Conal Keaney has come out of retirement to return to the Dublin senior hurling panel for 2018.
Journalist and Cuala hurler Shane Stapleton revealed news of Keaney’s comeback on twitter on Wednesday afternoon.
The dual star called quits almost two-years ago citing increased work commitments and the pressures of balancing hurling with family life as the reason he was walking away.
His departure came at a time when a number of players departed the panel including veterans Johnny McCaffrey and Joey Boland as well as the talented former All Star Danny Sutcliffe.
Keaney’s premature departure in 2016 was rumoured to be a result of a dispute with the manager Ger Cunningham.
The Cork native proved to be a divisive figure in the dressing room and presided over a mass exodus of players who either voluntarily left the panel or were cleaved from the herd by Cunningham.
Keaney seemed to call for a change in management after their Leisnter SHC semi-final defeat to Kilkenny in 2016.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tactical a shambles tonight Dublin need all their best hurlers playing to compete <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/changeneeded?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#changeneeded</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/dublinarebetterthanthis?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#dublinarebetterthanthis</a></p>— Conal keaney (@ConalKeaney) <a href="https://twitter.com/ConalKeaney/status/741713882859896832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2016</a></blockquote>
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During a glittering career he helped Dublin end a 52 year wait ti win the Leinster SHC in 2013, he also won a division one title in the league during his time with the hurlers.
Under Pat Gilroy and Pillar Caffrey he had success with the footballers, winning five provincial titles until he departed the panel in 2011.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Conal Keaney of <a href="https://twitter.com/Bodengaa?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Bodengaa</a> has rejoined the <a href="https://twitter.com/DubGAAOfficial?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DubGAAOfficial</a> hurling panel for 2018. Gives great encouragement to fellow 35-year-olds like myself! Some career, considering he first joined senior county hurlers at the age of 17.</p>— Shane Stapleton (@ShaneSaint) <a href="https://twitter.com/ShaneSaint/status/951053183631192064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I have informed Dublin Hurling Management that I will not be playing in 2016 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/retirement?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#retirement</a> Wishing all players the best of luck <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dubs4Liam16?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dubs4Liam16</a></p>— Conal keaney (@ConalKeaney) <a href="https://twitter.com/ConalKeaney/status/718322324504776704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2016</a></blockquote>
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