Conor McKeon
{{Short description|Irish rugby union player (born 1994)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Conor McKeon
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1994|1|4}}
| birth_place = Dublin, Ireland
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height = {{height|m=1.75}}
| weight = {{convert|83|kg|st lbs|abbr=on}}
| school = Gonzaga College
| university = NUI Galway
| relatives = Eoin McKeon (second cousin)
| position = Scrum-half
| amatyears1 = 2013–2015
| amatyears2 = 2015–2019
| amatteam1 = Lansdowne
| amatteam2 = Buccaneers
| ru_amupdate =
| years1 = 2015–2019
| clubs1 = Connacht
| apps1 = 4
| points1 = 4
| ru_clubupdate = 24 April 2019
| repyears1 = 2012
| repyears2 = 2013
| repyears3 = 2014
| repteam1 = Ireland U18
| repteam2 = Ireland U19
| repteam3 = Ireland U20
| repcaps1 =
| repcaps2 =
| repcaps3 = 10
| reppoints1 =
| reppoints2 =
| reppoints3 = 11
| ru_ntupdate = 19 January 2018
}}
Conor McKeon (born 4 january 1994) is a rugby union player from Ireland. He primarily played fly-half for most of his youth career, before changing to scrum-half at senior level. McKeon played professionally for Irish provincial side Connacht in the Pro14 having come through the team's academy, and played his club rugby for Athlone-based side Buccaneers.
In April 2019, it was announced that McKeon would retire from rugby due to injury. His retirement came at the end of the 2018–19 season aged just 25.
Early life
McKeon was born in Dublin, and grew up in Rathfarnham. He played rugby from a young age, with St Mary's, and also played hurling with Ballyboden St Enda's. McKeon attended Gonzaga College in Ranelagh, where he chose to focus exclusively on rugby.{{cite web |url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/connacht-rugby/the-future-is-bright-conor-mckeon-second-year-academy-31536125.html |work=Irish Independent |title=The Future is Bright: Conor McKeon (Second year academy) |date=18 September 2015 |accessdate=19 January 2018}} During his time in the college, he played as a fly-half and was part of the school's team in the Leinster Senior Schools Cup.{{cite web |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/international/powerful-pack-may-give-blackrock-the-edge-over-st-michael-s-1.1329836 |work=Irish Times |title=Powerful pack may give Blackrock the edge over St Michael's |date=16 March 2013 |accessdate=19 January 2018}} After leaving school, McKeon joined All-Ireland League side Lansdowne. He received his third level education at NUI Galway, where he studied commerce.{{cite news|first=Declan|last=Rooney|url=https://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/connacht-rugby/nui-galway-renew-deal-with-province-36265387.html|title=NUI Galway renew deal with province|newspaper=Irish Independent|date=27 October 2017|accessdate=27 October 2017|quote=NUI Galway became Connacht's Academy and University partner in 2013, and since then 19 Connacht players have graduated, or are about to graduate, from NUI Galway including current senior squad members Denis Buckley, Eoin Griffin, Eoin McKeon, Andrew Browne, Dave Heffernan, Jack Carty, Darragh Leader, Eoghan Masterson, Seán O'Brien and Conor McKeon.}}
Rugby career
=Connacht=
Having played under-age rugby for his native Leinster, McKeon joined the academy of rival province Connacht in 2014. His second cousin Eoin was already an established part of the senior squad.{{cite web |url=http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/70460/world-cup-youngsters-boost-carolans-connacht-academy |work=Galway Advertiser |title=World Cup youngsters boost Carolan's Connacht Academy |date=26 June 2014 |accessdate=19 January 2018}} Despite being part of the Connacht academy, McKeon continued to play for Dublin-based Lansdowne throughout the season, as the team qualified for the All-Ireland League final.{{cite web |url=http://www.irishrugby.ie/club/34410.php |work=Irish Rugby |title=Lansdowne Prevail In Extra-Time Thriller |date=26 April 2015 |accessdate=19 January 2018 }}{{Dead link|date=July 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} McKeon missed the team's victory over Clontarf however,{{cite web |url=http://www.the42.ie/clontarf-lansdowne-ulster-bank-ail-final-1a-2093644-May2015/ |work=The42 |title=Lansdowne land second title with thrilling UBL final win over Clontarf |date=9 May 2015 |accessdate=19 January 2018}} as he made his senior Connacht debut on 9 May 2015, the same day the final took place. He came off the bench against Zebre, kicking two conversions.{{cite web |url=https://www.pro14rugby.org/player/?PlayGuid=CM398301 |work=Pro14 |title=Player Profile: Conor McKeon |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424163534/https://www.pro14rugby.org/player/?PlayGuid=CM398301 |archivedate=24 April 2019}}
In his second season in the academy, McKeon joined the Athlone-based Connacht Branch club Buccaneers.{{cite web |url=https://www.advertiser.ie/mullingar/article/79737/buccs-look-to-reboundafter-first-loss |work=Galway Advertiser |title=Buccs look to rebound after first loss |date=24 September 2014 |accessdate=19 January 2018}} He made his second appearance for the province against Zebre. Ahead of the 2016–17 season, McKeon was converted from a fly-half to a scrum-half by the Connacht coaches.{{cite web |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/pro12/connacht-bring-in-bundee-aki-and-four-others-for-dragons-trip-1.2853399 |work=Irish Times |title=Connacht bring in Bundee Aki and four others for Dragons trip |date=3 November 2016 |accessdate=19 January 2018}} Although he did not make any first team appearances during his third year in the academy, but was named the province's Academy Player of the Year, helped Buccaneers earn promotion to the top flight of the AIL and earned a senior contract for the following season.{{cite web |url=http://www.connachtrugby.ie/academy-trio-graduate-to-senior-squad-2/ |work=Connacht Rugby |title=Academy trio graduate to senior squad |date=23 May 2017 |accessdate=19 January 2018}}
In his first season as a senior player, McKeon made just one appearance, playing off the bench in the 2017–18 Pro14 game against the Cheetahs. In the 2018–19 season he made his European debut, coming off the bench against Bordeaux Bègles in the Challenge Cup.{{cite web |url=https://www.epcrugby.com/player?PlayGuid=CM398301 |work=European Professional Club Rugby |title=Player: Conor McKeon |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20190424164243/https://www.epcrugby.com/player?PlayGuid=CM398301 |archivedate=24 April 2019}}
In that game however, McKeon suffered a serious shoulder injury.{{cite web |url=https://www.the42.ie/connacht-bordeaux-match-report-challenge-cup-4284837-Oct2018/ |work=The42 |title=Two-try Godwin helps Connacht to Challenge Cup win over Bordeaux |date=13 October 2018 |accessdate=24 April 2019}} No time-frame was given for his return to competitive action.{{cite web |url=https://www.the42.ie/connacht-scrum-half-signing-4384358-Dec2018/ |work=The42 |title=Connacht in the market for Irish-qualified scrum-half as injury cover |date=10 December 2018 |accessdate=24 April 2019}} In April 2019, it was announced that McKeon would retire from the game at the end of the season due to his ongoing struggles with injury.{{cite web |url=https://www.the42.ie/griffin-retires-connacht-leaving-4587753-Apr2019/ |work=The42 |title=Griffin and McKeon retire as seven other players set to leave Connacht |date=11 April 2019 |accessdate=24 April 2019}}
=International=
McKeon has represented Ireland internationally at under-age level. His performances for Gonzaga saw him called up to the Ireland schools team for the European Under-18 Championship in 2012, where he was starting out-half of the side that finished as runners-up in the competition.{{cite web |url=http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/6544.php#.WmJx2Khl_IV |work=Irish Rugby |title=Ireland Schools Team Unchanged For European Final |date=6 April 2012 |accessdate=19 January 2018}}{{cite web |url=http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/6561.php#.WmJyM6hl_IU |work=Irish Rugby |title=Leavy: Tournament Was An Unbelievable Experience |date=8 April 2012 |accessdate=19 January 2018}} The following year, he was part of the under-19 team.{{cite web |url=http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/27489.php#.WmJtPahl_IV |work=Irish Rugby |title=Six Changes For Ireland Under-19s |date=5 April 2013 |accessdate=19 January 2018}} McKeon was part of Mike Ruddock's Ireland under-20 team for the 2014 Six Nations Under 20s Championship. He made appearances in all five of the team's games in the tournament, scoring one penalty against France.{{cite web |url=http://www.irishrugby.ie/rugby/fixturesandresults/squads_ireland_u20.php?player=115241&includeref=dynamic |work=Irish Rugby |title=Ireland U20 Squad Profiles: Conor McKeon |accessdate=19 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180120143502/http://www.irishrugby.ie/rugby/fixturesandresults/squads_ireland_u20.php?player=115241&includeref=dynamic |archive-date=20 January 2018 |url-status=dead }} McKeon was also named in the squad for Junior World Championship later that year.{{cite web |url=http://www.irishrugby.ie/news/31667.php#.WmJ6oahl_IU |work=Irish Rugby |title=Ireland U-20 Squad Named For Junior World Championship |date=28 April 2014 |accessdate=19 January 2018}} He was kept out of the starting side by Ross Byrne but appeared from the bench in all five of Ireland's games, scoring eight points, as the team finished fourth.{{cite web |url=https://www.worldrugby.org/match/14464 |work=World Rugby |title=IRB Junior World Championship 2014, Match 4 |date=2 June 2014 |accessdate=19 January 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.worldrugby.org/match/14471 |work=World Rugby |title=IRB Junior World Championship 2014, Match 11 |date=6 June 2014 |accessdate=19 January 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.worldrugby.org/match/14473 |work=World Rugby |title=IRB Junior World Championship 2014, Match 13 |date=10 June 2014 |accessdate=19 January 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.worldrugby.org/match/14483 |work=World Rugby |title=IRB Junior World Championship 2014, Match 23 |date=15 June 2014 |accessdate=19 January 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://www.worldrugby.org/match/14489 |work=World Rugby |title=IRB Junior World Championship 2014, Match 29 |date=20 June 2014 |accessdate=19 January 2018}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20190424165707/https://www.connachtrugby.ie/players/conor-mckeon/ Connacht profile]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20190424164243/https://www.epcrugby.com/player?PlayGuid=CM398301 EPCR profile]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20180120143502/http://www.irishrugby.ie/rugby/fixturesandresults/squads_ireland_u20.php?player=115241&includeref=dynamic Ireland under-20 profile]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20190424163534/https://www.pro14rugby.org/player/?PlayGuid=CM398301 Pro14 profile]
{{DEFAULTSORT:McKeon, Conor}}
Category:Alumni of the University of Galway
Category:Ballyboden St Enda's hurlers
Category:Buccaneers RFC players
Category:Connacht Rugby players
Category:Irish rugby union players
Category:Lansdowne Football Club players
Category:Rugby union players from Dublin (city)
Category:Rugby union scrum-halves