Picture Legion FB
SHARPSHOOTER Conor Keane has been crowned senior player of the year by Killarney Legion GAA club and hopes are high that he could play his way back into contention for the Kerry team.
The free-scoring forward, who has been playing senior grade for his club for the past eight years, was honoured at a virtual annual awards ceremony hosted by club officials and he was a very popular choice to receive the O’Grady Cup.
A former county minor and under 21 star, Conor was part of the Kerry senior set-up under Eamonn Fitzmaurice, between 2015 and 2017, and he wore the green and gold in the national league.
“If Conor continues to perform, work and train to the best of his ability, he may well find himself working his way back into the plans of the Kerry senior football team,” the Legion club said.
“Despite seeming like he’s been around forever, he is still only 25 with, possibly, his best footballing days ahead of him”.
Still only 25, Conor’s ability will be well-known to Kerry manager, Peter Keane, who was Legion manager during one of the club’s most successful periods in recent years and it would come as no great surprise if he returns to the inter-county camp alongside his team-mate James O’Donoghue.
A consistent scorer and very astute tactically, Conor hit a rich vein of form before the Covid-19 pandemic struck, amassing a total of 2-27 from play and placed balls in just seven games and he reserved his best performance for the county championship victory over Kerins O’Rahillys which was a game broadcast live on RTÉ.
The citation for his player of the year award said Conor’s commitment in training and during games is unquestionable and he very rarely misses a training session.
Special awards were also presented to Brian Kelly and Jonathan Lyne who hung up their Kerry jerseys at the close of last season.
Other Legion award winners were:
Senior Ladies Player of the Year (Larry Horgan shield): Deirdre Lyne
Male Young Player of the Year Award (Jim Trant trophy): Darragh Fleming
Female Young Player of the Year Awards: Shonagh Doody and Orlaith O’Connor
Junior Men’s Player of the Year (Jackie Lyne trophy): Liam O’Toole
Club Person of the Year: Fergal Moynihan
Hall of Fame: John Hegarty
Special Award: Darragh Fleming and William Shine and Kerri-Ann Hanrahan (Kerry minors)
