LEE KEEGAN SAYS Westport’s historic Mayo senior championship win was one of the best days of his sporting career.
The Mayo great starred as his club got their hands on the Moclair Cup for the very first time after a 1-9 to 1-6 victory over Ballina Stephenites at MacHale Park yesterday.
“I suppose it will be in the next couple of hours that I have probably realised the achievement we have done as a club,” Keegan, 2016 Footballer of the Year and five-time All-Star, told RTÉ Radio 1 Sunday Sport after the game.
“Listen, it’s huge, the excitement will be massive. We went in as huge underdogs today and we preformed as the top dogs then. To be honest, we probably could have won the game by a bit more, but today is the proudest day for the club.
“You see what it means for everyone around here. I think we’ve firmly put Westport on the map for senior teams in the future.”
Keegan went on to rank the achievement in his own career, reflecting on Westport’s remarkable rise from their All-Ireland intermediate success in 2017.
2016 players of The year and
— Mayo GAA (@MayoGAA) October 30, 2022
five time All-Star Lee Keegan
made history this afternoon
when his club Westport GAA
lifted the Mayo GAA Moclair Cup
for the first time ever. Lee toldhttps://t.co/oMDt5TCVDh it was the
pinacle of his career. pic.twitter.com/7jIQtWvPpt
“Intermediate was brilliant but today is the pinnacle for the club,” he beamed.
“Someone text me during the week, he’s won club All-Irelands and that. He goes, ‘When you win a senior county title, it is the pinnacle of your career, your club career.’ It does feel like that.
“This is one of the best days of my sporting career. To share the pitch with the likes of Kevin Keane, Brian McDermott and the older guys. It’s very hard to sum up the emotion I’m going through at the moment. It means so much.”
An integral part of the team with the self-labelled “meanest defence in Mayo, by a long shot,” Keegan was also asked about his inter-county future.
But the 33-year-old remained coy on the prospect of season number 13 under new manager Kevin McStay, understandably preferring to focus on Westport’s win.
History maker Lee Keegan with his daughter Rhea after the game. Lee and his teammates from Westport GAA won their first ever Mayo GAA Connacht Good senior football title this afternoon at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park. pic.twitter.com/J6vIRVEAzt
— Mayo GAA (@MayoGAA) October 30, 2022
“I haven’t even looked at it to be honest,” Keegan, who made his Green and Red debut in 2011, concluded. “I’m enjoying football, I’m enjoying my family time. I’m enjoying playing football with these guys here week, in week out.
“We’ll sit down when the club season is over, we have another game in a couple of weeks time. I’m old enough now where I’ll make the right decision not just for myself, but for my family. Listen, I need to get all my ducks in-a-row before I make that decision.
“Today’s not to talk about inter-county football, today it’s about Westport, senior champions 2022.”
