Seán Johnston is now free to officially join the Kildare footballers, providing he plays club championship for new club St Kevin’s, after the Central Competitions Control Committee put an end to the long-running quest to transfer from Cavan Gaels.

Yesterday’s CCCC meeting accepted the move, which initially had them at odds with the other national committee of Central Council, the Central Appeals Committee.

The CAC kept Johnston’s transfer request afloat after it was initially rejected on grounds that the CCCC wasn’t satisfied the player’s permanent residence had changed to Kildare (Rule 6.9) and secondly that the proposed move violated the community ethos of the GAA and the debt of allegiance owed by members to their local clubs (Rule 6.1).

The former Cavan forward has been training with Kieran McGeeney’s football panel but it is now up to the Kildare County Board to schedule championship fixtures that would enable Johnston to officially be deemed a Lilywhite.