrim inter-county teams...
pulled off the shock of the decade with a victory over Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
in the other semi-final. The winners of the Tipperary-Galway match would be certainties to win the final. That game was an ill-tempered affair with the men from the West getting two players sent off. With two players extra Tipp finally defeated Galway and reached a second consecutive All-Ireland final. Antrim’s presence in the final was a novelty, however, Keating’s side captured a huge 4-24 to 3-9 victory. After eighteen years Tipp had finally reached the summit of the hurling world.
In 1990 Keating set out to prove that Tipp’s All-Ireland victory was not a flash-in-the-pan. Accordingly, both the team and the manager exuded an over-confidence from the start of the championship. In an infamous interview Keating dismissed Cork’s chances in the championship by stating that ‘donkeys don’t win derbies.’ This comment severely riled the Cork hurlers, so much so that they defeated Tipp by 4-16 to 2-14 in a classic Munster final. Tipp had lost their All-Ireland crown while Cork went on to win the ultimate accolade in 1990.
Keating’s side regrouped in 1991 and there was an enevitibility about their Munster final show down with Cork. The game looked like it would not only decide the resting place of the Munster title but also the destination of the All-Ireland cup as well. The game turned out to be a classic and ended in a draw, Tipp 2–16, Cork 4-10. The replay turned out to be a game that had everything and Keating’s side stormed to a 4-19 to 4-15 victory. Galway fell heavily to Tipperary in the subsequent All-Ireland semi-final, setting up a championship decider with Kilkenny
Kilkenny GAA
The Kilkenny 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 Kilkenny. The county board has its head office and main grounds at Nowlan Park and is also responsible for Kilkenny inter-county teams...
. It was the first meeting of the two sides in twenty years. ‘The Cats’ got off to a better start, however, it was Keating’s men who peaked in that game. A 1-16 to 0-15 victory gave Keating’s team a second All-Ireland title in three years.
1992 turned out to be Keating’s worst season as Tipperary manager. Tipp were defeated by arch rivals Cork at the first hurdle, thus surrendering their Munster and All-Ireland crowns.
1993 saw Keating’s side have one last hurrah. Tipperary cruised through Munster and defeated Clare in the provincial final by double scores. The 3-27 to 2-12 score line was even more impressive than it sounds. The subsequent All-Ireland semi-final saw Tipp take on a new-look Galway team. The classic clashes of the 1980s were relived, however, Keating’s side were beaten by just two points.
1994 began well for Keating. His team captured a second National League under his tenure in charge. All signs pointed to the fact that Tipp would retain their Munster title, however, the team was defeated in the early stages of the Munster championship.
Laois: 1995-1997
After a year away from management Keating returned to the inter-county scene in 1995 as manager of LaoisLaois GAA
The Laois County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Laois GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Laois and the Laois inter-county teams.-History:...
. It was a county that was more famous for football rather than hurling, however, it was also a county that had potential. This was evisent in Keating's first dew months in charge when he guided the county to the semi-final of the National Hurling League. Tipperary, Keating's native county, provided the opposition on that occasion, however, the game tunred out to be closer than many people expected. Tipp won by 1-13 to 1-11, however, Laois could claim a moral victory and take pride from the way that they played. Unfortunately, this early success was not converted into success in the championship. Laois exited the Leinster Championship
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
The Leinster 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 Leinster in Ireland....
at a very early stage in both 1996 and 1997. Keating resigned as manager following their exit in the latter year.
Offaly: 1997-1998
Shortly after resigning as Laois manager Keating replaced John McIntyreJohn McIntyre (hurler)
John McIntyre is an Irish hurling manager and former player. He is the former manager of the Galway senior hurling team....
as manager of Offaly
Offaly GAA
The Offaly County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Offaly GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Offaly...
. Offaly, unlike Laois, had enjoyed much success in the recent past. They ahd won the All-Ireland in 1994 and were generally regarded as one of the most skilful groups of hurlers in the country during the 1990s. Unfortunately, the team also earned a reputation for being lazy when it came to training. This was something that Keating set out to rectify, however, he quickly earned the enmity of some key players. Relations is the dressing room were frosty at best, however, Keating's feelings weren't properly expressed until after the Leinster final defeat by Kilkenny. In a post-match interview Keating lamented his players performance and described the team as 'sheep in a heap.' The Offaly players took umbrage to his statement and effectively forced Keating out as manager. He was replaced by Michael Bond
Michael Bond (hurling manager)
Michael Bond is a retired Ireland hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Ardrahan...
and Offaly later went on to win the All-Ireland final.
Tipperary: 2005-2007
In 2005 the Tipperary senior hurling team was in the doldrums. After winning the All-Ireland title in 2001 the team took a backward step and recorded few victories of note in the intervening years. After Ken HoganKen Hogan
James Kenneth Hogan , better known as Ken Hogan, is an Irish hurling manager and former player. He is the current manager of the Tipperary under-21 hurling team....
’s resignation as manager at the end of that year’s championship, the Tipp County Board turned to Keating in an effort to revive the county’s flagging fortunes once again.
Keating’s first game of the championship was a Munster quarter-final meeting with near neighbours Limerick
Limerick GAA
The Limerick County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Limerick GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Limerick...
. In the first ten minutes Limerick scored two goals, however, Tipp fought back to seal the victory. A defeat of Waterford
Waterford GAA
The Waterford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Waterford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for all levels of Gaelic games in County Waterford. The County Board is also responsible for the Waterford inter-county teams. The county...
in the Munster semi-final set up a second consecutive Munster final meeting with Cork. Keating’s side got off to a good start, however, the All-Ireland champions showed their worth by a capturing a 2-14 to 1-14 victory over Tipp. The subsequent All-Ireland quarter-final saw Keating’s side take on Waterford for the second time that year. There was some mild controversy from the Tipp camp over this second meeting of the two sides. Keating was less than pleased when Waterford reversed the earlier defeat and captured a three-point victory.
2007 saw Keating’s side taken on Limerick in their opening game. It was a game that Tipp were expected to win, however, Limerick put up a good fight and the game ended in a draw. For the replay of the game Keating made the drastic move of dropping legendary goalkeeper Brendan Cummins
Brendan Cummins (Tipperary hurler)
Brendan Cummins is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with Ballybacon-Grange and Gaelic football with Ardfinnan. A former dual player at the highest level, Cummins has been a member of the Tipperary senior hurling team since 1995...
. The second game saw Keating’s side lead by ten points at one stage, however, by the end of the seventy minutes both sides were level once again. A period of extra-time failed to separate these two sides were forced to meet for a third time. Once again extra-time had to be played, however, after nearly four hours of hurling Limerick emerged as the winners. After the defeat Keating looked less than impressed when he was forced to do a television interview alongside ecstatic Limerick manager Richie Bennis
Richie Bennis
Richie Bennis is a retired Irish hurling manager and former player. He played hurling with his local club Patrickswell and with the Limerick senior inter-county in the 1960s and 1970s. Bennis later served as manager of the Limerick senior team from 2006 until 2008.As a player Bennis was involved...
. The All-Ireland qualifiers saw Keating’s side win all of their games, including a victory over Cork for the first time since 1991. It looked as if Tipp had come out on the easy side of the draw as their opponents, Wexford
Wexford GAA
The Wexford County Board of the Gaelic Athletic Association or Wexford GAA is one of the 32 county boards of the GAA in Ireland, and is responsible for Gaelic games in County Wexford. The county board is also responsible for the Wexford inter-county teams.-History:Hurling has been played in...
, were not regarded as being up to much. Because of this Keating may have been guilty of having one eye on the All-Ireland semi-final. His decision to relegate star forward Eoin Kelly
Eoin Kelly (Tipperary hurler)
Eoin Kelly is an Irish hurler who plays as a forward for inter-county side Tipperary. He is the current captain and is his county's top championship scorer of all-time....
to the substitutes bench baffled many, particularly since Kelly tops the chart as Tipp’s all-time top scorer. The game itself was an exciting one, however, a Damien Fitzhenry
Damien Fitzhenry
Damien Fitzhenry is a retired Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling and Gaelic football with his local club Duffry Rovers and was a member of the Wexford senior inter-county hurling team from 1993 until 2010...
penalty sealed the victory for Wexford and dumped Tipp out of the championship. Keating resigned as manager shortly after this defeat.