Johnston awaits fate as Cavan chiefs set to discuss Kildare switch
Friday January 27 2012
Cavan GAA's management committee will discuss Seanie Johnston's transfer request to a Kildare club at their first meeting of the year on Monday night.
That meeting should give Johnston a fair indication as to whether he will be cleared to become a Kildare player in the coming weeks.
The forward's transfer request from Cavan Gaels to St Kevin's in Kildare was received by Cavan County Board on Wednesday.
It had been signed by all the relevant parties, including the Kildare County Board.
Cavan have 10 days from the day of receipt in which to raise an objection to the move. If there is no objection lodged in that time, then Johnston will automatically become a St Kevin's player and consequently become eligible to play for Kildare.
Cavan Gaels have an executive meeting on Wednesday, when the club's policy on the proposed transfer will be crystallised.
The indications are that Cavan could express concerns to the Central Competition Controls Committee (CCCC), the clearing body in this matter, and object to it.
Johnston has stated that he is now resident in Straffan despite working as a teacher in Breffni College in Cavan town. He believes this makes him eligible to play for a Kildare club.
The player has been out of favour with Cavan since last October, when he was dropped from a squad established for pre-season training under manager Val Andrews.
Lilywhites manager Kieran McGeeney has said he will welcome Johnston with open arms, but stressed that he will have to work his way into the senior squad through the junior/development squad system that operates in Kildare.
If Cavan do raise objections and the CCCC support their viewpoint, Johnston may have to resort to the Disputes Resolution Authority (DRA) in an attempt to switch.
Johnston grappled with the idea of taking a case to the DRA after the GAA's Central Appeals Committee turned down his original request to declare eligibility to Kildare and still play for Cavan Gaels.
The CCCC have already blocked one inter-county transfer this year.
John Murtagh had sought to declare for Louth while still playing for Parnells in Dublin, but the former Crossmaglen player has been told that because his original transfer to Parnells had Armagh as his declared 'home county', he is not eligible to declare for Louth and continue to play club football in Dublin.
- Colm Keys
Irish Independent
