Jordan riles up Johnston

As Congress meets today to vote a motion that may impact on Seanie Johnston’s transfer to Kildare, a war of words has erupted on Twitter between the Cavan footballer and Philip Jordan.

With Val Andrews’ departure as Cavan manager raising the question of the Cavan Gaels forward returning to his own county set-up, former Tyrone star Jordan responded on Thursday to a tweet that Johnston would be a unifying factor for the new manager.

“Seanie Johnston & unity in the 1 sentence...that’s a first!”

He then tweeted: “I’d rather fail with my own than win with someone following the glory. Too many not worried about the ethos of our games.”

Johnston responded: “Didn’t realise diving and feigning injury in an all Ireland final to get a fellow player sent off was in the ethos of the gaa #potandkettle”

Johnston was referring to an incident in the 2003 All-Ireland final when Armagh’s Diarmuid Marsden was sent off following an altercation with Jordan.

Jordan has strenuously denied feigning injury, recently stating: “For anyone to say I dived is total nonsense.

“It is just a pity that the cameras didn’t get the incident early.”

Despite Andrews’ exit and his former co-manager and current U21 boss Terry Hyland expected to take the reins, Johnston is expected to make the switch to Kildare.

However, he will have to first line out with his intended new club St Kevins, Staplestown in the Kildare SFC before pulling on the Lilywhites jersey — if a Central Council motion to Congress is successful today.

The proposal calls for players intent on making inter-county transfers to first play a championship game for their new club either in the current or previous year before representing that county.

On the understanding the motion will become active immediately, Johnston will first have to play with St Kevin’s in mid-May.

However, Kildare don’t open their Leinster SFC campaign against Offaly in Portlaoise until June 20.