It is a tremendous honour for Killeavy to have three star players lining out for the Armagh minor team in the All Ireland final next weekend.
Conor King, James Donnelly and Kealan Downey have enjoyed tremendous careers to date, all three enjoying fabulous success with Killeavy underage,
St Pauls school and Armagh Development squads.
I was speaking with Conor's mother Marian in researching honours that the three players may have won in their fledgling careers to date.
The conversation took about fifteen minutes to exact a full list of medals, titles and trophies that bear testamony to the quality
coaching and guidance afforded to these players by Killeavy, St Pauls and Armagh.
It also highlights the qualities of the three young men and their families who have distinguished themselves so often in the quest for success on the field,
that has seen them annex so many titles. I'll name a few, that the guys have won together with Killeavy including U12 league and Championship, U14 league and Championship,
U14 All County Championship, and a Minor league title, hopefully a list of success that the guys can bring forward to the senior
scene with their peers in the not too distant future.
Conor, Kealan and James have really grown up together in the Killeavy colours since primary schools, all three showing notice of star qualities
from an early age. Conor and James midfield partnership for Killeavy was always beautifully complementary, James a soaring high-fielding catcher
of the ball, a great winner of tough possession, while Conor had the ability to carry that possession forward and convert it into
scores from frees and play at the business end of the pitch.
A little smaller in stature, but just as large in heart, Kealan's talent was able to be deployed in any line of the field,
and whether its snuffing out a threat of goal or moving up the pitch to score a much needed point or goal, the adjectives"impressive" and "inspirational"
were often adjectives that were placed before his name.
Conor King's family are about as Killeavy as it comes. Conor's grandfather Larry is club president, with countless years of service to the club,
while his father John played his heart out for many years for Killeavy, and has coached teams at every level. His brothers and cousins play for Killeavy, his father and uncles coach.
Qualities that sum up the GAA. King engineering have also brought their professional skills to the benefit of the club on countless occasions.
Conor has had a great year for Armagh, from winning two penalties in a hard fought win against Tyrone, and adding a couple of vital scores in the same game, to
forcing one of the most memorable saves seen in many a year from the Kerry keeper in a great semi final display.
James is a player every team wants in the engine room, fiercely competitive and strong, a great aerial combatant, with a never say die attitude.
Ask his Kerry opponent in the semi-final if he would ever want to come up against James again in a fifty-fifty challenge!
James brother Paddy is a regular in the Killeavy senior team, while his father Henry is a thoroughly committed club supporter, often manning the
linesmans flag for the senior footballers.
Captain of the U17 development squad last year, it is great to see Kealan Downey's prowess really coming to the fore now with Armagh, and many people have been
taken aback by the sheer quality of his displays in this championship.
His mobility, tenacity, skill and positional dexterity mean he should be a real star for years to come, and he reminds me a lot of Tyrone's Ryan McMenamin
(without the verbals, thank God!) in his forward raids to score points from corner back!
All of Killeavy wish Conor, James, and Kealan all the best on Sunday, and we'll be cheering our boys to a man, to what will hopefully be a glorious victory
on Sunday afternoon.
