Keane gets king's welcome as United win
Manchester United captain Roy Keane made his first public appearance in his native Ireland on Saturday since being sent home from the World Cup -- and was welcomed home like a king.
Keane led out a strong United side for a friendly against Irish champions Shelbourne in Dublin's Tolka Park, the English team beginning their pre-season campaign with a comfortable 5-0 win.
The match was a sell-out and despite the presence of players like Juan Sebastian Veron, Ryan Giggs and Ruud van Nistelrooy, there was no doubting that most of the 11,000 paying punters had come mainly to see Keane.
Much of the Irish media had expected the Corkman to run out to boos and insults, but the 30 year-old looked relaxed as he smiled and waved when the crowd greeted him with loud cries of "Keano, Keano."
Keane, who has played 58 times for his country, was thrown out of Ireland's World Cup squad following a row with coach Mick McCarthy over facilities at the squad's pre-tournament training camp.
"Roy was shot in the back for standing up for what he believed in" said 29 year-old Brian McMahon from Dublin, "That's why we now call him Martin Luther Keane ... he has always been proud to play for Ireland.. it's the people that boo him that are the traitors."
But, symptomatic of the bitter division Keane provoked in Irish public opinion, a small cluster of fans booed Keane throughout the game.
One spectator who was surprised by the overwhelmingly warm welcome afforded to Keane was former Shelbourne manager, and current boss of Kildare County, Dermot Keely.
"It is quite amazing that he can do what he did and still retain that aura about him and the affection of football fans," Keely said. "If any other player had abused McCarthy in the way Keane had, I think everyone would turn against him."
PUBLIC DEBATE
McCarthy took a huge risk in sending home the player who had been an inspirational captain throughout the qualifiers, as well as the team's top scorer, and his decision divided the nation deeply, triggering a public debate that is still ongoing.
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has still not said whether Keane will be allowed to play for his country again. However, if his reception at Tolka Park is anything to go by, it seems most Irish football fans would relish the chance to see him lead the team out at Lansdowne Road for next September's Euro 2004 qualifier against Switzerland.
But that may become an impossibility if Keane, as expected, hammers McCarthy and the FAI in his hotly-anticipated autobiography, due out at the end of August.
United crushed Shelbourne thanks to a close-range hat-trick from Ruud van Nistelrooy, a neat second half strike from substitute Dwight Yorke and a fine 26th minute effort from Uruguayan striker Diego Forlan, his first goal for the club.
Teams:
Shelbourne: Steve Williams, Owen Heary, David Crawley, Tony McCarthy, Barry Prederville, Jim Gannon, Ollie Cahill, Stewart Byrne, Mark Roberts, Stephen Geoghegan, Richie Baker.
Subs:Ross, Byrne, Houlihan, Fenlon.
Manchester United: Roy Carroll, Mikael Silvestre, Phil Neville, Laurent Blanc, John O'Shea, Juan Sebastian Veron, Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Ole Gunnar Solksjaer.
