The death has occurred of former Shamrock Rovers player Shay Keogh. Shay passed away on Monday, 13^th April 2020.

A centre half and left back, Shay joined the Hoops in 1952 as a minor from Schoolboy club Rathfarnham. He was recruited during the period when Paddy Coad was building a young team that would be able to sustain success. The Hoops had not won the league since 1939 and the club had engaged in a policy of recruiting the best young players in an effort to build a formidable team.

It wasn’t long before matters began to pay off handsomely with the league title been won in 1953/54. The story of the famous ‘Coad’s Colts’ team that went on to dominate the rest of the decade is well-known. Each player in the team was a household name and Shay Keogh played a major part in making this era one of the greatest in the history of Shamrock Rovers.

Shay was selected to represent the League of Ireland on 9 occasions with the first such appearance coming on 14^th May, 1955 when the League travelled to Germany to play against the Hessen League. Shay also had two ‘B’ international caps for Ireland from games he played against Romania and Iceland. He appeared once for the Republic of Ireland senior team at home to Poland in October, 1958.

During his time at Milltown, Shay won every honour available including 3 league titles. He captained the team that beat Drumcondra in the FAI Cup final in 1955 after Paddy Coad’s late withdrawal but had to sit it out the following year which was the year of the famous comeback against Cork Athletic. He did take his place in the starting XI for the 1957 final when Drums extracted revenge for the defeat two years previously.

Shay left Milltown at the end of the 1960/61 season and had spells at Dundalk and St. Patrick’s Athletic. Later on he returned to Milltown as part of the coaching staff. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.

Shamrock Rovers Football Club wish to express our deepest condolences to Shay’s family on their great loss.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.