Landmark appearance for Donal Keogan

The Tailteann Cup victory over Down on Saturday marked a landmark appearance in the Meath jersey for Rathkenny clubman Donal Keogan. Since making his debut in the O’Byrne Cup on January 11 2011, Donal has gone on to become one of the best defenders in the country, first making his mark at corner back before moving out to the half back line.

Saturday’s fixture was the 150^th appearance for the county senior football side for Donal, with 142 of those appearances having been as a starting member of the team. He has lined out in every Championship fixture since making his debut, with all forty-five appearances since making his debut as a first half substitute against Wicklow in 2012 having been as a member of the starting XV.

In the League, Donal missed the 2013 Division 3 Final against Monaghan, 2015 final round fixture against Cavan and the final round fixture against Kildare but has been an ever-present member of the team since his 2013 opening round League debut against Monaghan. All of these appearance bar a final round game against Mayo came as a member of the starting line-up. That fixture was something of a dead rubber with both sides guaranteed a semi-final place.

03-06-23, Tailteann Cup Round 3 at Parnell Park, Dublin
Meath v Down
Photo: Paula Greif 2023
www.sportsaction.ie
Donal Keogan (Captain) (Meath) in action in Round 3 of the Tailteann Cup (Meath V Down) on Saturday 2nd June in Parnell Park (Dublin)

To date Donal has lined out against twenty-nine counties in competitive action for the county, with Kilkenny and Leitrim being the two counties he has not faced.

Donal has also lined out against DCU and UCD with both of these having been faced in the O’Byrne Cup.

Over the course of the 150 games Donal has scored 4-16. This is broken down into 0-08 in the Championship, 3-05 in the League and 1-03 in the O’Byrne Cup.

O’Byrne Cup Debut

January 11 2011 v UCD (sub)

League Debut

February 3 2013 v Monaghan

Championship Debut

May 27 2012 v Wicklow (sub)

03-06-23, Tailteann Cup Round 3 at Parnell Park, Dublin
Meath v Down
Photo: Paula Greif 2023
www.sportsaction.ie
Donal Keogan (Captain) (Meath) and Ross Carr (Down) in action in Round 3 of the Tailteann Cup (Meath V Down) on Saturday 2nd June in Parnell Park (Dublin)

Championship Appearances – 46. 45 Starts, 1 as a Substitute.

2012 – 6

Meath v Wicklow (Leinster SFC Preliminary Quarter Final)
Meath v Carlow (Leinster SFC Quarter Final)
Meath v Carlow (Leinster SFC Quarter Final Replay)
Meath v Kildare (Leinster SFC Seni-Final)
Meath v Dublin (Leinster SFC Final)
Meath v Laois (All-Ireland SFC Qualifier Round 4)

2013 – 4

Meath v Wicklow (Leinster SFC Quarter Final)
Meath v Wexford (Leinster SFC Semi-Final)
Meath v Dublin (Leinster SFC Final)
Meath v Tyrone (All-Ireland SFC Qualifier Round 4)

2014 – 4

Meath v Carlow (Leinster SFC Quarter Final)
Meath v Kildare (Leinster SFC Semi-Final)
Meath v Dublin (Leinster SFC Final)
Meath v Armagh (All-Ireland SFC Qualifier Round 4)

2015 – 3

Meath v Wicklow (Leinster SFC Quarter Final)
Meath v Westmeath (Leinster SFC Semi-Final)
Meath v Tyrone (All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers Round 2) – (0-01)

2016 – 3

Meath v Louth (Leinster SFC Quarter Final)
Meath v Dublin (Leinster SFC Semi-Final)
Meath v Derry (All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers Round 2)

2017 – 4

Meath v Louth (Leinster SFC Quarter Final)
Meath v Kildare (Leinster SFC Semi-Final)
Meath v Sligo (All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers Round 2)
Meath v Donegal (All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers Round 3) – (0-01)

2018 – 2

Meath v Longford (Leinster SFC Quarter Final) – (0-01)
Meath v Tyrone (All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers Round 1) – (0-01)

2019 – 8

Meath v Offaly (Leinster SFC Preliminary Quarter Final)
Meath v Carlow (Leinster SFC Quarter Final)
Meath v Laois (Leinster SFC Semi-Final) – (0-01)
Meath v Dublin (Leinster SFC Final)
Meath v Clare (All-Ireland SFC Qualifiers Round 4) – (0-01)
Meath v Donegal (All-Ireland Quarter Final – Super 8’s)
Meath v Mayo (All-Ireland Quarter Final – Super 8’s)
Meath v Kerry (All-Ireland Quarter Final – Super 8’s)

Meath’s (Capt.) Donal Keogan, in action for Meath, during the Cork v Meath, Allianz Football League Div 2 game, in Páirc Ui Caoimh, Cork.
Photo: Gerry Shanahan-www.sportinmotion.ie
29-01-2023

2020 – 3

Meath v Wicklow (Leinster SFC Quarter Final)
Meath v Kildare (Leinster SFC Semi-Final)
Meath v Dublin (Leinster SFC Final)

2021 – 2

Meath v Longford (Leinster SFC Quarter Final)
Meath v Dublin (Leinster SFC Semi-Final)

2022 – 3

Meath v Wicklow (Leinster SFC Quarter Final)
Meath v Dublin (Leinster SFC Semi-Final) – (0-01)
Meath v Clare (All-Ireland SFC Round 1)

2023 – 4

Meath v Offaly (Leinster SFC Quarter Final)
Meath v Tipperary (Tailteann Cup Round 1) – (0-01)
Meath v Waterford (Tailteann Cup Round 2)
Meath v Down (Tailteann Cup Round 3)

League Appearances – 73. 72 Starts, 1 as a Substitute.

2013 – 7 (Division 3)

Meath v Monaghan (Round 1)
Meath v Wicklow (Round 2)
Meath v Cavan (Round 3)
Meath v Roscommon (Round 4)
Meath v Sligo (Round 5)
Meath v Antrim (Round 6)
Meath v Fermanagh (Round 7)

2014 – 7 (Division 2)

Meath v Galway (Round 1) – (0-01)
Meath v Monaghan (Round 2)
Meath v Armagh (Round 3)
Meath v Donegal (Round 4)
Meath v Laois (Round 5)
Meath v Down (Round 6)
Meath v Louth (Round 7)

2015 – 6 (Division 2)

Meath v Galway (Round 1)
Meath v Kildare (Round 2)
Meath v Roscommon (Round 3)
Meath v Westmeath (Round 4)
Meath v Laois (Round 5)
Meath v Down (Round 6)

2016 – 7 (Division 2)

Meath v Armagh (Round 1) – (0-01)
Meath v Fermanagh (Round 2)
Meath v Cavan (Round 3)
Meath v Galway (Round 4)
Meath v Tyrone (Round 5)
Meath v Derry (Round 6)
Meath v Laois (Round 7)

2017 – 7 (Division 2)

Meath v Kildare (Round 1)
Meath v Derry (Round 2)
Meath v Down (Round 3) – (0-01)
Meath v Galway (Round 4) – (0-01)
Meath v Cork (Round 5) – (1-00)
Meath v Fermanagh (Round 6)
Meath v Clare (Round 7)

2018 – 7 (Division 2)

Meath v Roscommon (Round 1)
Meath v Clare (Round 2)
Meath v Cavan (Round 3)
Meath v Tipperary (Round 4)
Meath v Cork (Round 5)
Meath v Down (Round 7)
Meath v Louth (Round 6*)

* – Refixture

2019 – 8 (Division 2)

Meath v Tipperary (Round 1)
Meath v Donegal (Round 2)
Meath v Armagh (Round 3)
Meath v Cork (Round 4)
Meath v Kildare (Round 5)
Meath v Clare (Round 6)
Meath v Fermanagh (Round 7)
Meath v Donegal (Final)

06-12-19. Meath GAA Annual Sponsors Night and Awards Presentation 2019 at the Castle Arch Hotel, Trim.
Meath “Footballer of the Year” 2019 Donal Keogan, Rathkenny pictured holding the McDermott/Hanley Australia
Photo: John Quirke / www.quirke.ie
©John Quirke Photography, Unit 17, Blackcastle Shopping Cte. Navan. Co. Meath. 046-9079044 / 087-2579454.

2020 – 7 (Division 1)

Meath v Tyrone (Round 1)
Meath v Donegal (Round 2)
Meath v Mayo (Round 3)
Meath v Kerry (Round 4) – (1-00)
Meath v Galway (Round 5)
Meath v Dublin (Round 6)
Meath v Monaghan (Round 7)

2021 – 4 (Division 2)

Meath v Westmeath (Round 1)
Meath v Down (Round 2)
Meath v Mayo – Substitute (Round 3)
Meath v Kildare (Semi-Final)

2022 – 7 (Division 2)

Meath v Galway (Round 1)
Meath v Roscommon (Round 2)
Meath v Down (Round 3)
Meath v Offaly (Round 4) – (0-01)
Meath v Cork (Round 5)
Meath v Clare (Round 6)
Meath v Derry (Round 7)

2023 – 6 (Division 2)

Meath v Cork (Round 1)
Meath v Clare (Round 2)
Meath v Derry (Round 3)
Meath v Louth (Round 4) – (1-00)
Meath v Limerick (Round 5)
Meath v Dublin (Round 6)

O’Byrne Cup – 31. 25 Starts, 6 as a Substitute.

2011 – 3

Meath v UCD – Substitute (Round 1)
Meath v Laois (Shield Semi-Final)
Meath v Dublin – Substitute (Shield Final)

2013 – 1

Meath v Longford (Round 1)

2014 – 2

Meath v DCU (Semi-Final)
Meath v Kildare (Final)

03-08-19. Meath v Kerry – All-Ireland SFC Super 8’s Round 3 at Pairc Tailteann, Navan.
Donal Keogan, Meath.
Photo: John Quirke / www.quirke.ie
©John Quirke Photography, Unit 17, Blackcastle Shopping Cte. Navan. Co. Meath. 046-9079044 / 087-2579454.

2015 – 3