 After losing back-to-back county senior championship finals in 1984 and 1985, Killimordaly overcame Turloughmore by 0-17 to 2-7 in the 1986 decider, with Keady as a key member of the team.He later won a Connacht medal following 6-16 to 1-4 defeat of Tooreen.Keady first played for Galway as a member of the minor hurling team on 3 August 1980.