Hi lads, welcome back to the off-season interviews. I’m back after a two week break and this is the first interview of 2026. I hope everyone had a great Christmas, and I want to wish you all a Happy New Year!
Today, I will be bringing you my interview with former Kerry FC captain, and now Killarney Celtic captain, as well as Treaty United midfielder, Matt Keane. I spoke to him about his time at Kerry FC, his experience with Treaty United, and also touched on the upcoming Irish National League which his current club Killarney Celtic will be taking part in. Let’s get started!
How did it feel to captain Kerry FC and lead the team out in their first ever competitive match? What did that moment mean to you personally?
Leading Kerry out in their first game was a very proud moment. Captaining your county in any code is a massive honour as you are representing your family and friends. Unfortunately, that match or the season probably didn’t go as planned but i think you can see now Kerry FC are going from strength to strength and I fully expect them to be up towards the top of the table this year pushing for promotion with some of the signings they have made.
During your time with Kerry FC or Treaty United, which game stands out as your favourite, and what made that match so special to you?
Which opponent did you and your teammates find the most difficult to face, whether with Treaty United or Kerry FC, and what made them such a tough challenge?
There is a few players who really stood out to me when we played them. Jack Byrne for Rovers was quality on the ball and was very hard to get close to him, Alex Murphy for Galway and Ryan Brennan with Shels were also very good but the player who probably stands out the most for me was Patrick McEleny. We played him 2 years in a row in the FAI cup with Dundalk and Derry, he absolutely dictated both games. So calm and composed on the ball but also a powerhouse of a midfielder. Think he got the winner in both games which underlines his quality.
You are now playing for your native club, Killarney Celtic. With the club recently announced as a team in the new National League starting in August 2026 how do you feel about competing in this new league?
Ya very excited to be competing in the national league with the club I have played with since I was kid. There is a great buzz around the club at the moment since we have been accepted. We have won the league title the last 7 years in a row and the cup 6 times in the last 7 years in Kerry so we felt it was either now or never as a club to try and push on. We know there will be much tougher games ahead but everyone in the club cant wait for the first national league game to be played in Celtic Park. There will be some atmosphere above there.
What personal and team goals have you set for yourself with Killarney Celtic at this stage of your career?
Goals personally are to try to just keep improving all the time, whether that is technically, physically or mentally. I am always trying to learn and improve on my weaknesses. As a team our goal is to win games week on week – try to go on a good run in FAI cup and retain the league and cup in Kerry. We know as a team we need raise our standards across the board for the national league next Autumn but I think since we got the news that we have been accepted into the league, it is a challenge everyone in the team is looking forward to now after the Christmas break.
Like every other time, I thank players at the end of each article. I would like to thank Matt Keane for taking part in this interview. I wish him the very best of luck both personally and with Killarney Celtic.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this article. I hope you enjoyed it. Next week, I will be joined by a newly signed Athlone Town AFC player. That’s all I can say for now
See you next week!