A chip off the old block.
We can talk about match-ups, systems and tactics all we want but the bottom line is that Kilkenny were hungrier than Tipperary in Nowlan Park on Sunday.
They smothered the breaks quicker, they hunted like savages in tight packs when Tipperary had the ball and when they won it back they were calm and economical.
TJ Reid and Paddy Deegan earned most of the praise for their polished performances either side of the field but young Martin Keoghan at left half forward was just as deserving of acclaim.
Only a year out of St. Kieran’s College, this is uncharted territory for the Tullaroan attacker. This is his first season with the Kilkenny seniors but his performances in this League campaign would have you believe he’s been on the scene for years.
He’s a Brian Cody player. An uncompromising, hard nosed block of resolute spirit, Keoghan is everything Kilkenny’s success over the last 20 years has been built on.
Like a dog playing fetch, he’s always hopping off the ground willing and ready to take off. He’ll always chase and even if it’s a lost cause he’ll be there and he’ll be throwing his weight around against bigger men.
Crucially though, the youngster has a slick pair of wrists and a sharp hurling brain to boot. His first half point where he dipped, ducked and dodged his way through the Tipperary rearguard before slotting a slick point was a clear example of that.
Keoghan wasn’t even born when Cody took over as Kilkenny manager but the best bainisteoir the GAA has ever seen still entrusted his 19-year-old rookie with the most unenviable task in the game in picking up hurling’s own Alpha Male in Paudie Maher.
It might have been a surprise to some, but it wasn’t to hardened Noreside hurling folk when the UL fresher wore into the Thurles man and made his day a living hell.
He scurried around Maher with the zip and buzz of a calf let out to grass for the summer. He pounced on the breaks, he didn’t let Maher win a puck-out.
Kilkenny legend JJ Delaney expected nothing less from Keoghan, who’s father Liam Keoghan hurled at half back for the Cats during the 1990s.
Mossy was born for this, it was in his breeding, as JJ Delaney leaned on one of the classic rural GAA beliefs that it was in his blood.
“He had a fabulous game. He probably wasn’t expecting Paudie Maher to come out on him but when he came out, Mossy didn’t take one step back.
“It’s not in him to go back to be honest with you, if he’s anything like the father, he wouldn’t go back. He had a great game, he caught a ball over Paudie’s head there one time and he completely disrupted his game.
“It was some game for his first League final. He kept Paudie very quiet in the first half,” said JJ.
Former Laois manager Cheddar Plunkett was also impressed with Keoghan’s contribution.
“I think Martin Keoghan caused enough problems for Maher. He certainly didn’t let him catch any balls in the air and put them back down the throat of the Kilkenny defence.”
Tradition keeps producing the goods in Kilkenny.
You can listen to this chat about Keoghan and much more from Monday’s GAA Hour Hurling Show right here.
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