Ian Keatley

Ian James T. Keatley (born 1 April 1987) is an Irish rugby union player.

He plays primarily as a fly-half, but can also play as a centre or fullback.

Keatley was born in Dublin, where he was educated at Belvedere College and University College Dublin.

He was a member of the Belvedere College team which won the Leinster Senior Schools Cup in 2005, the first time the school had achieved this in 33 years.

He also represented Suttonians whilst in Dublin.

After spending one season as part of Leinster's senior team, during which time he failed to make any appearances for the first team, Keatley joined rival Irish province Connacht ahead of the 2008–09 season.

Keatley made his first appearance for the side on 5 September 2008, starting in a 2008–09 Celtic League match against the Ospreys.

Keatley played in 17 of Connacht's 18 league games for the season, starting in all of the matches he played.

Keatley also made his European debut that season on 10 October 2008, starting in the team's 2008–09 European Challenge Cup game with French side Dax.

Of Connacht's six games in the group stages of the competition, Keatley started five, missing a match against London Irish.

Keatley also started in Connacht's quarter-final defeat to eventual champions Northampton Saints.

He scored a total of 185 points for the province during the course of his first season.

In the following season, Keatley continued to be a regular player for Connacht.

He played in all 18 of Connacht's 2009–10 Celtic League games, 13 of these appearances coming as starts.

In the 2009–10 Challenge Cup, Keatley played in all of Connacht's group games, starting in four and coming on as a replacement in the other two.

Connacht won all of their group games to enter the knock-out as top seeds.

Keatley started in the province's quarter-final win over Bourgoin, kicking two conversions and a penalty.

In the semi-final, Connacht faced a Toulon side featuring Jonny Wilkinson.

Keatley kicked all of Connacht's points in the game, as the province were beaten 19–12.

Keatley scored a total of 208 points for Connacht over the 2009–10 season.

In the 2010–11 season, Keatley's former coach from the Ireland Under-20 team, Eric Elwood, took over as Connacht coach.

With the expansion of the competition to include 12 teams, Keatley featured in all 22 of Connacht's 2010–11 Celtic League games, with just two of his appearances coming as a replacement.

In the 2010–11 Challenge Cup, Keatley started all six of the team's games as they failed to qualify for the knock-out stages, finishing second in their group to eventual champions Harlequins.

He scored a total of 295 points for the province over the course of both competitions.

After his three seasons with Connacht Rugby, Keatley was the province's record points scorer, with a total of 688 points.

He left Connacht at the end of the 2010–11 season, joining another Irish province, this time going to Munster.

Keatley joined Munster to replace Paul Warwick, signing a two-year contract.

He made his Munster debut against Dragons in September 2011.

He kicked six from six against Cardiff Blues on 23 September 2011 to win the match 18–13 for Munster, earning the Man-of-the-Match award.

Keatley made his Heineken Cup debut in Munster's Round 5 26–10 win over Castres.

He missed Munster's final regular fixture of the 2011–12 season against Ulster after picking up a knock in training.

He scored his first points in the Heinken Cup, a conversion, in Munster's Round 6 51–36 win against Northampton Saints on 21 January 2012.

He scored 20 points for Munster in their 35–29 win against Glasgow Warriors on 15 April 2012.

Keatley was also crucial in Munster's 20–20 draw with Scarlets on 23 April 2012, kicking 10 points and putting in a superb defensive effort to secure a place in the league play-offs for Munster.

Keatley signed a two-year contract extension with Munster in January 2013.

He won the Man-of-the-Match award in Munster's opening 2013–14 Pro12 victory against Edinburgh on 7 September 2013.

He kicked 14 points in Munster's 19–15 win against Leinster on 5 October 2013, a game in which he also won the Man-of-the-Match award.

Keatley won another Man-of-the-Match award in Munster's 18–14 away win against Dragons on 29 November 2013, a game in which he kicked all of Munster's points.

Keatley was nominated for the 2014 Munster Rugby Senior Player of the Year award on 1 May 2014.

Keatley scored 21 points in Munster's 34–23 away win against Leinster on 4 October 2014.