Profile: Mathew Keegan

Portlaoise hurling star Mathew Keegan in action for the Town.

Mathew came through the ranks as a duel player winning underage football and hurling titles for the “Town”. 

He was a regular on the celebrated hurling team that won four county championships on the trot for the “Town” from 1981 –’84. A star forward who shot many vital scores for the “Town”, he went on to win further titles in 1987 and ’89 and earn himself an honoured place in the golden years of Portlaoise hurling

Under 12 football champions 1970: Back: Ger O’Brien, Tom Clarke, Eddie Mather, Bro. Somers, Brian Colgan, Dommo Byrne. Middle: Jimmy Lewis, Michael Dollard, Pat Critchley, Eugene Delaney, Eamon Conroy, Matthew Keegan, Seamus Smith. Front: Mick Bohane, Tom Tierney, George Phelan, Sean Conroy, Francis O’Brien, Maurice Prendergast, John Bohane, Seamus Brennan.
Under 21 football champions 1977. Back: Bill Phelan (mentor), George Phelan, Pat Bennett, Eamon Conroy, Sean Bergin, John Bohane, Joe Keenan, Martin Callaghan, Jimmy Keenan, Gerry Conroy, Mark Kavanagh, Mick Bohane, Sean Conroy, Ray Delaney, Liam McEvoy, Matthew Keegan. Front: Seamus Plunkett, Colm Browne, Tom Prendergast, Ger Griffin, Bernie Conroy, Kieran Daly, Gerry Browne, Noel Prendergast, Billy Bohane.
SH champions 1981: Back: Eddie Condon, Seamus Plunkett, John Taylor, Joe Keenan, Sean Delaney, Billy Bohane, Jack Kavanagh; Front: John Joe Ging, Matthew Keegan, Liam Bergin, Jimmy Keenan, Sean Bergin, Jimmy Harding, Pat Critchley, John Bohane.
SH champions 1982: Back: Tom Lalor, John Bohane, Pat Critchley, Seamus Plunkett, Jimmy Harding, Sean Delaney, Sean Dunne, Joe Keenan, Jimmy Keenan, Jimmy Doyle; Front: Sean Bergin, Matthew Keegan, John Joe Ging, Mick Bohane, Liam Bergin, Billy Bohane, John Taylor.
SH champions 1983: Back: Nollaig Rigney, Sean Dunne, Pat Critchley, Jimmy Harding, Sean Delaney, Sean Bergin, Jimmy Keenan, John Bohane, Seamus Plunkett; Front: Mick Bohane, Billy Bohane, John Joe Ging, John Taylor, Joe Keenan, Liam Bergin, Jimmy Doyle.
Laois Senior Hurling four in a row Champions 1984 (GAA Centenary Year): Back: Dick Sides, Ollie Byrne, Noel Rigney, Des Rigney, Seamus Plunkett, Sean Dunne, Martin Cashin, Sean Bergin, Jim Harding, Philip Rochford, Jimmy Keenan, Pat Critchley, John Bohane, Tom Walton, Brian Murphy, Liam Harney, Liam Hogan, John Dwyer, John Joe Ging, Hugh Rochford, Ned Murphy, Noel Hopper, Dan Dunne. Front: Peadar Molloy, Tom Lalor, Paul Kelly, Jimmy Doyle, Matthew Keegan, Joe Keenan, Liam Bergin, Sean Bergin (mascot), Billy Bohane, Mick Bohane, John Taylor, John Rogers, Jimmy Wrest, Christy Cahill, John Duggan, Teddy Fennelly, Jimmy Lalor. Extreme Front: Sean Delaney and Peter Ryan.
Intermediate football champions 1982. Back: Seamus Plunkett, John Bohane, Mick Rigney, Paddy McDonald, Paddy Dunne, Joe Keenan, Maurice Prendergast, Sean Bergin, Seamus Smith, Pat Murphy, Paddy Norton. Front: Matthew Keegan, Mick Bohane George Phelan, Jimmy Keenan, Eamon Conroy, Pat Tynan, Gerry Conroy (Capt.), Brian Colgan, Danny Reddin.
Senior hurling champions 1987. Back: Noel Rigney, Cyril Duggan, Des Rigney, Pat Hooban, Sean Delaney, Pat Critchley, Martin Cashin, John Bohane. Front: Seamus Plunkett, Matthew Keegan, John Taylor, Paul Bergin, Sean Bergin (Capt.), Pat Cleary, Billy Bohane, Mick Bohane.
Junior Hurling champions 1987. Back: Niall Rigney, Pat Menton, Ollie Dunne, Matthew McDonald, Christy Dunne, Hugh Rochford, Paddy Norton, Willie Fitzpatrick. Front: Matthew Keegan, Martin Conroy, Jimmy Wrest (Capt.), Philip Rochford, Paddy Harding, James Fahy, Tom Fitzpatrick, Brian Murphy
SH champions 1989 –“ the year of the big row”: Back: Seamus Plunkett, Des Rigney, Cyril Duggan, John Hanniffy, Jimmy Keenan, Pat Critchley, Nollaig Rigney, John Bohane; Front: John Taylor, Tommy Fitzpatrick, Matthew Keegan, Niall Rigney, Ger Hoey, Paul Bergin, Liam Bergin.

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