Shamrock Rovers announce death of Shay Keogh aged 85

Defender won three league titles and captained Rovers to 1955 FAI Cup final win

Shamrock Rovers have annnounced the death of Shay Keogh. Photograph: Oisin Keniry/Inpho
Shamrock Rovers have annnounced the death of Shay Keogh. Photograph: Oisin Keniry/Inpho

Shay Keogh, who won three league titles during almost a decade with Shamrock Rovers and captained the team to victory in the 1955 FAI Cup final has died at the age of 85, the club has announced.

A member of the club’s famous “Coad’s Colts”, Keogh was a hugely well regarded centre-half who also played for a spell at left back. He made 15 appearances for League of Ireland representative sides, won a couple of “B” caps and made one senior international appearance, a 2-2 draw with Poland in October 1958.

He career was hindered by injury more than once and he left Rovers in 1961 and subsequently became player manager at St Patrick’s Athletic. He later had a spell at Dundalk but returned to Rovers for a time as part of the coaching staff.

Emmet Malone

Emmet Malone

Emmet Malone is Work Correspondent at The Irish Times