He was part of the Dublin side that won the All-Ireland Under-21 Football Championship in 2003. He made his senior debut for Dublin Football during the 2005 NFL campaign. Keaney was announced in the International Rules team to play in Australia but had to opt out due to an ankle injury. In first full term as a Dublin football player in 2005, he was part of the Dublin team that won the Leinster Senior Football Championship against Laois. He opted out of the football team in 2011 to rejoin the hurling team.
Despite a late return to county football in the 2006 National Football League he finished the league as the second highest scorer with a score of 2-12 (0-6f). In his opening game in the Championship for Dublin in the Leinster Senior Football Championship quarter final, he is regarded as single-handedly winning the game for Dublin. In what proved to be a poor Dublin performance, Keaney scored a 0-8 (0-6f) against Longford in a game that sent Dublin into the Leinster Senior Football Championship Semi-final against LaoisinCroke Park. His form continued against Laois as Keaney added another 0-06 (2f), as Dublin strolled into the Leinster final. Conal Keaney (for football) and Cork hurling star John Gardiner were named as the Vodafone Players of the Month for June 2006. Keaney won a Leinster senior football medal with Dublin in their victory in the final in 2006. At club level, Keaney made it to the fourth round of the Dublin Senior Football Championship with Ballyboden St Endas, losing to southside rivals Kilmacud Crokes. In October 2006 Conal was called up to represent Leinster in the Railway Cup. Keaney scored 1-03 against Ulster in the Railway Cup semi-final, sending Leinster to the final for a second year in a row. He has been nominated for an all-star for his 2006 performances in the half forward line. Keaney was on the winning team for Leinster in the Martin Donnelly Cup final against Connacht scoring (0-4, 3 frees).[2]
He won the 2007O'Byrne Cup for Dublin against LaoisatO'Connor Park in Offaly. The game finished on a scoreline of 1-18 to 2-13 against Laois. he finished the tournament with 0-12 (0-4f).[3] Conal was the highest scoring player in the Dublin Senior team in the Allianz league, he scored 1-18 (0-8f).[3] Conal scored 0-5 (0-4f) in the opening match of the 2007 Lenster Championship against Meath. The game finished all level with Keaney scoring the crucial point that earned Dublin their draw.[4] In the replay Keaney scored a total of 0-4 (0-3f) and Dublin progressed to the semi-final.[5] The semi final proved a much easier test for Dublin and scored 3 points in Dublins victory over Offaly. Keaney won a Leinster Senior Football Championship medal in Dublins 2007 final victory over Laois.[6]
Early in 2010 Keaney announced that he would stay with the Football squad for the 2010 season. He was however utilised mainly as a substitute for the 2010 season. He won a fourth SHC club title with Ballyboden
Keaney is also renowned as a great hurling player and was a dual-county player for Dublin, he decided to concentrate on Gaelic football in 2005, and opted out of the Dublin Hurling squad in 2005. This dealt a double blow to the Dublin Hurling squad as David O'Callaghan made a similar decision.
[1] Keaney amazingly received nomination for an All-star in 2003 despite Dublins lack of progress in the Championship. Also in 2003, Keaney was part of the Dublin side that shocked Leinster hurling by beating Kilkenny in the 2003 Walsh Cup, Keaney scored a point in the game. He rejoined the hurling team in 2011. Keaney played for Ballyboden St Endas in the 2006 Dublin Senior Hurling Championship, losing to Craobh Chiaráin in the final. Keaney won his first Dublin Senior Hurling Championship medal with his club Ballyboden St Endas in October 2007.[8] The Dublin championship win qualified Ballyboden to play in their first ever Leinster Senior Club Hurling Championship game against OULART-THE BALLAGH of Wexford. Boden won the game by 1-17 to 0-15 with Keaney scoring a total of 0-03.[9] Boden then went on to play in the Leinster semi final against Camross and won the game by 2-09 to 1-11. Keaney scored a total of 0-02 in a game which gave Ballyboden their first ever Leinster final game which was held on 2 December 2007 against six-time champions Birr. Boden lost by 1 point.[10]
Early in 2011 Keaney, having sat out most of the 2010 season on the bench for the senior footballers, he finally declared his decision to opt off the Football squad and to return to the Hurling squad. In 2011, Keaney played a key role in Dublin's hurling resurgence, scoring 14 points, and winning 'Man of the Match', in Dublin's defeat of the reigning All-Ireland hurling champions, Tipperary, in February 2011. In July 2011, following a motorbike accident, Conal missed the quarter-final victory over Limerick in Semple stadium. Unfortunately, his season was over, despite the Dubs facing Tipperary in the semi-final.[11]
Conal Keaney is one of the only modern Galeic Footballers and Hurler to hold Railway Cups medals in both Hurling and Football
Keaney returned to inter county hurling against Laois in the quarter-finals of the 2012 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship. It proved a facile win for Dublin with a final score of 3-23 to 1-07. Keaney scored a total of 0-02 during his return to senior hurling action and Dublin progressed to the Leinster semi final against Kilkenny.[12]
He announced his retirement from inter-county hurling ahead of the 2021 season.[13][14]
