Kearney played more often for Connacht in his second season, making 8 starts and 7 replacement appearances in the 2012–13 Pro12. He also played for the province in 4 of their 6 pool games in the 2013–14 Heineken Cup, starting all but one of his games. He scored his first try for the team in a Pro12 match away to Edinburgh on 12 April 2013, which Connacht won 32–24.