Johnston lodges transfer request with Cavan County Board

THE ONGOING saga of Seánie Johnston’s putative move to Kildare has progressed with the formal transfer request having being lodged with the Cavan County Board.

Johnston, who wasn’t included in the Cavan training panel named by county manager Val Andrews, had requested that he be allowed move from Cavan Gaels to St Kevin’s, Staplestown, in Kildare.

Cavan county secretary Liam McCabe confirmed to The Irish Times that the application would be considered next week. “Yes, it arrived here and the request will be discussed at next Monday’s management meeting.” He declined to speculate on the likely outcome.

Previously Johnston, who lives in Kildare, had explored the possibility of continuing to play with his club Cavan Gaels while transferring his county allegiance to Kildare but that is not possible under rule and any challenge through the appeals process and the DRA arbitration route would be likely to fail. Instead he has taken the other route by applying for a switch of clubs.

Kildare manager Kieran McGeeney has made it clear that he would welcome Johnston to the county. “If he wants to play for Kildare, the same as anybody else wants to play for Kildare, I’ve an open door policy,” McGeeney told local radio station KFM last week.

“He can come here, turn up, play, train and I’ve never stopped anybody who’s wanted to play for Kildare.

“He has indicated that he wants to and we’ll take him in with open arms but he’s going to have his work cut out.

“There are a lot of fellas there who want their place too and if Seánie steps in here he’s going to have to put up like everybody else.”

Meanwhile, Mayo’s 2011 All Star Andy Moran will make his comeback in tonight’s Connacht League final against NUI Galway. A broken leg prevented Moran from inclusion in the International Rules panel for last autumn’s Test series in Australia but he is now recovered and lines out at full forward in place of Barry Moran, who switches to centrefield.

The Munster hurling panel to play Tipperary tomorrow in Nenagh in a charity match for Breast Cancer Ireland includes 11 current or past All Star award winners. The panel includes players from all six provinces.

MUNSTER (SH v Tipperary): C Dillon (Clare), P Donnellan (Clare), P Cronin (Cork), D Óg Cusack (Cork), J Gardiner (Cork), P Horgan (Cork), T Murnane (Kerry), S Nolan (Kerry), T Condon (Limerick), D Hannon (Limerick), D O’Grady (Limerick), N Quaid (Limerick), M Cahill (Tipperary), L Corbett (Tipperary), P Curran (Tipperary), E Kelly (Tipperary), P Maher (Tipperary), P Maher (Tipperary), B Maher (Tipperary), S McGrath (Tipperary), C O’Mahony (Tipperary), G Ryan (Tipperary), L Lawlor (Waterford), K Moran (Waterford), S O’Sullivan (Waterford), M Walsh (Waterford). Selectors: L Sheedy (Tipperary, manager), S Frampton (Waterford), J O’Connor (Clare), coach – E O’Shea (Tipperary).

MAYO (SF v NUIG): D Clarke; K Higgins, G Cafferkey, L Keegan; P Gardiner, D Vaughan, R Feeney; B Moran, A O Shea; K McLoughlin, A Dillon, P Harte; A Freeman, A Moran, C Mortimer. Subs: C Campbell, S O’Shea, E Reilly, M Walsh, C Barrett, J Gibbons, D Kirby, C O’Connor, M Conroy, M Forde, E Regan, S McHale, C Boyle, A Feeney, E Varley.