Ballincollig's Brian Keating lands the final Muskerry GAA award for 2024 

It was another successful season for the Ballincollig U21 A hurlers.

The Village claimed the Muskerry title in 2024 for a third campaign on the bounce after overcoming Éire Óg in the final back in November as it finished up 2-21 to 2-11.

Before that, Ballincollig got the better of Blarney in the last four on a scoreline of 1-25 to 0-16.

It wasn’t an easy route to success, but a team effort got them over the line. One of their leading lights was marksman Brian Keating, who on the back of those displays was picked as the last EPH Controls/Muskerry GAA award winner for 2024. He hit 2-13 (0-4 f, 0-1 65) in those two matches in Muskerry against Blarney and Éire Óg.

The function took place at the Lee Valley Golf and Country Club in Ovens recently.

“It’s a huge honour in fairness to win a Muskerry award,” he says.

“It’s probably more important for my family and my club. It’s nice to support the efforts that they are all putting into me as well. It’s great to give back so this award is more so for them than me really.

“After playing at adult level all year and you come back to play with your own age group, it’s always very enjoyable and I do get a kick out of playing with my buddies. It’s extra special then when you win silverware and it was a solid performance on the day in the final against Éire Óg. We were under serious pressure in the first half but we got to grips with the game and pushed on in the second half.

“It’s always tough to win Mid-Cork and it’s always a brilliant competition playing against the neighbours. We had to beat Blarney in the semi-final and it was over in their place so it was always going to be a tough battle.” 

Ballincollig’s other main goal would have been to have a right rattle off the county section in U21, but their interest ended at the first hurdle, losing to Shandrum (underage amalgamation of Newtownshandrum and Dromina). 

The team in green and white lost by a point in the quarter-final. It was an encounter that was played in Newtownshandrum on a day when the eventual winners goalkeeper Daniel O’Connell was the hero when his puck-out late on went over the bar.

“We were a little bit wasteful on the day against Shandrum but they were full credit for the win,” Keating said.

“The team will just have to learn the lessons from the loss and I know some lads might be overage for the new season, but for the fellas that are able to play U21 again, will have to try and not let it happen again in terms of that kind of defeat. 

"We would have liked to have come up against St Finbarr’s in the semi-final. We always had great battles with them at underage level, but Shandrum on the day were full value for their win. When you lose a game, you lose a game, just get up and get on with it. I do feel it’s easier when you're younger to process a tough defeat.” 

The EPH Controls/Muskerry GAA award winner has been a key player on the Ballincollig Premier Intermediate hurling team in recent seasons. They are under new management for the 2025 season led by Eamon Keating, father of Brian, who is the manager, with Ronan Curran the coach. Dave Collins and Frank Daly are selectors with Éamonn Murphy and Noel Hurley in the backroom team.

“Since I say around U14 level, dad has been involved with my team so it’s nothing new. When we come home from matches, there would be no talk of our own team. He has a chance now to build on the years gone by. In fairness to Danny and Johnny Dwyer, they did trojan work with us. All of the players would have great time for the previous management. Dad got the nod to manage the team now so hopefully he will be able to help us progress and mature as a group.

“After losing the last two semi-finals by a point, your kind of back down at the bottom of the pit. It’s very tough to get out of the group every year. You literally can’t look beyond the first game.” Keating concluded.

In the Co-Op SuperStores PIHC group stage this year, Ballincollig will meet Ballinhassig, Kilworth and Castlemartyr.